Oil Suggestions

[Gremlin85]

Hello everyone! As you can see, I'm fresh and new here and have been trying to get a better understanding of oil and what kind of life blood I am and should be putting into my car. A little info about my car since it'll be needed in the oil decision process: 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt SS Turbo 2.0L Direct Injection Turbo Motor (EcoTech) Factory Fill Oil: Mobil 1 5W30 Full Synthetic I have done many modifications to this car and it is my DD. Modifications are: Intake, full 3" turbo-back exhaust - NO CATS Charge piping, bigger intercooler Tuned to 24psi on stock turbo (stock is 15psi max) - I'm at the end of the efficiency range of this particular Turbo (K04) The car currently puts down about 318WHP and 382WTQ Stock it put down 230/230 respectively. Car has 50,200 miles on the odometer. The motor has been rebuilt 5,000 miles ago with new factory pistons, bearings and new factory head because of a thermal failure. I ran factory recommended Mobil 1 5W30 the whole time and for the first oil change after the rebuild. I change my oil religiously EVERY 3000 MILES. I just switched to Pennzoil Ultra 5W30 after reading some good things about it and how well it is "supposed" to be with Direct Injection motors. I still don't fully understand this yet. My driving habits vary. It is my DD so I drive it to work mon-fri about 25 miles total a day. I do random trips to the store here and there and sometimes ride around on the weekends. I never drive the car until the coolant warms up over 100 Degrees and I never get past 3000-3500 RPM until it is up to full operating temp. NOW, I DO bring this car to the drag strip on occasion and that is my main concern for my choice in oil. I do like to get on it from time to time, redline 2nd and 3rd gears while getting on the highway so it does see it's fair share of hard times. Should I be draining my oil and using something different for a couple runs down the drag strip or is the factory 5W30 fine for the occasional trip there? My understanding of oil is not fully evolved yet and I am trying to get a better understanding to better protect my motor with proper lubrication. Thanks in advance and I hope to get a better undertanding while I'm here!

 

[OVERKILL]

If the bearings and everything looked fine when it was torn down, I would have continued to use that oil.

 

[addyguy]

My best friend has a stock one of these, and it shocks me every time I'm in it just how fast it is - it pulls like you are on a midway ride! With something THAT modified, I wouldn't use a 30-weight oil. I'd use something like M1 0W-40 or 5W-40. JMO. Hey, if you care to share, what times does this little beastie run?

 

[dave1251]

European Formula 0W-30 Syntec that you can find at Autozone that states made in Germany on the back of the bottle. M-1 0W-40, 5W-40 Pennzoil Ultra, Pennzoil Platinum, Quakerstate Ultimate Durability, Valvoline SynPower, Royal Purple, Amsoil. 5W-30 Redline. Choose one. This is what I recommend without an analysis of your motor.

 

[Gremlin85]

Thanks for the quick responses!

Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL

If the bearings and everything looked fine when it was torn down, I would have continued to use that oil.

From what I was told, the only issue was the thermal failure of a piston and carbon buildup on the valves (from blowby) - All my fault from pushing it too hard at the track on a VERY aggressive tune. I have corrected the issues and the car is much less aggressive. I am adding Methanol Injection to the list come spring.

Originally Posted By: addyguy

My best friend has a stock one of these, and it shocks me every time I'm in it just how fast it is - it pulls like you are on a midway ride! With something THAT modified, I wouldn't use a 30-weight oil. I'd use something like M1 0W-40 or 5W-40. JMO. Hey, if you care to share, what times does this little beastie run?

I will defintitely consider those oils - I will have to do more research and testing to see which suites the motor best. You think that I should run that weight all the time even though I don't get on it more than 2-3 times a week and go to the track 2-3 times a year (3 runs per visit)? The fastes I've run on Continental Allseason tires (ContiExtremeContact DWS) is a 12.8 @113.9 with a 2.19 60'. That was April last year and it was about 50 degrees outside - New England Dragway.

 

[Hollow]

I'd look into Rotella T6 5w40 Pennzoil Ultra 5w40 for that modified turbo.

 

[OVERKILL]

It sounds like what you were using before (from your description above) was providing adequate protection under the operation conditions you spoke about. If it were me, and having proof of lubricant performance in-hand (which you do from your tear-down data) I would continue using that lubricant. It is not often one has the benefit of being able to see how well a lubricant has held up in their application by virtue of a tear-down. And even though the circumstances of your tear-down revolve around a self-inflicted piston failure, if the rest of the engine's condition indicated adequate lubricant performance (the cylinder walls looked fine, pistons weren't scuffed, bearings looked good.....etc) then you have a known data point to work from, and I would argue that this data point is far more important than anonymous recommendations given over the internet that lack the same sort of data to back them.

 

[A_Harman]

Red Line 5w30. But the best oil in the world can't protect your engine if the tune-up is wrong. I am worried about your "thermal failure". Was it a piston failure due to detonation? Does the Ecotec Turbo have piston cooling nozzles from the factory? If it doesn't, you should add them. If it does, maybe they need to be bigger or the oil pressure to them needs to be increased. With the amount of boost you are running, heat is a big problem.

 

[Gremlin85]

Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL

It sounds like what you were using before (from your description above) was providing adequate protection under the operation conditions you spoke about. If it were me, and having proof of lubricant performance in-hand (which you do from your tear-down data) I would continue using that lubricant. It is not often one has the benefit of being able to see how well a lubricant has held up in their application by virtue of a tear-down. And even though the circumstances of your tear-down revolve around a self-inflicted piston failure, if the rest of the engine's condition indicated adequate lubricant performance (the cylinder walls looked fine, pistons weren't scuffed, bearings looked good.....etc) then you have a known data point to work from, and I would argue that this data point is far more important than anonymous recommendations given over the internet that lack the same sort of data to back them.

I couldn't agree more. Hands on experience with the bearings showed "average" wear. I am just concerned that as my performance and mileage increases, that I am providing a proper oil to lubricate and "work" under these conditions. Since I drive it every day and go to the track here and there, I wonder if it is safer to drain the oil before I go, fill up with a different grade of oil for the track and then revert back once I am done racing.

Originally Posted By: A_Harman

Red Line 5w30. But the best oil in the world can't protect your engine if the tune-up is wrong. I am worried about your "thermal failure". Was it a piston failure due to detonation? Does the Ecotec Turbo have piston cooling nozzles from the factory? If it doesn't, you should add them. If it does, maybe they need to be bigger or the oil pressure to them needs to be increased. With the amount of boost you are running, heat is a big problem.

The tune was good, just a certain series of events unfolded which cause excessive heat and melted piston #3. A combination of back-to-back "hot laps" and a MAP sensor failing cause excessive boost and heat which ultimately caused the piston to melt. Ringlands on pistons #1 and #2 were also damaged. This EcoTech Turbo motor has Piston Cooling Jets stock that spray oil to the underside of the piston and skirts.

 

[dparm]

Does that car have an oil cooler?

 

[Gremlin85]

Originally Posted By: dparm

Does that car have an oil cooler?

Form what I know about this motor, there is no internal or external oil cooler. The turbo is both oil and water cooled and the cooling system itself (including water jackets) have been designed with data from race programs to dissapate heat extensively. CORRECTION! The LNF DOES have an internal oil cooler that is water cooled. It is said that an oil cooler is not needed.

 

[Gremlin85]

CORRECTION! The LNF DOES have an internal oil cooler that is water cooled.

 

[Dakota1820]

How about a amsoil? Or Valvoline sun power. Valvoline e synthetic is pretty good. Mobil1 is great to. I wasn't very impressed with pp though

 

[ARCOgraphite]

AFA traditional additive packages, You could try blending this racing only 50/50% with your m1 or more preferable Amsoil ATM 10w-30 since the Amsoil is a high % base PAO oil as is this oil (and the m1 is a xhvi group iii as far as we can tell). http://www.lucasoiloffroad.com/lucaspdf/Racing%20Only%20Syn%2010W30.pdf I would not run a high vi oil with the turbo. Dont run fresh PCMO for racing - with its fresh detergent it will offer LESS protection than the "used" oil. You can always dump some of the sump and add some ZDDP/Moly break in lube for race day - then leave it in.

 

[Dakota1820]

Syn power! Lol

 

[lexus114]

Originally Posted By: chevyboy14

Syn power! Lol

Cool, I thought it was something new there for a minute.

 

[DrDusty86]

I'd run Amsoil or Redline, or RP 0w40, PU,PP. Stay away from M1, it's a little lame for it being "synthetic" it may also cause excessive Iron to show up in UOAs from wear on the Iron parts.

 

[Gremlin85]

I was told to stay away from RP because it can't cope with the high heat and sheering ability of the turbo... I might have been misinformed though. I also hear the amount of graphite they use isn't too good for the turbo and tiny oil galleys and passages as well. I'm thinking I should run PU 5W30 for my day-to-day and then swap that out a week or so before track day for something else - I 'll have to go through all the oils everyone has recommended and decide.

 

[Gremlin85]

I'm leaning towards that AMsoil.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: DrDusty86

I'd run Amsoil or Redline, or RP 0w40, PU,PP. Stay away from M1, it's a little lame for it being "synthetic" it may also cause excessive Iron to show up in UOAs from wear on the Iron parts.

Strange, it would appear as though the OP's experience with M1 in this engine, that is being discussed, in this thread, that ran 24psi of boost, making almost twice its stock power levels, was protected just fine by Mobil 1 BASED ON AN ACTUAL TEAR DOWN. Which again shows us WHAT regarding the value of UOA's again? Right, that they aren't a tool designed to measure engine wear. No wonder Doug hasn't posted in ages...... All that real, hands-on data and people still parade this tripe around the board like it is "fact".