S-10 Pickup (4.3) GC or M1?

[edvanp]

Just found out my son is flying back to get his 94 S-10 pickup truck (4.3 V-6). He's stationed at Ft.Hood texas and will drive this truck while there. I'm going to dump the winter/storage blend I have in it and put some fresh oil in. I have a good stash of '05 GC and lots of M1 synthetic (0w20, 5w30 & 5w40).
What seems to be a better oil for the Vortex 4.3l, GC or M1? Does one seem to produce better UOAs then the other? The truck has 72k miles on it. Thanks for your input.

 

[wapacz]

Well it is form what I know it is a 5.7 with two cylinders choped off. So it would proabaly like a thicker oil becuase the 5.7 do. In other words GC or 5W40.

 

[Ugly3]

Mobil 1 5w30.

 

[BlazerLT]

I own the same engine, the thinner the oil, the better.

M1 5w30.

 

[wapacz]

well I would say follow those guy sense they actauly have the engine.

 

[p-chem]

I have a 94 GMC sonoma with the same engine. I have had good results with M1 5w-30. I have used chevron supreme and other 5w-30 without problems. One thing you should keep an eye on is the coolant level on these motors. The are prone to intake leaks. All of my bearings (main and connecting rod) were ruined because of the coolant in the oil. I would recommend getting a uoa once a year. Had I, I would have caught the problem earlier and not have ruined my motor. I had 190k mile on it, and the pistons looked good still, and the cylinders still had a cross hatch.

 

[DoubleDee]

I also have th 4.3 and the thinner oil is the way to go. HT/HS of 3.1 or lower.

 

[edvanp]

Thanks everyone. Will use M1.

 

[Slick17601]

4.3 UOA's with Mobil 1 have not been stellar. Some of the best results have been with regular oil. Do a search and you'll see.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Mine (1999) is the high-output 4.3 with 80K. Judging by the oil pressure gauge, raised idle at startup, engine quietness, hot engine idle smoothness & lack of any oil consumption, the Pennzoil Platinum 5W-30/7.5 oz VSOT mix I have in there now appears to be the best -- after 4K of this OCI I have planned for 7K.

 

[vad]

quote:

---

Thanks everyone. Will use M1.

---

So far I haven't seen any evidence here that Mobil 1 would be better for your engine.
Have anyone here actually run both of those oils?
I don't think so.
edvanp, it's your call.
In a 94 engine I would definately run the thicker oil which is GC.

 

[Idoxash]

I have the same engine from a 99 s-10 and honestly I've tried 15w-40, 5w-40(Rotella Syn) 10w-30, 5w-30, 5w-20 ... now i've not dun any sort of testing on the oils but the engine runs great on all of those oil grades. Pick one or something like that.

NOTE: Other then the Rotella Syn I used which is so far my fav of all the oils I've used in this truck all of the oils have been dino.

--Idoxash--

 

[LVHospiceRN]

I have the 2001 S-10, 30,000, it lives on GC....GO ELVES!!!!

I change it out around the 5000-6000 mile interval...cuz, well, i am kinda anal retentive about it...

darrell
sin city

 

[BlazerLT]

Vad,

Your GC fanboyism is getting rather arrogant.

"OH NOES, THEY SAID M1 OVER GC!!! I WILL SET THEM STRAIGHT!!"

The fact is, we own the engine and actually have practical knowledge about it, you don't so don't pull your "I don't think so" attitude when all you are doing is bringing a biased OPINION when several members in this thread have actual FACTS and EXPERIENCES with that actual engine.

Just because someone says M1 over GC doesn't mean GC is a bad oil so stop going to every thread where GC is mentioned so you can wave your green flag around where it isn't wanted or required.

 

[dave1251]

edvanp
Member
Member # 2490

posted 11 January, 2006 20:11
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Just found out my son is flying back to get his 94 S-10 pickup truck (4.3 V-6). He's stationed at Ft.Hood texas and will drive this truck while there. I'm going to dump the winter/storage blend I have in it and put some fresh oil in. I have a good stash of '05 GC and lots of M1 synthetic (0w20, 5w30 & 5w40).
What seems to be a better oil for the Vortex 4.3l, GC or M1? Does one seem to produce better UOAs then the other? The truck has 72k miles on it. Thanks for your input.
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Posts: 254 | From: Michigan | Registered: Sep 2003 | IP: Logged |
With this engine anything will do great as long as there is no coolant leakes. Ft Hood Hun? My brother is stationed there. Hope your Son likes it?

 

[JHZR2]

4.3 engines do not do well with M1 oil!

Ill be the first to praise M1, but not in this application. Results hav e been excellent with GC however.

Id consider pennzoil with LC, which seems to be quite a great combo... also think about chevron or havoline.

Do UOAs to ensure there isnt a slight leak... my 98 ZR2 had a slight leak.

JMH

 

[BlazerLT]

Where are these results where M1 did poorly compared to GC in a 4.3?

 

[Idoxash]

"4.3 engines do not do well with M1 oil!"

Yah I just droped M5000 5w-30 out of this engine because of how it sounded. Sounded more like a Machine and a lot louder then normal. I dun know why it sounded that way with M5000 but lol I'm just glad to have that stuff out of the engine. Now it has 5w-30 Castrol GTX and sounds all nice and quiet.

--Idoxash--

 

[BlazerLT]

If you live in colder climates you will appreciate it when the clanging is coming from a dry start do to thick oil though.

BTW, M1 and M5000 are not comparable.

 

[Idoxash]

I know enough about Oil to know M1 and M5000 are not the same type of oil in base or adds but I know they are made by the same company and I wanted to relate the way my oil felt in the 4.3 to the other dude's reply about M1 and the 4.3 engine.