@cbear: You are right, I researched it a bit and it is DOHC.
When I pulled apart the Cavalier engine and we learned how the pushrods operated the rockers to open and close the valves, and saw how varnished they were with a firm, tacky feel I dreamed up scenarios of how these rods operate binding up and slowing down the engine, robbing power.
I guess the Ecotec would not be affected as much by this varnish if it is DOHC and wouldn't have sticky varnished pushrods struggling up and down the aluminum guide holes in the block.
The Cobalt was the car I started doing my own maintenance on, and now I come here for oil research as I don't want to be stung by gumming up my engine using poorly researched lubrication.
I'll just come out and say it, I could be very wrong but I don't have much confidence in Castrol GTX.
Is it too much Group II base oil, sulfur, sodium in the additive package? I agree with the reference, "Orange devil snot". I opened a bag of driveway repair asphalt I got at Home Depot once and the bag had that orange grease on the inside of it, and stank of sulfur.
I can really relate to the OP when he said he never missed an oil change, neither did I.
If someone could talk a bit about Castrol GTX without me highjacking the thread which I worry I run the risk of doing... I am very new to all of this, but it is very interesting! Especially after Loobed comment about the PCV valve being a fixed unit would lead me more to believe it is a failure on the lubricant's part...
When I pulled apart the Cavalier engine and we learned how the pushrods operated the rockers to open and close the valves, and saw how varnished they were with a firm, tacky feel I dreamed up scenarios of how these rods operate binding up and slowing down the engine, robbing power.
I guess the Ecotec would not be affected as much by this varnish if it is DOHC and wouldn't have sticky varnished pushrods struggling up and down the aluminum guide holes in the block.
The Cobalt was the car I started doing my own maintenance on, and now I come here for oil research as I don't want to be stung by gumming up my engine using poorly researched lubrication.
I'll just come out and say it, I could be very wrong but I don't have much confidence in Castrol GTX.
Is it too much Group II base oil, sulfur, sodium in the additive package? I agree with the reference, "Orange devil snot". I opened a bag of driveway repair asphalt I got at Home Depot once and the bag had that orange grease on the inside of it, and stank of sulfur.
I can really relate to the OP when he said he never missed an oil change, neither did I.
If someone could talk a bit about Castrol GTX without me highjacking the thread which I worry I run the risk of doing... I am very new to all of this, but it is very interesting! Especially after Loobed comment about the PCV valve being a fixed unit would lead me more to believe it is a failure on the lubricant's part...