Which Synthetic for 3800 Series II?

[Striker]

Hey Guys,

I just bought an 01 LS Impala with 40K miles on the odometer in pretty good shape.

I'm debating on which synthetic to run with? It was either Castrol Syntec or Penzoil Platinum. The motor calls for 10W30.

Thank you all for the help.

 

[lucerne06]

PP, QS, Kendall, Mobil 1, whatever is the cheapest, all are very good.

 

[mrsilv04]

I'm running 10w-30 Platinum in a '99 3800 Series II with 85,000 miles on it. Uses right around a quart in 5,000 miles.

 

[c3po]

Originally Posted By: Striker
Hey Guys,

I just bought an 01 LS Impala with 40K miles on the odometer in pretty good shape.

I'm debating on which synthetic to run with? It was either Castrol Syntec or Penzoil Platinum. The motor calls for 10W30.

Thank you all for the help.


How long do you plan on holding onto this car.

 

[tomcat27]

between those two, I would select the Pennz plat. altho any synth is good in that engine. the engine is very durable EXCEPT for the DexCool coolant - which you should change right away. after about 3 years the DexCool starts to eat away at the materials in the intake manifold gaskets. If you ever start to lose coolant (and its not an obvious leak like a hose or water pump) you likely have a leaking intake manifold gasket. figure $800-1200 if you pay someone. otherwise it's a one day job (or less if you have done it before) and approx $100 in parts for all of the gaskets.

 

[JimPghPA]

40K on an 2001 is low mileage.

Our 2001 impala with the 3.4 engine only had 32 K on it when we got it 5 years ago.

I have always changed oil at 3K OCI. Now running M1 Drive clean 5W-30 5000 mile rated oil for second time in it. Now has 62K miles. This oil change will be at 4K. The first time ever over 3K. At 2 K into this run I had to add 1/2 a quart. That was the first time ever that engine used any oil. As others have noticed M1 does have higher oil consumption.

Planning on running GC and a Purolator Pure One oil filter from now on with 8K OCI.

There is a thread on best oil filters here on BITOG. They were tested by making them filter out telcumpowder from oil. Purolator Pure One oil filter is the best filter, with M1 extended use a very close second.

BTW at 40K it would be a good time to have a trany shop drain the trany and torque converter and replace fluid and filter. Be sure to have them also drain the torque converter.

 

[Drew99GT]

 

[beast3300]

The 3800 isn't picking on oil. It will run on canola oil. I'm gonna vote Platinum.

 

[barlowc]

The 3800 Series II is a bullet-proof pushrod, especially the naturally aspirated L36. I sold my 99 Grand Prix in 2008 when it had 175,000 miles and it was running like a champ. It never required an engine-related repair. I fed it a steady diet of the cheapest name-brand 10W-30 conventional that I could get my hands on at 3,000 mile intervals.

I would probably second JimPghPA's suggestion about the transmission service. I think your Impala has the same 4-speed automatic that my Grand Prix had. It's 4th gear clutch shaft sheared at 172,000 and I had to have the tranny rebuilt. It wasn't a fluid-related failure, but in hindsight I wish I'd taken better care of that tranny.

 

[StevieC]

Originally Posted By: beast3300
The 3800 isn't picking on oil. It will run on canola oil. I'm gonna vote Platinum.
+1

 

[Michael_P]

+2

 

[dwendt44]

Later versions of the 3.8 calls for 5W-30, and since you are in Canada you could run that weight as well as the called for 10W.
Engine will outlast the rest of the car with normal care.

 

[Stu_Rock]

There needs to be a clarification on this thread.

This engine is "not picky" on oil as long as it's an API SL/ILSAC GF-3 oil or newer. Of course, in 2010, it will be. For older oils, GM found that the 3800 was too hard on low-grade 5W-30s.

Since SL/GF-3, any 0W-30, 5W-30, or 10W-30 will work fine.

Here's GM's copy regarding the switch to 5W-30 in all 3800s in MY 2004:
Originally Posted By: GM
The change in lubricant was driven by efficiencies in the engine and near-universal availability of the new GF-3 standard engine oil.

GF3 uses a new refining process, and it contains a friction modifier, meaning that that at a given weight or viscosity, it's more resistant to breakdown with heat. The 5W-30 engine oil is more efficient in cold ambient temperatures. It creates less friction or fluid resistance when the engine is cold, requiring less cranking power and reducing fuel consumption during cold starts. The 5W-30 oil also reaches its most efficient operating temperature more quickly that 10W-30.

 

[Spector]

I have a 2000 3800 ( no problems with the Dexcool as yet by the way) and run a 50-50 mix of Amsoil 5W30 Series 3000 with 10W40. Why, well the straight 10W30 that it calls for gave me a slight noise at idle I didn't care for, the mix cures it. I run around 1 year oil changes 7500-9000 miles or so, engine clean as noted elsewhere this engine is a workhorse with few issues. Mine consumes about a quart in 7500 miles or so.

 

[MaxZX]

2001 Bonneville w/ the Series II, 115k, running PP 5W30 and P1 filter, OCI is roughly 7500 miles. Runs perfect, uses about 1/2 quart over the OCI. The engine was not 'noisey' before the PP, but with the PP it's noticeably quieter even standing right next to it. It just purrs quietly.

 

[saberz]

The 2001 Impala 3.8L calls for 10w30, though you can run 5w30 in it fine(I did for 80k miles). I ran Mobil 1 since it left the dealer lot and one or two other oils(QS and PYB) when I was in a pinch.

The 3.8L is not choosy about oil, it will take anything and run it fine. The engine is easy on oil, you could effectively run out to 6k-7k OCI's using Dino, and 10k+ on synthetic without worry. Before doing that though, I'd make sure your Upper and Lower Intake Manifold Gaskets were done. Given how old the car is it might need them, mine needed replacement at about 95k(maybe sooner had it been caught).

 

[Gene K]

We ran Shell Rotella T 10W30 changed yearly (Roughly 9,000 miles). If we still had it the only difference is it would be getting the Rotella T5 10W30 Synthetic Blend.

 

[aquariuscsm]

I had an `87 3800 (looked much different than the series II) and I always ran GTX 20W50 in it. I sold it with just a lil over 300,000 miles. Still ran perfect and didn`t use or leak a single drop of oil. I`m not telling you to go out and use only a 50 weight,but I`d definitely just use a good dino. No need for an expensive synth oil.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Over the last 3 years and 30K miles, I've run mine, an d'03 Buick Park Avenue, on Chevron dino, NAPA Synthetic, PP, Castrol GTX, and now Castrol Edge -- all 5W-30. With all I had some oil consumption, about a quart in 5K, except the car is gulping the Edge -- 2 quarts in 2500 miles! I can't spot any leaks, so it just might be that the Edge is too thin. I'm switching to Mobil Clean 5000, 10W-30, in another couple of months, and we'll see how that goes.

Aside from that, yes, it's a great engine. I get 21-22 mpg on 100% gas, 80% city driving, a little lower when the A/C is running. Be sure, if you're draining oil and tranny fluid, to change the brake fluid and power steering fluid too.

 

[Nickdfresh]

I had a beater LaSabre (1990 or so) with 180K on its 3800 and it was one of the best engines I've ever owned. Used very little oil and ran fine on Havoline and MaxLife 10W-30. If you really want to run a syn, I'd think about Mobil 1 10W-30 High Mileage for the warmer months, and maybe Pennzoil Platinum/Quaker UDHP 5W-30 or M1 0W-30 for the colder months.