GC in Texas Summer

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It's already over 80 degrees here in TX. I am not looking forward to when summer really starts...

Anyway, any opinions on running GC in summer temps of 100 deg. F? I've got an 08 Subaru STI and an 02 Saturn VUE V6 (GM 3.0L). I know GC is supposed to be thick, but do you guys reckon it's thick enough?

I'm running GC in the VUE right now, seems to like it, as far as I can tell.

Any recommendations appreciated.
 
Yes. It will work great!!

There is a UOA in the UOA section showing GREAT results from Rotella in a STI. You may want to check that oil out aswell.


WELCOME to the Forum!!!
 
I think it would be fine in your Vue. But your STI has a turbo, right? I think most folks are running 40 weight in those things, and using fairly short OCIs. Given your location, I'd do the same thing.
 
The key is that GC has a fairly high viscosity index (over 160 IIRC). So, not only is it thick-ish to start with, but it also retains its viscosity well at higher temps.

That said, I've heard the same about 40-weights in STIs in hot climates. As a general rule, turbos exaggerate the effects of high ambient temps.

GC would be fine, but you couldn't go wrong with a 40 weight.
 
Originally Posted By: Liquid_Turbo
Holy smokes.. 80F already? sheesh.


One day only, 20 degrees cooler today. Pretty typical, low tomorrow morning will be in the 20's.

A Texan dies and goes to [censored]. While down there the Devil notices that the Texan is not suffering like the rest. He checks the gauges and sees that it's 90 degrees and about 80% humidity. So he goes over to the Texan and asks why he's so happy. The Texan says, "I like it here. The temperature is just like Texas in June. The Devil isn't happy with the Texan's answer and decides to get him, so he goes over and turns up the temperature to 100 degrees and the humidity to 90%. After turning everything up he goes looking for the Texan. He finds him standing around unbuttoning his shirt, just as happy as can be. The Devil quizzes the Texan again as to why he's so happy. The Texan says, "This is even better. It's like Texas in July." The Devil, now upset, decides to really make the Texan really suffer. He goes over to the controls and turns the heat up to 120 degrees and the humidity to 100%. "Now lets see what the Texan is up to," he says. So he goes looking for the Texan. He finds him taking his shirt off, even happier then before. The Devil can't figure it out. He asks the Texan why he's happy now. The Texan replies, "This is great, it's just like Texas in August." The Devil says, "That's it, I'll get this guy." He goes over and turns the temperature down to a freezing 25 degrees. "Let's see what the Texan has to say about this." The Devil looks around and finds the Texan jumping up and down for joy and yelling.....

"THE RANGERS HAVE FINALLY WON THE WORLD SERIES!"
 
Originally Posted By: nils
It's already over 80 degrees here in TX. I am not looking forward to when summer really starts...

Anyway, any opinions on running GC in summer temps of 100 deg. F? I've got an 08 Subaru STI and an 02 Saturn VUE V6 (GM 3.0L). I know GC is supposed to be thick, but do you guys reckon it's thick enough?

I'm running GC in the VUE right now, seems to like it, as far as I can tell.

Any recommendations appreciated.


Nils, we just gotta get your blood thinned out bud! Once that happens you'll like it fine.
 
I used GC in the Texas summers, no problems. Several OUAs are posted from my BMW 330Ci. GC seems to loose less viscosity than some 40 weights like Mobil 1 0w-40.

If your Sti specs a 30wt for the Texas temp range, GC is one of the best available.
 
Thanks for all the responses.

Yup, central TX weather is highly variable. The low is supposed to be 37 tonight. Weird wild stuff.

I looked at your UOA's shanneba, that's good data and gives me some more confidence. I guess what I'd really like to see is how the 335i's do on this stuff, being turbocharged.

Somebody mentioned Rotella; I've also heard good things about Rotella T Synthetic 5w40, but I don't think I want to have to replace the cats anytime soon. Has anyone here experienced a cat failure caused by running that kind of oil? I know they recently reduced the ZDDP content, but it's still a lot more than in the gasoline oils, right?

Also, if anybody wants to recommend some 40wt oils, I'm all ears. Thanks!
 
RLI 5w-40
Motul 300V 5w-40
Mobil 1 0w-40
Amsoil 5w-40 Euro
Red Line 5w-40
Pennzoil Platinum 5w-40


I don't think you'll find many people who've had "problems" with cat failure due to ZDDP per se. It may shorten their operating life, but won't cause them to "fail" suddenly.
 
Running GC in my '05 STi here in MN. Granted, we don't get the extreme heat you get there in TX, but it gets up in the mid to upper 90's here in the summer.
 
GC should be great for the Vue in the summer, and the STI during the winter.

For STI/summer oil pick one of the 5W-40's that d00df00d listed. Except substitute M1 5W-40 for M1 0W-40...
 
I did say M1 0w-40.
wink.gif
 
yeah, I'm but thinking that M1's 5W-40 would be a better summer oil for the STI. Their 0W-40 would be better suited for winter in that engine.
 
yeah, I didn't word that very well.
imo, 5W-40 TDT is more of a "true 40wt" and 0W-40 is a thick-30wt/thin-40wt euro (ACEA A3/B3) oil.
There's not a huge difference in their new viscosities but the 0W-40 seems to shear down quite a bit.
iirc, from looking at UOA's in the UOA forum, the 0W-40 shears to about 11-12cst w/ ~10k mile OCI.
For comparison GC starts out at ~12cst and thickens to ~13cst w/ ~10k OCI.
The 5W-40 TDT doesn't seem to shear like the 0W-40 but I haven't paid too much attention to UOA's of this oil.
fwiw, Rotella 5W-40 UOA's show excellent (low) wear numbers in BMW engines. But Rotella seems like it makes the engine feel sluggish compared to M1 5W-40.

http://www.mobil.com/USA-English/Lubes/PDS/GLXXENPVLMOMobil_1_0W-40.asp
14 cSt @ 100º C
http://www.mobil.com/USA-English/Lubes/PDS/GLXXENPVLMOMobil1_Turbo_Diesel_Truck_5W-40.asp
14.9 cSt @ 100º C

http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Files/Mobil_1_Product_Guide.pdf
handy product guide, lists phosphorus levels but not cSt
 
A couple years ago, while returning to Florida from Roswell NM, on Hwy 380, as I entered Brownfield TX, I saw an Auto Zone, so I pulled in there to see if they had any GC. They had none. When I asked why, the guy said that nobody in that part of (North)West Texas buys it as it is too thin, and that their management made them get rid of it. Too bad as Syntec was on sale that week and I would have purchased a case. (Funny because since then, I find it at AZ in Roswell and Roswell gets HOT [but no humidity] in the summer).
 
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