Oil suggestions for a newb

[Adam4356]

After alot of reading i joined to site to learn more. Seems like i have alot of searching to do, lol.

I'm currently driving a 04 GTO. Handful of mods up to a dyno'd 330rwhp and 342rwtq. Race it occasionally, drive it hard on the street. It serves as a daily driver. Alot of commute miles, stop and go, etc.

Been running various conventional oil since her birth. No problems to date. Just recently changed out the manual transmission fluid with RP syncromax and the rear diff with torco RGO. Never used synthetic as i've always avoided the potential cost and just change conventional oil more often. I'm starting to learn and question my reasoning.

now what to do, if anything, with the motor oil?

33k miles on it now. OCI is 3k with a OE spec ACdelco filter every 3k. OE oil is 5w30

So my question is what would be a good high performance choice in oil ?
RP, Amsoil, PP, etc.

What would my OCI be extended too ?

Any data on what the GM LS1 likes ?

 

[PT1]

Mobil1 or PP whichever is less expensive....for your motor I would stay with 3000-4000 oci because you probably drive it hard.

 

[SargeGTO]

Hey Adam Welcome to the site.....
I also have a 04 GTO...slightly modified with a 408 Stroker and FinishLine Stage V trannie and a boatload of other things

Runs high tens....and all street legal.....Well if you dyno 330 w/ a LS1 can I guess heads/cam/headers/CAI/Tune? Whatever your mods....I put down over 600 to the wheels and am running Pennzoil Platinum 10-30. I've been through all the "top shelf" synthetics and am very pleased with the performance I am getting right now with the Pennzoil Platinum 10w30. Still hard to believe I get this kind of performance from a $3 a quart oil from WalMart......but Marilyn Monroe was a waitress...so I guess high quality can be found in the darnedest places

I will have a Dyson UOA on this run of PP in about a month. I had a really poor UOA with Royal Purple Racing 41 for what it is worth. If your into performance ( even ocassionally) I would not even consider extended OCI's. Pick your oil...run it to 3k or less....send in the sample to Dyson and go from there. But from a performance standpoint I am very pleased with the Pennzoil Platinum 10w30 right now. Very smooth and just spins up very quick.

 

[Francis]

Now this is sure to start a riot here, but those GTO's came from Australia. Here in OZ Holden had a massive issue on their hands with engines using oil and becoming noisy.

Lucky Holden were replacing engines and it was something like a 3 in 5 chance of engine drama's. I know first hand that after Holden had replaced your 6L V8 they told you "off the record", what ever you do DON'T put in synthetic oil. The guy I was with said but the book the car comes with said I have to use Mobil . They just said we know what the book said and we know what's happens when you do. So use any high quality mineral oil you like and have it changed more often, but use synthetic oil. This straight from the dealer. I have hard other people all over the place tell me the same story.

I lot of Holden guys' are using 15w 40 Diesel oils now with no dramas at all.

 

[Adam4356]

the ls2 05-06 GTO, C6 vette, etc has a oil consumption issue. I'm assuming using a thin synthetic and not watching the level could lead to catastrophic failure.
Ls1 did i believe in some applications early on in it's release (97-98).
Currently i've had none which is good.

GTO forums have alot of debate on oil choice but not alot of solid data. Mobil 1, RP, Redline tossed around. Amsoil mentioned and others. Hence one of the reasons i went looking into motor oil alittle farther than whats available at an autoparts store.
Gonna dig more on the PP and consider a trial. Price is good and not much different than what i do now.

 

[SargeGTO]

Quote:

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Now this is sure to start a riot here, but those GTO's came from Australia. Here in OZ Holden had a massive issue on their hands with engines using oil and becoming noisy.

Lucky Holden were replacing engines and it was something like a 3 in 5 chance of engine drama's. I know first hand that after Holden had replaced your 6L V8 they told you "off the record", what ever you do DON'T put in synthetic oil. The guy I was with said but the book the car comes with said I have to use Mobil . They just said we know what the book said and we know what's happens when you do. So use any high quality mineral oil you like and have it changed more often, but use synthetic oil. This straight from the dealer. I have hard other people all over the place tell me the same story.

I lot of Holden guys' are using 15w 40 Diesel oils now with no dramas at all.

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The chassis is Australian.....the LS1 in this 04 isnt. By the way the Holdens are an excellent car and the build is top quality with zero rattles/leaks etc. So my hat is off to the Aussies for an excellent build. Your confusing the LS1 with the LS2's. The 6L LS2 has some major oil issues. Heck GM has sent letters to all the LS2 owners telling them to check their oil at every gas fill up or it could effect their warranty. That is some lousy stuff there! As for Adam...yeah I frequented LS1GTO forums for awhile and saw the "oil debates"...they may as well been debating as/marketing campaigns. Painful to say the least.Here on BITOG search LS1. Read up!