Oil question for a 2007 Chevy 2500HD 6.0L

[vranasaurus]

I just found this site and let me say that this is an incredible resource I have probably spent 10 hours over the last two days reading stuff on this site. I still have some questions and concerns.

I was thinking about running either Amsoil or the German Castrol with OCI's as indicated by the OLM.

Though I know that both of these oils are solid products they don't meet certain certifications as required by the owners manual.

The Amsoil doesn't isn't API certified nor does it say it meets the GM 6094 specification. I also read somewhere that the reason amsoil isn't API certified is that it contains too much ZDDP. What does that mean?

The German Castrol is API certified SL, isn't newer than 2004 supposed to be SM? This oil is also GF-3 aren't new oils GF-4? Does any of that make a difference in my truck?

I am not asking which one is better because both would work, my question is what do all these ratings mean? And what effect does that have on my truck?

Is this just a case of being able to [censored] in a bottle and slap a bunch of certifications on it and what you have is a certified bottle of [censored]. I have seen threads where people run both and have success.

I am not predisposed of using those two oils but I did like the idea of using group 4 oils but maybe I'm just not very intelligent on this subject and should look at other oils.

 

[Ponch]

Hey welcome to the site! I just joined almost a week ago. I have a 2008 silverado with the vortec 6.0 (vortecmax) and like you I was trying to find the best oil for my baby. Amsoil, and german castrol did come to mind, but after all of the great things I am hearing on pennzoil platinum, I am giving it a try in my truck. I will wait awhile though as I only have 6000 miles on my new truck, and want it to do a couple short interval oil changes. I personally have had no experience with the german castrol, but I have read several UOA's with great results. There is a fellow member on this forum that goes by the screen name "patman" who has ran this oil in his corvette with good results, and I believe he is giving pennzoil platinum a shot also. My experience with amsoil a couple years back were not what I consider excellent, but pretty decent. I haven't tried any of their new formulations lately, but both samples I had analysed thickened into the 40wt range rather quickly.

 

[XPR]

Amsoil's XL line is API certified.

 

[vranasaurus]

Amsoil XL is API certified.

However it is a group III oil just like others available at retail stores. I just doesn't make much sense to me to send away for a product that I can go get locally. Especially when there is no cost difference.

 

[Jeff70]

From the Amsoil website.....

AMSOIL Synthetic 5W-30 Motor Oil is recommended for gasoline engines, diesel engines (API CF, ACEA B5) and other applications requiring any of the listed worldwide specifications:

API SM/CF, SL, SJ ...
ILSAC GF-4, 3 ...
ACEA A5/B5-04
JASO VTW
GM 4718M, 6094M
Ford WSS M2C929-A
Daimler Chrysler MS-6395N
VW 503.00

And the SSO.......

APPLICATIONS
AMSOIL Signature Series 0W-30 Synthetic Motor Oil is recommended for use in gasoline engines, diesel engines (API CF, ACEA B5) and other applications requiring SAE 0W-30, 5W-30 or 10W-30 with the following worldwide specifications:

• API SM/CF, SL, SJ …
• ILSAC GF-4, 3 …
• ACEA A5/B5-04
• GM 4718M, 6094M
• Ford WSS-M2C929-A
• Daimler Chrysler MS-6395N
• VW 503.00



6094M same as 6094?

 

[vranasaurus]

It is reccomended, by amsoil, for those aplications which is different than actually meeting those standards.

If you look at the API's website and their list of certified oils the only msoil listed is the XL line.