GM 3800 V6 - Valvoline Synpower 5W30 UOA

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Hey everyone, new member here who has been doing a ton of reading on this site. I recently ran my 174000 mile supercharged 3.8 GTP with a switch from QSUD to Synpower and a Purolator Synthetic oil filter for 8000 miles at which I finally gave in and changed it due to the color and fear. LOL! The OLM in the car was still reading 25%.

This was all cold winter driving in Canada, though about 85% highway. Note, 1 full litre was added between OCI. I normally use premium fuel and don't baby this car either as I like using the power often.

I had a first time UOA, tested by Fluidlife, a Canadian lab and find the results rather difficult to believe considering the high mileage on the engine and the length of the OCI. Evidently, I can easily go by the OLM at 0%.

I was looking for some feedback as I'm thinking it may be wrong to compare results to what is seen from Blackstone Labs.

Results:

V40C = 59.1
V100C = 10.13
Visc Indx = 160

TBN = 5.5

Fuel = 0
Glycol = 0

Additive Metals

Calcium = 1980
Magnesium = 10
Zinc = 819
Phosph = 723
Moly = 24
Barium = 0
Antimony = 0
Boron = 18
Lithium = 0

Contaminent Metals

Silicon = 14
Sodium = 301
Pot = 2

Wear Metals

Iron = 18
Copper = 12
Lead = 1
Chrom = 2
Alum = 2
Tin = 1
Nickel = 0
Titan = 0
Silver = 0
Vanad = 0

Looks far too good to believe for a high miler. A TBN of 5.5 after 8000 mi?! I've since switched to Mobil 1 5w30/M1 filter (M1 is always on sale around here, I plan to stick with it) and will likely send it's results to Blackstone.
 
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Everything looks good, wear metals are good, no fuel or coolant found, you have TONS of additive left at 5.5 TBN, indicating you can extend probably double this interval if you keep a good filter on there.

I recommend the Fram Ultra over the Puro Synthetic as it has higher capacity and gets the best ratings on UOAs from Blackstone at filtering solids.
 
It would have been extremely interesting to see what Synpower 5W-40 would've been like for the same car and OCI, but we'll never know.
 
Thanks and good to know about the filters, our Canadian Wal-Marts have done away with Fram and now carry only Puro, so I bought that with the Synpower on sale.

I went all Mobil 1, oil and filter, this time. It's regularily on special - 5.4L for $29, from an actual auto parts store chain here (Partsource). I'm stocking up and will use M1 consistently from now on instead of flip flopping with whats on sale.

I've read in the past that M1 filters also score very high and are right up there with the Fram Ultra?
 
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Yes, I've been driving it for a week now and the engine runs very quiet and smooth, maybe even better than ever. Though with new oil, it's unfair to compare vs. stuff that has 8000 mi on it back to back. This is the first time I've ever extended beyond 5000 mi and was always curious about trusting the GM OLS. Now, I know.

With M1, my fuel mileage is also up too. But that may be due to winter gas being gone and the warmer spring weather. So far, so good. I really have noticed seemingly quieter and smoother running engines since I've switched to synthetics in all my vehicles in recent years.

I'm sold on the extra protection (especially here in winter) and extended OCIs for minimal extra cash outlay. Unlike in the past, Synthetics are always on sale now. For about $10-15 extra per jug for an average 2-3 OCIs per year, I say it's affordable insurance and a no brainer! Oil is cheap, engines are expensive!
 
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That's good to hear about your engine being quiet.

I've been wanting to try M1 in my 3800 but a lot of people have had trouble with it causing noise.
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
It would have been extremely interesting to see what Synpower 5W-40 would've been like for the same car and OCI, but we'll never know.

Buying Synpower 5w-40 up here would be an expensive fool's errand.
wink.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Garak
Buying Synpower 5w-40 up here would be an expensive fool's errand.
wink.gif



It's already $9 a quart down here. Insane.
 
We get some good deals on Valoline synthetic on occasion, but they don't seem to advertise any of the odd grades. The 5w-40 would probably only be available at NAPA Canada, and they're not known to have good prices except on specials, and I bet that grade would be excluded.
 
welcome2.gif
Is that miles or km's ? 8000 miles
is around 13000 km. Our Saturn Vue's OLM is down
to 35% after only 5000 km this winter. Also, the
Mobil 1 on sale are 4.4 L jugs.
 
Originally Posted By: scorp73
I've read in the past that M1 filters also score very high and are right up there with the Fram Ultra?


I wouldn't rate M1 filters with Fram Ultra. M1's only have synthetic blend media. That would make them roughly equivalent to Fram ToughGuard's.

I cut apart the M1 filter from my Corvette last night after a season of track days, and it did look good inside, though. The media held its shape despite running in oil that was up to 315F. No evidence of glue failure or split pleats. The ADBV still sealed fine. And the element has steel end caps.

But if I could find a Fram Ultra that would fit my Corvette, I would be running that.
 
My 3800's always ran the smoothest/quietest with thicker dinos. GTX and PYB always worked the best for me.
 
Originally Posted By: 2KBMW
welcome2.gif
Is that miles or km's ? 8000 miles
is around 13000 km. Our Saturn Vue's OLM is down
to 35% after only 5000 km this winter. Also, the
Mobil 1 on sale are 4.4 L jugs.


Yes, I converted it to miles here. I went 13000kms, but as I stated, it was mostly all highway driving as I work out of town.
I noticed my old 2001 Sierra pickup would often only go about 6500km or so before the OLM warning came on when mostly city driving.

The Mobil 1 jugs I speak of are the 4.4L +1L bonus bottle attatched that Canadian Tire/Partsource has on special for $29 from time to time.
 
Originally Posted By: A_Harman
[
I cut apart the M1 filter from my Corvette last night after a season of track days, and it did look good inside, though. The media held its shape despite running in oil that was up to 315F. No evidence of glue failure or split pleats. The ADBV still sealed fine. And the element has steel end caps.

But if I could find a Fram Ultra that would fit my Corvette, I would be running that.


Thanks, great info to know. The Ultra Guard is what I've usually used and is easy to find around here too. No point paying more for the Mobil filter and the Frams have that rubber coating on the end which I like. What about the K&N oil filters?
 
Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
If you're looking for 5W40 Synpower,all the Walmarts here have it for $6 a quart.

What's this "$6 a quart" you speak of? I think there's a federal law here that quarts/litres of synthetic must have two digits in the price before the decimal place, unless the month has a "y" in it.
wink.gif
 
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