Silverado V6 4.3 - Oil Suggestion
- Thread starter Glades101
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How often will you be changing the oil and what kind of oil filter will you use? If you are stuck on 3/3 OCI's then just about any 5W-30 will work with a Supertech/AC Delco/Purolater Pure One/Bosch/Etc. oil filter. I wouldn't personally use Fram Orange cans or a no-name filter but most should be fine. If you want to extend to 6K-10K OCIs then a good synthetic or Group III "synthetic" should work: Amsoil, Redline, Mobil 1, Pennzoil Platinum and a Pure One, Mobil 1, or Amsoil EaO filter should work. If you want to go beyond 10K then I would personally pick an Amsoil or Redline product and an Amsoil EaO filter and perform a UOA to fine-tune the interval. Again, I'd probably use 5W-30. IMO, the benefits of synthetics and longer OCI's are superior to conventional oils and shorter OCI's. However, if you will run a 3/3 OCI, there are little benefits to synthetic vs. the increase in price but when longer OCIs are performed, the cost of synthetics is normally better (lower) than the cost of conventionals. Of course, some people run long OCIs on convention oil so
How many miles on the vehicle? I have a '98 Blazer with the same engine. I've got over 68K on mine. For the last couple of years, I've been running Maxlife, changing twice a year with Purolator Pure One filter.
cfromc
Group II Member
Reged: 07/29/06
Posts: 201
Loc: Chicago Re: Silverado V6 4.3 - Oil Suggestion [Re: Glades101]
#741330 - 10/18/06 10:37 AM Edit Reply Quote Quick Reply
How often will you be changing the oil and what kind of oil filter will you use? If you are stuck on 3/3 OCI's then just about any 5W-30 will work with a Supertech/AC Delco/Purolater Pure One/Bosch/Etc. oil filter. I wouldn't personally use Fram Orange cans or a no-name filter but most should be fine. If you want to extend to 6K-10K OCIs then a good synthetic or Group III "synthetic" should work: Amsoil, Redline, Mobil 1, Pennzoil Platinum and a Pure One, Mobil 1, or Amsoil EaO filter should work. If you want to go beyond 10K then I would personally pick an Amsoil or Redline product and an Amsoil EaO filter and perform a UOA to fine-tune the interval. Again, I'd probably use 5W-30. IMO, the benefits of synthetics and longer OCI's are superior to conventional oils and shorter OCI's. However, if you will run a 3/3 OCI, there are little benefits to synthetic vs. the increase in price but when longer OCIs are performed, the cost of synthetics is normally better (lower) than the cost of conventionals. Of course, some people run long OCIs on convention oil so
Follow your Oil life monitor for your OCI's with a quality SM dino. This should be between 6 and 10K OCI's depending on your driveing habits. Synthetic is not needed unless you want to spend the extra money.
Group II Member
Reged: 07/29/06
Posts: 201
Loc: Chicago Re: Silverado V6 4.3 - Oil Suggestion [Re: Glades101]
#741330 - 10/18/06 10:37 AM Edit Reply Quote Quick Reply
How often will you be changing the oil and what kind of oil filter will you use? If you are stuck on 3/3 OCI's then just about any 5W-30 will work with a Supertech/AC Delco/Purolater Pure One/Bosch/Etc. oil filter. I wouldn't personally use Fram Orange cans or a no-name filter but most should be fine. If you want to extend to 6K-10K OCIs then a good synthetic or Group III "synthetic" should work: Amsoil, Redline, Mobil 1, Pennzoil Platinum and a Pure One, Mobil 1, or Amsoil EaO filter should work. If you want to go beyond 10K then I would personally pick an Amsoil or Redline product and an Amsoil EaO filter and perform a UOA to fine-tune the interval. Again, I'd probably use 5W-30. IMO, the benefits of synthetics and longer OCI's are superior to conventional oils and shorter OCI's. However, if you will run a 3/3 OCI, there are little benefits to synthetic vs. the increase in price but when longer OCIs are performed, the cost of synthetics is normally better (lower) than the cost of conventionals. Of course, some people run long OCIs on convention oil so
Follow your Oil life monitor for your OCI's with a quality SM dino. This should be between 6 and 10K OCI's depending on your driveing habits. Synthetic is not needed unless you want to spend the extra money.
My 1996 C1500 2wd truck did real well with Pennzoil or QS 10w-30!
24-25 mpg, the engine ran great!
The new owner has kept using Pennzoil Conventional and it's has around 185k on it now.
Still runs great, passes smog and not a single issue with the engine. (has had problems with the power steering pump lately)
Oil has been changed every 5k miles or 4 months for its entire life.
Take care, Bill
24-25 mpg, the engine ran great!
The new owner has kept using Pennzoil Conventional and it's has around 185k on it now.
Still runs great, passes smog and not a single issue with the engine. (has had problems with the power steering pump lately)
Oil has been changed every 5k miles or 4 months for its entire life.
Take care, Bill
Triple_Se7en
$50 Site Donor 2024
This engine has the intake leak concern. May be best to do a UOA and/or shorter OCIs with dino.
Well I usually change out twice a year. I accumulate about 5-6k a year. Right now the mileage is at 36k
Since the first oil change I have always used Mobil 1 5/30. However I do believe Mobil 1 has little Moly compared to say Havoline/Chevron. I don't mind changing oil more often...but I guess my #1 goal is to have the engine last as long as possible.
I don't plan on replacing this truck for atleast another 10 years or more, atleast I hope the engine can last that long...
Since the first oil change I have always used Mobil 1 5/30. However I do believe Mobil 1 has little Moly compared to say Havoline/Chevron. I don't mind changing oil more often...but I guess my #1 goal is to have the engine last as long as possible.
I don't plan on replacing this truck for atleast another 10 years or more, atleast I hope the engine can last that long...
JHZR2
Staff member
Ive observed lots of UOAs to help me see what is the best oil for my 4.3 V6 in my 98 S10.
I found that at least older iterations of M1 did not seem to be a good fit for the engine. I also found that pennzoil did consistently well in those engines.
I ran pennzoil for the first 30k or so, with no apparent issues. It is consistently good oil. However, my inquisitive side wants to know what else works and how well... However, mny usage profile only requires one oil change a year, maybe two. So its a slow process, and probably a waste of time/effort/energy, but I have fun.
That said, I ran GC 0w-30 for the last year (ill be sending the smaple out for UOA), and it seemed good, but I'm not sure that it was doing anything special for the engine. Castrol GTX Start-up did well for me, but as of now, I have schaeffer's 5w-30 in there, as that seems to be a very good oil with an add pack that fits well with how I use the truck.
I may very well go back to pennzoil or GTX startup at some point, but Im assuming that the schaeffer's will prove t be a very good oil for my truck, and if so, Ill stay with that.
JMH
I found that at least older iterations of M1 did not seem to be a good fit for the engine. I also found that pennzoil did consistently well in those engines.
I ran pennzoil for the first 30k or so, with no apparent issues. It is consistently good oil. However, my inquisitive side wants to know what else works and how well... However, mny usage profile only requires one oil change a year, maybe two. So its a slow process, and probably a waste of time/effort/energy, but I have fun.
That said, I ran GC 0w-30 for the last year (ill be sending the smaple out for UOA), and it seemed good, but I'm not sure that it was doing anything special for the engine. Castrol GTX Start-up did well for me, but as of now, I have schaeffer's 5w-30 in there, as that seems to be a very good oil with an add pack that fits well with how I use the truck.
I may very well go back to pennzoil or GTX startup at some point, but Im assuming that the schaeffer's will prove t be a very good oil for my truck, and if so, Ill stay with that.
JMH
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We have had numerous 4.3's over the years and ran them with all different sorts of oil. This engine is not picky. I bet you couldn't destroy this thing if you ran vegetable oil in it.
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