what's GM's position on 5w-20? (oil temp LS1 related)

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finally got my oil temp guage in the SS. I'll post some pics if I get a camera. I removed the cig lighter in center console and fitted the LED and printed circuit board of a cyberdyne digital oil temp guage there. It looks sweet, now I just have to cut a piece of black plastic to finish off the console.

I've only driven the car 20 miles or so with the guage. From cold start the oil temp lags way behind coolant temp for a while. The coolant guage will run to 200F as usual in about 10-15 minutes, but oil temp will only be 150F or so when engine is fully warmed up. On the way to work, about a 10-15 mile highway drive, oil temp slowly climbed up to 202F, about 1 deg every 10 seconds. And going out to lunch today, starting the car the oil temp had cooled to 120F and didn't go higher than 202F again.

I'm curious to find out, after reading the thread about 5w-20 in a b&s lawnmower engine and oil temp, if GM is also retro-recommending 5w-20 oils like Ford is. If so, I think I may try a 5w-20 oil, and it would be interesting to see what oil temp does.

Right now, I'm running pennzoil 5w-30. It's due for change next weekend, and will be using supertech 10w30 full-syn.
BTW, oil temp sender is on the port above the oil filter, which I understand is where the OEM sender is located on the corvette (same LS1 motor).
 
quote:

Originally posted by 1 FMF:
I'm curious to find out, after reading the thread about 5w-20 in a b&s lawnmower engine and oil temp, if GM is also retro-recommending 5w-20 oils like Ford is. If so, I think I may try a 5w-20 oil, and it would be interesting to see what oil temp does.

I don't think GM is specifying 5w20 for any of their current or past engines.
 
Given the large number of posts on this site concerning the LS1 engine and its desire for a high 30 weight/low 40 weight, why would you even be considering a 20 weight oil?

Cary
 
In the interest of research I think the results would be interesting. I am not sure I would keep the thin oil in there long term but the results would interest all of us. Also try a thicker weight oil like 15w-50 mobil 1 etc to see how the temp. might change with heaver oil. Keep us informed.
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I have a 94 R2 model rx7 and have been running M1 15-50 since I bought the car, I also installed a digital oil temp guage reading from the oil tank.The oil temps stay in the 180F-190F range,the car has as two oil coolers.
 
quick update:

oil temps run up to 220-230F, even with the 10w-30 synthetic I have in there now. I haven't been able to get the temp over 230F, even letting the car idle and watching the coolant temp climb over 210F and having the fans kick on low speed (PCM does that at 226F).

just got the sender into the drain plug on the 6-speed this weekend. Running MTL. On my 15 mile drive into work, mostly highway doing 60mph in 6th, trans temp only got up to 105F.
having an oil temp guage is cool
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in response to above question(s), the only way I would consider using a 5w-20 is if GM sent out a bulletin okaying it. And I would be interested to see a UOA of an LS1 on 5w20 oil. I'm not fully onboard with the consensus that a 40wt is best, even though I will most likely try one of the 10w40 synthetics next and do a UOA and see how mine likes it. I've run mobil 0w40 before and UOA wasn't that great, but that could be because the motor had less than 12k miles on it.

jetfixer: is your rx7 a typical piston engine, or is that a model with a rotary motor? My understanding, on my engine at least is the port I used above the oil filter will give a high temp reading, as opposed to monitoring oil pan/sump temps which would always be lower. But if I had to guess, I'd estimate oil sump temps to be around 200F.

I don't think I'll be using a 15w50 any time soon either, sorry.
 
quote:

Originally posted by G-Man II:

quote:

Originally posted by 1 FMF:
I'm curious to find out, after reading the thread about 5w-20 in a b&s lawnmower engine and oil temp, if GM is also retro-recommending 5w-20 oils like Ford is. If so, I think I may try a 5w-20 oil, and it would be interesting to see what oil temp does.

I don't think GM is specifying 5w20 for any of their current or past engines.


only in the Saturn Vue V6 (Honda 3.5 liter)
 
quote:

Originally posted by nascarnation:
only in the Saturn Vue V6 (Honda 3.5 liter)

Is GM actually specifying 5w20 for this engine? Or are you just assuming they are because it's a Honda engine?

I seriously doubt GM is specifying 5w20.
 
My car has the twin turbo rotary , rotarys run hotter than piston motors and hotter still with turbos.I installed my oil temp sender at the oil drain plug this is the hottest source.
 
for those who are interested, it's a cyberdyne guage sold by either jegs or jcwhitney. have to pull the pcb out of the guage pod, and it tapes right behind where the cig lighter is on 4th gen camaros. I haven't cut and shaped the piece of black plastic I want to use to finish off the center console with yet, should get to that this week sometime.
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[ June 08, 2004, 12:01 PM: Message edited by: 1 FMF ]
 
I noticed that Daimler Chrysler is now recommend SAE 5w-20 for the 5.7L Hemi used in their new 300M sedan. Now that DC is on the 5w-20 bandwagon, I suspect that GM will be recommending this grade within a year or two. This is mainly due to concerns about Corporate fuel efficiency and simply by going to 5w-20, you can increase this by about 1%.

FWIW, I'd feel comfortable running the Redline 5w-20 synthetic in the LS-1 engine - even for drag racing. The high temp, high shear viscosity of this fluid is 3.3 Cp, which is as high as the Mobil 1, 10w-30. If anybody wants to experiment with a 5w-20 in a 5w-30 or 10w-30 application, this is a safe way to start ....

Tooslick
www.lubedealer.com/Dixie_Synthetics
 
quote:

Originally posted by TooSlick:
I noticed that Daimler Chrysler is now recommend SAE 5w-20 for the 5.7L Hemi used in their new 300M sedan.

Sadly, the 300M is no more. The new RWD LX body 300 with the hemi is called the 300C, which makes no sense given that the 300M was the continuation of the famed letter series 300 cars from the 60s. The 1965 300L was the last letter car before Chrysler reintroduced the letter series with the 99 300M. Logic would have dictated that the next in the series should have been called the 300N. Calling the hemi-powered 300 the 300C is really doubly illogical given that there was already a 300C in the letter series: the 1957 300C.
 
I was told oil and coolant temps can vary quite a lot under different situations. Such as idle, where there is more stress on the coolant, and it can become hot...yet the oil will stay cool because there is hardly any stress on it. Down an interstate highway at high speeds/rpm's, the coolant may stay on the cool side of the operating range, but the oil gets hot, because it is being placed under higher stresses, hence the use of 5w-30 for short trips in city and 10w-30 for extended highway use. and obviously, both are stressed when under hard or demanding driving in high temps, etc. i was given that explanation like that, regarding oil and coolant temps.
 
Sorry for some of the babble. The significant other thinks I like conversing while concentrating on other things.

I meant, both the coolant and oil get stressed under hard and/or demanding driving situations. Also, he said 5W-30 is recommended for short trips in the city (urban situations may be different), because it doesn't stress the oil and of course gets circulated quickly at startup. The 10W-30 is used for extended highway usage, becuase the oil temps get higher and it isn't as critical for fast flow at startup. But, driving on the highway for extended time is good for the oil, as it heats it up and 'cooks' or boils out any moisture, etc, also letting the PCV work well. I was given an explanation of the like regarding oil temps and coolant temps. I think it is great you have the oil temps guages!!
 
G-Man,

I rented the old 300M around LA for a few days and like it quite a bit. It reminded me of an Audi A6 in terms of handling and suspension feel. The new 300C looks like a nice car too, but it's much larger. On a positive note, they are using the suspension from the previous generation "E" class Mercedes, so that's nice. The one I looked at was $38K with options,which is getting up in German sedan territory ....The fit and finish does appear to be very good and the interior materials are also quite nice.

Looks like a nice car for big guys who need leg and head room ....
 
I own a new 2003 BMW 325i, after 1500 miles I switched to Amsoil 10W-30 and tomorrow I will switch again to Amsoil 0W-30.
Castrol Synthetic, Mobil 1 Synthetic,
and Valvoline High Performance Synthetic with a weight of SAE 5W-30 are
all approved by BMW. They have nothing to say about Amsoil, Amsoil says BMW has changed their minds and requirements recently. Amsoil says their (TSO)Synthetic 2000 0W30 is the finest oil they make and stand behind it for use in my bimmer and I will give them a try. My vehicle is still reletively new, only 12,900 miles. I have almost 7,000 on the 10W-30 Amsoil. We will see what changes if anything. I religously record all gas fill ups, and maintenance. I have used Blackstone Labs for oil analysis since the vehicle was new. and will post the results if anyone is interested. I will get the 3rd oil analysis done in the next coming week after this oil change. I would be interested in hearing what other have done with DIY oil changes and API or SAE differences from factory recommendations.
 
quote:

Originally posted by G-Man II:

quote:

Originally posted by TooSlick:
I noticed that Daimler Chrysler is now recommend SAE 5w-20 for the 5.7L Hemi used in their new 300M sedan.

Sadly, the 300M is no more. The new RWD LX body 300 with the hemi is called the 300C, which makes no sense given that the 300M was the continuation of the famed letter series 300 cars from the 60s. The 1965 300L was the last letter car before Chrysler reintroduced the letter series with the 99 300M. Logic would have dictated that the next in the series should have been called the 300N. Calling the hemi-powered 300 the 300C is really doubly illogical given that there was already a 300C in the letter series: the 1957 300C.


Ah, the power (and stupidity) of marketing brainiacs. Gotta remember, G-Man II, most if not all the guys currently runnin' the show in DC marketing hadn't even been born when the last 300Ls rolled off the assembly hall floor... I question whether the deutsche puppet Meisteren have a clue either. (I'm sure I murdered the German syntax...)

[ June 08, 2004, 06:28 PM: Message edited by: Ray H ]
 
quote:

Originally posted by TooSlick:
G-Man,

I rented the old 300M around LA for a few days and like it quite a bit. It reminded me of an Audi A6 in terms of handling and suspension feel. The new 300C looks like a nice car too, but it's much larger. On a positive note, they are using the suspension from the previous generation "E" class Mercedes, so that's nice. The one I looked at was $38K with options,which is getting up in German sedan territory ....The fit and finish does appear to be very good and the interior materials are also quite nice.


Actually there is virtually no difference in interior volume between my 300M and the new RWD 300 models. I was very surprised when I first sat in the new 300; I expected it to be much roomier than my M and it isn't, and the numbers bear that out. In fact the LH body cars were some of the "biggest" modern cars in terms of interior volume produced by the Big Three. My 300M has more interior volume than the current Crown Vic and Grand Marquis.

Chrysler did achieve the body rigidity of an Audi A6 with the 300M, but where they fell woefully short was in the fit of interior trim pieces. There simply is no comparison between the fit of, say, the door trim panels on a 300M and an Audi. The Audi wins hands down. This doesn't seem to be the case with the new 300, so chalk one up to the infusion of some German-think.
 
Nice job on the oil temp display, FMF.

Based on your standard to-work & back driving cycle, it will be interesting to compare temps of various oils & viscosities. Keep us updated!
 
quote:

Originally posted by 1 FMF:
quick update:

oil temps run up to 220-230F, even with the 10w-30 synthetic I have in there now. I haven't been able to get the temp over 230F, even letting the car idle and watching the coolant temp climb over 210F and having the fans kick on low speed (PCM does that at 226F).


The oil temp will go down when you idle and up on the highway the opposite the coolant.
 
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