Oil Recommendations - Built LS1

[vettenuts]

Been a while since I have been on this board and was looking for some thoughts on what oil to run. To date, I have been running Amsoil 5W-30 ASL in my 02 Corvette. (Had been running GC but that supply went away.) I am getting ready to install a new set of heads and bigger cam. Cam has fast ramp rates and therefore the spring forces are pretty high as compared to stock (155# seat, 400# open).

Would I benefit in a switch to Redline, and if so should I stick with 5W-30? Cost of Amsoil with the recent increases and need to renew my preferred customer membership also factors into this as the price difference between Amsoil and Redline has pretty much been eliminated.

 

[glennc]

Redline would be my choice for those high valvetrain loads. It's really what that oil is made for. I'd run a few k, do an analysis, and go from there. Very likely you could get by with less, but I would start from the top and work down.

From what I've gathered from other threads the LSx is best off running 5W-30 even in modified form.

Edit: I would also email Dave at Redline and ask his opinion. He will give you good feedback. I'd be curious to see if he agrees with the 5W-30 recommendation.

 

[buster]

Amsoil Dominator 10w-30.

http://www.amsoil.com/storefront/rd30.aspx

The Redline oils are similar and would be a good choice.

From Mobil, 10w30 HM or 0w40.

 

[Mr Nice]

Just curious, how much horsepower will you be making with this head/cam combo ??

 

[vettenuts]

I will be around 450 rwhp or there abouts. Amazing when you consider its only 346 ci in.

 

[vettenuts]

Originally Posted By: glennc
I would also email Dave at Redline and ask his opinion.


Do you have contact information?

Thanks

 

[OVERKILL]

Jay Allen of Camshaft Innovations ran M1 0w20 in his SBF spinning it to 8,000+RPM with substantially more spring pressure and upon tear-down, the engine still looked great inside.

I'm pretty sure you'd be just hunky-dory with any good synthetic.

If you are really concerned about wear, you can get M1 TDT 5w40 or Delvac 1 5w40; both are pretty much guaranteed to give you extremely low wear numbers.

My K-800's are 500lbs open for reference.

 

[Mr Nice]

Off the shelf Mobil 1 is used in the Z06 Vette, i'm sure it would also do just fine in your Vette.

 

[buster]

 

[ProStreetCamaro]

Well being that you have a roller cam means oil has nothing to do with the cam and the spring pressure. If it were a flat tappet then you would have to worry which oil to use.

 

[dailydriver]

The ambient temps (especially at cold start up) and what (if any) type of racing/hard driving (drag, open track, HPDE, TT/Time Attack, open road, etc.) also factor into the weight & choice as well.

 

[buster]

There are other great oils on the market, but I was fortunate enough to have had an email exchange with a GM engineer that does engine testing for GM. If you knew what testing they do with the Corvette, using nothing but Mobil 1, you would feel confident using it. There are other options available though. Good ones too.

 

[BoostFiend]

I don't think the power level your at you'll need any special oils I would still recommend a good synthetic like amsoil.

btw my 04 cobra running 0w-30 sso its 500hp at the crank UOA's look great.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: BoostFiend
I don't think the power level your at you'll need any special oils I would still recommend a good synthetic like amsoil.

btw my 04 cobra running 0w-30 sso its 500hp at the crank UOA's look great.


Mmmmmmmmmmm, TERMI!!!! I LOVE those cars!!!!

 

[ProStreetCamaro]

Originally Posted By: vettenuts
I will be around 450 rwhp or there abouts. Amazing when you consider its only 346 ci in.



Hence the term "touched by the hands of god". People can say what they want and like what they want but the LSX line of engines is the best V-8 anybody has ever built. Sort of discredits the "ewww its a pushrod engine and not an OHC" crowd that thinks pushrod engines are junk. Sorry folks hate to burst your bubble but the LSX not only makes tons of power but it gets good mileage on top of it! Oh and it makes its power across the board where its useable unlike OHC engines that dont come on strong till you wing them out up in the higher rpm's.



Sorry about the rant. Just got in that argument with a ricer the other day. I finally told him if his rice was so superior then he shouldnt have any problem lineing up against me for $500. Needless to say the ricer excuses started flowing.



EDIT: BTW I forgot to mention. The LSX engines really seem to like RTS 5W-40. If your doing heads and cam I hope your upgrading the timing chain and a ported oil pump?

 

[OVERKILL]

There have been lots of great V8's over the years.

Chrysler's HEMI
Ford's 427 SOHC
GM's 427
Ford's BOSS 429
Ford's Cleveland
The BOSS 302

And the most modern of the bunch, the LSx engines.

They are probably the best out-of-the-box smallblock design. The power they make for their physical size is fantastic, and with the great breathing heads and high-lift roller camshafts they have stock, they make fantastic power as well. They are also extremely efficient due to GM's attention to detail with things like roller cam bearings and the like.

I don't know if I'd say they are the best V8 anybody has ever built..... But I would definitely say they are the best stock V8 in production because of the components used and the very easily realized performance gains.

 

[fnbrowning]

vettenuts;

I have a 2002 LS1 also, but it is in a Collector Edition T/A.
Not much difference in the engines though.
I have always used Redline oil. But with only 31,000 miles on the girl, there's no story to tell on wear #s.

I will say that using Redline, I've never had the oil loss other LS1 guys talk about, and that they blame on their PCV system.
Now whether that's due to Redline or just luck, I can't say.

I also see from other posts that Redline is still well regarded
Originally Posted By: glennc
Redline would be my choice for those high valvetrain loads.
It's really what that oil is made for.


Originally Posted By: buster
Amsoil Dominator 10w-30.
The Redline oils are similar and would be a good choice.


vettenuts, I'd say that I'm a fan of "boutique" oil for my baby. BUT I would not use Amsoil because of the price and marketing gimmicks. I'd much rather go to my local speed shop and grab Redline off the shelf. - No "Preferred Membership" wanted - or needed!

 

[buster]

Quote:
marketing gimmicks


Are you referring to the 4-ball wear test?

 

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: fnbrowning
vettenuts;

I have a 2002 LS1 also, but it is in a Collector Edition T/A.
Not much difference in the engines though.
I have always used Redline oil. But with only 31,000 miles on the girl, there's no story to tell on wear #s.

I will say that using Redline, I've never had the oil loss other LS1 guys talk about, and that they blame on their PCV system.
Now whether that's due to Redline or just luck, I can't say.

vettenuts, I'd say that I'm a fan of "boutique" oil for my baby. BUT I would not use Amsoil because of the price and marketing gimmicks. I'd much rather go to my local speed shop and grab Redline off the shelf. - No "Preferred Membership" wanted - or needed!



I also NEVER have to 'top up' using Red Line, but then again I never remember having to when I was using Amsoil SSO either.
Not even now at 105K miles.
(Maybe I'm lucky as well??)

Not so sure about the "marketing gimmicks" comment either, but I DO hear you on the (even preferred customer) prices now being even with (or beyond) the Red Line shelf prices.
Plus the shipping costs (especially nowadays) far FAR outweigh the state sales tax for off the shelf purchases.

 

[Travis99LS1]

hey man i have a cam with supporting valvetrain mods in my ls1 and i've been using PP 5w30 in it..i'm also spraying it..if i was going to use a boutique oil it would probably be amsoil or redline..just my .02 cents..