Oil for an 01 Trans AM

Pennzoil motor oil
Status
Not open for further replies.
Originally Posted By: mac62989
Originally Posted By: A_Harman
Originally Posted By: mac62989
Originally Posted By: A_Harman
Change oil according to the OLM. Don't worry about doing an annual oil change if you're only doing 3000 miles per year.


I never thought the OLM was that reliable


I always trusted mine up to about 150K miles, when I started doing oil analyses. Then I found that the oil still has a lot of life left even after the OLM calls for an oil change. I have always run synthetics in mine, though.


The guy who I bought mine from ran Mobil 1 synthetic but he barely drove it in the four years he owned it. I would be surprised if he changed the oil more than twice. I continued using synthetic but I dont know what was in it the first 5 years. What kind of oil do you run?


I faithfully ran Mobil 1 for the first 150k miles, then I fell in with this BITOG crowd, and started running oils from different makers. Outside of regular M1, I have run M1 High Mileage, Red Line, Joe Gibbs Driven, Castrol Syntec Euro 0w30, and Pennzoil Ultra.
 
With all of your short trips, I'd run Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy 0w30, a quality filer, and change the oil when the OLM told you. Those are nice cars. I wish I would have bought one years ago...
 
Originally Posted By: Alex38
With all of your short trips, I'd run Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy 0w30, a quality filer, and change the oil when the OLM told you. Those are nice cars. I wish I would have bought one years ago...


What would the advanced fuel economy do for me?
 
If you want conventional, I like QS Green Bottle 5-30. I have cases of syn bought on sale, but I run the green bottle in my LT-1.If you want to run syn, I'd use Quaker State Ultimate Durability also in 5-30. I have had LS-1, LS6, and now the LS7. Quaker State has run the quietest in every single one of them--any Mobil 1 has made them louder (valvetrain)
I put on about 2000-3000 miles a year and change it once every 2 years, or you can rely on the OLM, which you can trust in this application
Filters--for the LS motors, I like AC-Delco, but since they have switched over to E-CORE---I'll prolly go with Fram Tough Guard or Ultra in the spring when both are due
 
Originally Posted By: steve20
If you want conventional, I like QS Green Bottle 5-30. I have cases of syn bought on sale, but I run the green bottle in my LT-1.If you want to run syn, I'd use Quaker State Ultimate Durability also in 5-30. I have had LS-1, LS6, and now the LS7. Quaker State has run the quietest in every single one of them--any Mobil 1 has made them louder (valvetrain)
I put on about 2000-3000 miles a year and change it once every 2 years, or you can rely on the OLM, which you can trust in this application
Filters--for the LS motors, I like AC-Delco, but since they have switched over to E-CORE---I'll prolly go with Fram Tough Guard or Ultra in the spring when both are due


They still make the regular AC Delcos. I think most E-Cores are at Walmart. I still can find non-ecores at Oreilly's and Advance. Run a wix IMO.
 
Originally Posted By: LX289
Run German Castrol. I like it and it is an awesome oil. It will stand up to abuse if you drive it hard.


It seems thats the opinion of lots of folks on LS1tech
 
Originally Posted By: steve20
If you want conventional, I like QS Green Bottle 5-30. I have cases of syn bought on sale, but I run the green bottle in my LT-1.If you want to run syn, I'd use Quaker State Ultimate Durability also in 5-30. I have had LS-1, LS6, and now the LS7. Quaker State has run the quietest in every single one of them--any Mobil 1 has made them louder (valvetrain)
I put on about 2000-3000 miles a year and change it once every 2 years, or you can rely on the OLM, which you can trust in this application
Filters--for the LS motors, I like AC-Delco, but since they have switched over to E-CORE---I'll prolly go with Fram Tough Guard or Ultra in the spring when both are due


Quieting down the valvetrain is something I am hoping to do
 
Originally Posted By: steve20
If you want conventional, I like QS Green Bottle 5-30. I have cases of syn bought on sale, but I run the green bottle in my LT-1.If you want to run syn, I'd use Quaker State Ultimate Durability also in 5-30. I have had LS-1, LS6, and now the LS7. Quaker State has run the quietest in every single one of them--any Mobil 1 has made them louder (valvetrain)
I put on about 2000-3000 miles a year and change it once every 2 years, or you can rely on the OLM, which you can trust in this application
Filters--for the LS motors, I like AC-Delco, but since they have switched over to E-CORE---I'll prolly go with Fram Tough Guard or Ultra in the spring when both are due


What does this LS7 sit in?? (C6 Z06, 5th gen Z28, or a transplant into something else
confused2.gif
)
 
Originally Posted By: A_Harman
Originally Posted By: Clevy

Surprisingly my charger feels faster in a straight line and it definitely corners better.


Than a 4th-Gen F-body?
That'll be the day.


Yes, usually it is just the ricetards (and I know that Clevy is NOT one of them) who make the mistake of thinking our cars are for "straight line use only", so I don't get it.
21.gif
 
Originally Posted By: mac62989
Originally Posted By: Alex38
With all of your short trips, I'd run Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy 0w30, a quality filer, and change the oil when the OLM told you. Those are nice cars. I wish I would have bought one years ago...


What would the advanced fuel economy do for me?


It will flow up to the heads and cam, and into the bearings quicker when cold (for your short tripping), has a stouter base stock composition than regular Mobil 1 5w30, and is actually slightly thicker when hot than the Mobil 1 5w30.

Any engine/drivetrain mods done to this bird?
 
Originally Posted By: mac62989
Internals are untouched. H/C/I are planned


H/C/I = Heads, Cam & Intake?
Headers, too?
 
Originally Posted By: Shannow
Is it -25C in Connecticut ?


I think I only remember one night this winter that was in the negatives. Either way car does not get driven after the first major snowfall so lowest temp it really sees is slightly below freezing usually.
 
Originally Posted By: A_Harman
Originally Posted By: mac62989
Internals are untouched. H/C/I are planned


H/C/I = Heads, Cam & Intake?
Headers, too?


You are correct. It has full bolt-ons now. Headers, true dual exhaust (with high flow cats), intake, and tune.
 
Originally Posted By: mac62989
Originally Posted By: Shannow
Is it -25C in Connecticut ?


I think I only remember one night this winter that was in the negatives. Either way car does not get driven after the first major snowfall so lowest temp it really sees is slightly below freezing usually.


5W will serve you fine then.
 
I think I am going to stick with a synthetic and just trust the OLM and not continue a yearly change. Going to stick with the WIX XP (nappa) filter since I already have it and threw out the receipt. No one mentioned anything about oils with high ZDDP. When oil was discussed on my vehicle specific forum that's what everyone was after high amounts of ZDDP. Is that really what will stop the sewing machine noise in the valvetrain that these cars are known for?
 
The Wix XP is a good filter choice.
The LS1 does not need a high zddp (1200 ppm of Phosphorous or higher) oil because it has a roller lifter valvetrain. It was designed to run on oils with 1000 ppm max zddp, which you can still get. M1 High Mileage and German Castrol are two such examples. Oils that are rated SL in general will have the 1000 ppm content. The trend toward lower zddp seems to have bottomed out in the range of 600-800 ppm for SM and SN oils. Other anti-wear compounds have taken the place of zddp in current oils.
 
I started with Mobil 1 5w30 with my '02 Z28, then went to GC when it became well known within the community. It quieted down the valve train nicely. Always good pressure.

I suspect a number of newer oils like M1 high mileage would be fine, but I've stocked up on enough GC to probably last the car's lifetime so I won't be changing brands soon. If you can get it, there is a good reason it's popular on the LS1 forums.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

C
  • Locked
'99 Trans Am LS1 oil recommendation (Phoenix)
2
Replies
27
Views
14K
Justin251
E
  • Locked
Which oil for my Trans Am?
Replies
12
Views
4K
Patman
K
  • Locked
Oil recommendation for 1984 Trans Am 5.0
2 3
Replies
53
Views
8K
FCD
B
  • Locked
Newb needs a suggestion
Replies
14
Views
3K
ThirdeYe
lastofthebreed_ws6
  • Locked
2002 Trans-Am
2
Replies
32
Views
3K
SR5
Back
Top Bottom