Optimal oil for a C6 Corvette?

Looks like Chevy did update their oil filter spec in 2007 to a PF48. If you have a 2005 or 2006 model then it takes the PF44 or 46. The M1 for those is M1-107. The filters are the same size physically, but have a different thread mounting pitch, so they are not interchangeable apparently.
Stick with OEM spark plugs and wires. I've seen enough issues with different plugs and wires that I wouldn't mess with what works just fine.
Not sure if a shop can wrap the headers now that they are installed. Not worth it to have them removed just to wrap them. For the money you would throw at it for that, I would probably just replace the starter for peace of mind and I believe there is a bolt on heat shield available to help protect the starter.
ah that makes sense. oem spec it is!

and yesss your vette looks sick! gtr carbide headlights, morimoto fogs, and vettelights side markers? really torn on headlights and fogs cause i like how stock looks and at the very least ill get some led bulbs but the morimoto and gtr carbide offerings look really good too...

The "regular" Mobil 1 0W-40 FS. Meets Porsche A40.

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There is an ESP version with green label, and that one is mostly for European diesels. Meets Porsche C40 (diesel emissions friendly)
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Click here for list of Porsche A40 approved oils. Sometimes you can look at the back of the bottle and see which standards/certifications an oil claims to meet. Just remember: "Meet & Exceed" is not the same as "Approved". If in doubt - ask BITOG, or check oil manufacturers website. Most of the time - oils rated for "European" vehicles end up meeting much more stringent specs/certs than basic API SP 5W30.

For myself - Mobil 1 0W40 or Castrol Edge 0W40 is what I use in everything: from my liquid-cooled 4.3hp 49cc scooter, to a 375hp 4.6L Huyndai Genesis, and 7 other vehicles in between (V6, V6-hybrid, I6, I4, few single cylinder engines). Truly a universal oil.
that ESP version is the factory fill for corvettes since 2019 and retroactively suggested by mobil/gm for a ton of the older ones. figured the "euro" blends would meet better specs. will consider these too, though they seem 80-100% more expensive than normal synthetic 5w30

any recommendations as far as used oil analysis these days? amsoil has some kits that seem a bit cheaper than blackstone but idk if they want you to pay shipping both ways on em.

also, when we say "full synthetic" is there much point in bothering with group 3 vs 4 vs 5? do we even know what base stocks the companies use anymore? i'm guessing it doesnt really matter for this...

lastly, any additives or flushes or whatever that i should run through the system? seal conditioner, gumout, that sorta thing? or is that usually just marketing/placebo as well?
 
that ESP version is the factory fill for corvettes since 2019 and retroactively suggested by mobil/gm for a ton of the older ones. figured the "euro" blends would meet better specs. will consider these too, though they seem 80-100% more expensive than normal synthetic 5w30

any recommendations as far as used oil analysis these days? amsoil has some kits that seem a bit cheaper than blackstone but idk if they want you to pay shipping both ways on em.

also, when we say "full synthetic" is there much point in bothering with group 3 vs 4 vs 5? do we even know what base stocks the companies use anymore? i'm guessing it doesnt really matter for this...

lastly, any additives or flushes or whatever that i should run through the system? seal conditioner, gumout, that sorta thing? or is that usually just marketing/placebo as well?
- From Wal-Mart M1 5W-30 or M1 0W-40 is same price, at least in my area. Price is close to Amazon for a 5qt jug, which is under $25. The ESP is the expensive beast, and not worth the premium, in my opinion.

- Blackstone labs is the go-to around here for UOA. Once in a while a great deal pops up for $10/UOA from WIX, through RockAuto. Although it's been a while since that happened... But Blackstone is a great option for the money. I think people also prefer it more due to more human-like comments, rather than robotic-like stats from other labs. Creates a sense of friendly conversation. For any questions regarding Amsoil - hopefuly @Pablo can chime in.

- Doesn't matter for the oils in question. We can split hairs all day and discuss ingredients until keyboards fall apart, but in the end what matters is the final oil formulation and how it all works together. M1 0W-40 proves time and time again to be a great oil in a wide range of applications, through UOAs and other feedback.

- Skip the additives and flushes, unless you know that your engine needs some cleaning. M1 0W-40 will clean things up over time and keep them clean, as long as intervals aren't being neglected and correct oil level is being maintained.
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- From Wal-Mart M1 5W-30 or M1 0W-40 is same price, at least in my area. Price is close to Amazon for a 5qt jug, which is under $25. The ESP is the expensive beast, and not worth the premium, in my opinion.

- Blackstone labs is the go-to around here for UOA. Once in a while a great deal pops up for $10/UOA from WIX, through RockAuto. Although it's been a while since that happened... But Blackstone is a great option for the money. I think people also prefer it more due to more human-like comments, rather than robotic-like stats from other labs. Creates a sense of friendly conversation. For any questions regarding Amsoil - hopefuly @Pablo can chime in.

- Doesn't matter for the oils in question. We can split hairs all day and discuss ingredients until keyboards fall apart, but in the end what matters is the final oil formulation and how it all works together. M1 0W-40 proves time and time again to be a great oil in a wide range of applications, through UOAs and other feedback.

- Skip the additives and flushes, unless you know that your engine needs some cleaning. M1 0W-40 will clean things up over time and keep them clean, as long as intervals aren't being neglected and correct oil level is being maintained.
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very promising results, wonder how different their euro formula is from the usual M1.

do yall figure the cheapo acdelco filter is alright or should i just get the M1/wix? 2x-3x the cost but its only a few bucks i guess https://www.amazon.com/ACDelco-PF46E-Professional-Engine-Filter/dp/B00496ILZC/
 
If not running it hard or tracking it.....5W30 is more than adequate. Use a full synthetic from your favorite brand.

The PF48E gets some hate, But I've never seen one cause damage. I run a UPF48R on my L92 (Converted to LS3) engine.
I was considering a UPF46R but it seems they hardly make em anymore and they’re like 20 bucks compared to wix/M1 at 12 bucks or a plain blue PF46E for 3-4 bucks. Not sure which is the best option since the PF is so cheap lol
 
Well, at the risk of stirring the pot on oils, I just bought a 2019 C7 corvette, which of course specs the M1 ESP 0W-40. I'd prefer to run the M! Euro car formula 0W-40 due to the availability and price. Since this is primarily a autocross/hill climb car, the oil will be changed pretty frequently.

Any thoughts on ESP vs EURO M1 0W-40? I have read many threads on line regarding the two. I'd prefer whichever one is thicker at high temperature, but I don't want to cause CAT or PVC issues.
 
No problem with OEM filters...
i'm pretty sure vettes havent came with plain ol blue acdelco filters but i can't find what's actually "oem" since they changed to pf48s for the majority of c6 production

Well, at the risk of stirring the pot on oils, I just bought a 2019 C7 corvette, which of course specs the M1 ESP 0W-40. I'd prefer to run the M! Euro car formula 0W-40 due to the availability and price. Since this is primarily a autocross/hill climb car, the oil will be changed pretty frequently.

Any thoughts on ESP vs EURO M1 0W-40? I have read many threads on line regarding the two. I'd prefer whichever one is thicker at high temperature, but I don't want to cause CAT or PVC issues.
i've heard nothing but good things about the ESP formula, a few folks have had VOAs done on it here if you want more specifics. whatever difference in actual weight between the ESP and euro 0w-40 is not likely to be significant. if autocross/hillclimb is the primary use then maybe a dedicated racing oil would be best? 15w-50 has been the recommended track fill for LS and LT engines up until 2019. the 0w-40 is kind of a middle ground between street and track performance so you dont have to change your oil as often if you go to the track (but you should still change it anyways so maybe go for the racing stuff?)
 
i'm pretty sure vettes havent came with plain ol blue acdelco filters but i can't find what's actually "oem" since they changed to pf48s for the majority of c6 production


i've heard nothing but good things about the ESP formula, a few folks have had VOAs done on it here if you want more specifics. whatever difference in actual weight between the ESP and euro 0w-40 is not likely to be significant. if autocross/hillclimb is the primary use then maybe a dedicated racing oil would be best? 15w-50 has been the recommended track fill for LS and LT engines up until 2019. the 0w-40 is kind of a middle ground between street and track performance so you dont have to change your oil as often if you go to the track (but you should still change it anyways so maybe go for the racing stuff?)
Autocross and hill climb are short runs of 1 to 2 minutes, with cooling time in between, so I am not so worried about the heavier oil in that application. If I put it on the track, then I will likely change to the 15W-50 for that. But I would like to avoid changing that oil frequently ( to drive on the street after tracking) since it holds 10 qts....
 
I was considering a UPF46R but it seems they hardly make em anymore and they’re like 20 bucks compared to wix/M1 at 12 bucks or a plain blue PF46E for 3-4 bucks. Not sure which is the best option since the PF is so cheap lol
Rock auto has the UPF46R for $7.16. Buy a bunch and some other odds and ends to make the shipping worthwhile.
 
Nice Vettes.

I would use quality filter ((with correct bypass valve) and 10W30 syn oil.
 
I was considering a UPF46R but it seems they hardly make em anymore and they’re like 20 bucks compared to wix/M1 at 12 bucks or a plain blue PF46E for 3-4 bucks. Not sure which is the best option since the PF is so cheap lol
Stock is running low on UPF46R filters, Nothing wrong with a PF46E filters & is what I run on all Gen III/Early Gen IV LS engine that comes through my shop which is A LOT!
 
Rock auto has the UPF46R for $7.16. Buy a bunch and some other odds and ends to make the shipping worthwhile.
Ooh tempting! Never checked out rockauto before. Seems like the Wix filters through them are ~9 bucks, would those be much different than the UPF?

Stock is running low on UPF46R filters, Nothing wrong with a PF46E filters & is what I run on all Gen III/Early Gen IV LS engine that comes through my shop which is A LOT!
The PFs do seem **** cheap compared to anything else… what kinda shop do you run?
 
Just picked up an 07 C6 LS2. I immediately changed the oil and put in M1 EP 5w30 and a Fram Endurance filter. I may go to M1 0w40. I saw M1 Supercar 0w40 for under 10 bucks a quart at Walmart.com, so I may consider that. But I think EP 5w30 will handle more than anything I´d ever throw at it. I´m not tracking this car. I´m more into touring with a ¨sprited¨ style where I´m not on the pipe for more than 30 seconds to 1.5 minutes with cooldown in between. But I like the idea of a 0 weight at startup.

Any thoughts on M1 Supercar? It apparently is now the factory fill on Corvettes.

Btw, interesting off topic note...My brother has a new C8. $500 bucks to do an oil change, which includes a transmission filter, as I understand it.
 
No need to overthink it. Any full synthetic 5w-30 will be fine for your LS2/LS3 and change it when you feel you need to. I usually change mine around 25% left on the OLM. Some have used 40w for hard track usage. I use the Mobil One M-113a filter.
Two things to check asap...
1- Harmonic balancer wobble. All LS2/LS3 will have this issue. It's a matter of when and not if this happens. Had to replace mine at 50k miles. Approx $1200 to have it done. It's a pain in the ass job even with access to a lift and knowledge of how to do it. It's a 6.5hr job by the book.
2- LS2/LS3 with headers are known to cause the starter to fail more quickly due to the extra heat and larger diameter tubes. The connection where the positive battery cable attaches to the solenoid becomes brittle and fails.
Other than that, I would definitely change every fluid unless you know it has been recently done. There is nothing complicated for any fluid change other than getting the car high enough to get under it to do it. Transmission is best to use a fluid exchange machine if you have an auto. There are YouTube videos available for anything you can think of doing. Check around some local shops and see if any of them are running a service special if its out of your skill set. OEM spark plugs are 100k interval, so those should be checked as well.
Corvettes are notorious for being temperamental with batteries. Put a fresh one in and use a tender if it sits for over a week just for peace of mind. OnStar is a known source of parasitic draw, pull the fuse and forget about it. C6 uses 2G cell technology for OnStar and will not work at all in the very near future.
How do I know the harmonic balancer wobble is present? Is it at idle? Since I didn´t buy it new I don´t have a baseline to hear or feel something abnormal.

Thanks for this great info, btw!
 
M1 Supercar is just a rebrand of the old ESP stuff iirc. If you go with a cheap 0w40 you’d probably want to go with the euro formula as mentioned. Been a while since I was reading about oils and stuff so I can’t remember why I didn’t go for the 0w40 euro, I’m just using the usual EP 5w30 plus ACDelco gold filters
 
M1 Supercar is just a rebrand of the old ESP stuff iirc. If you go with a cheap 0w40 you’d probably want to go with the euro formula as mentioned. Been a while since I was reading about oils and stuff so I can’t remember why I didn’t go for the 0w40 euro, I’m just using the usual EP 5w30 plus ACDelco gold filters
If it is, the Supercar is cheaper. It is less than $10 per quart at Walmart. But the Euro 0w40 is even less at under $27 for a jug. The Euro also looks like it has more POA according to the PDS. But I agree, EP 5w30 is great oil, too. More than enough for my driving. The only reason I´d move to Euro 0w40 is to save $2 per jug.
 
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