I'm sure this has been asked before, but searching for "LS3" doesn't work...
I'm putting a new LS3 in my 1987 Caprice. This engine has never had oil in it before, so I can start with anything I want. Looking for recommendations/suggestions.
1. What kind of vehicle you have
1987 Caprice w/ a new 6.2L LS3 and 6L80e transmission. (0 miles on both)
2. What your owner's manual says -- not just viscosity, but certifications (look for acronyms like API SM, ILSAC GF-4, etc.) and change intervals as well
"Look for and use only oil that meets GM Standard GM4718M." I believe this means 5w-30, but the manual doesn't specify.
3. Where you live
Southern California. It rarely even gets into the 40s here, so cold is not a concern.
4. How you drive (easy? hard? fast? slow?)
Pretty tame, most of the time. But there's a reason I'm putting in an LS3 instead of something cheaper...I do plan to romp on it every now and again.
5. What your daily drive is like (short trips? long trips? city? highway?)
~20 miles, about half back roads and half freeway.
6. Whether your car has any known problems
Tons of little ones -- it's 25 years old, but none related to the powertrain since that's going to be brand new.
I'd prefer full synthetic oil and plan to go 10k miles between oil changes after break-in. Also planning to use Mobil M1 filters if that matters. My main question is around the viscosity -- should I stick with 5w-30 or use something different that's more suitable for warmer climates where it never freezes and rarely gets cold?
Thanks!
I'm putting a new LS3 in my 1987 Caprice. This engine has never had oil in it before, so I can start with anything I want. Looking for recommendations/suggestions.
1. What kind of vehicle you have
1987 Caprice w/ a new 6.2L LS3 and 6L80e transmission. (0 miles on both)
2. What your owner's manual says -- not just viscosity, but certifications (look for acronyms like API SM, ILSAC GF-4, etc.) and change intervals as well
"Look for and use only oil that meets GM Standard GM4718M." I believe this means 5w-30, but the manual doesn't specify.
3. Where you live
Southern California. It rarely even gets into the 40s here, so cold is not a concern.
4. How you drive (easy? hard? fast? slow?)
Pretty tame, most of the time. But there's a reason I'm putting in an LS3 instead of something cheaper...I do plan to romp on it every now and again.
5. What your daily drive is like (short trips? long trips? city? highway?)
~20 miles, about half back roads and half freeway.
6. Whether your car has any known problems
Tons of little ones -- it's 25 years old, but none related to the powertrain since that's going to be brand new.
I'd prefer full synthetic oil and plan to go 10k miles between oil changes after break-in. Also planning to use Mobil M1 filters if that matters. My main question is around the viscosity -- should I stick with 5w-30 or use something different that's more suitable for warmer climates where it never freezes and rarely gets cold?
Thanks!