Renegade

iTrader: (1)

My Z28 has a little over 89,000 miles and it's time for an oil change. I'm going to run Mobil 1 Like I always do in my cars, but this is my first oil change in the Camaro and I was wondering if Mobil 1 0W-40 or 0w-30 would be my best option. In SD the temp gets really hot, and really cold. The car will be stored during winter but the shop sometimes gets cold so I wanted to make sure that the oil would be prepared to start when I do regular maintenance every couple of weeks it is stored?

Basically I need some opinions on what oil to run, but I'm going with Mobil 1 for now because it's convienent and I've had good experience with it... just trying to decide what to run.

2000LS1Z28

M1-0w40 is a GREAT proven oil to run in higher-mileaged LT1's...Oil analysis test have further shown this with low metal wear counts on hard, daily-driven LT1's (it also holds a much thicker oil pressure than the "thin" M1 5w30 or 10w30 formulas) ...This and the "German made" 0w30 (more of a true 40w FYI) Castrol Syntec are two of the best choices available you'll find for these cars...I currently run the German Castrol and love it (so does my car!), but I'd also have no problem using M1-0w40 either...

Do a search on the username Patman on this board as he is the well-known oil expect around here who has tested many, including this one. www.bobistheoilguy.com is also the best oil resource site out there handsdown that you can learn about what will be best for your car...

Good luck,

Mike

96capricemgr

iTrader: (1)

Just want to second what Mike said.
The 0w-40 is a much better choice year round than the 5w-30 or 10w-30 you were likely using before. That is specifically M1 though as other brands 5w-30 and 10w-30 are often decent matches to the LT1 it is M1 specifically that is wrong in those weights.

Caveman

iTrader: (2)

I used the M1 0-40 for a couple months(6,000 miles/2 oil changes) in my 382/Vortech Formula and oddly enough the bearrings got burned up, I`ll never use that **** again!

96capricemgr

iTrader: (1)

And exactly what evidence do you have to support that it was the oil? Did you do an oil analysis beforehand to prove that there was not a preexisting problem that just did not become catastrophic till later? Yeah I am guessing not.
Those of us who recommend it do so based on ACTUAL DATA about wear metal content in the oil after it has been drained which means a whole lot more than driveway stories. Think of it as E.T.s or dyno results for your oil actual proof not just seat of the pants.

HBHRacing

There is a reason that manufatures recomend an oil weight. Even on high milage motors there is no reason to change it. However when you start with high performance motors running different clearences etc etc you might need to make a change or 2.

95lt1formula

valvoline full synthetic 10w 30 is the best oil u can put in your car

HBHRacing

That a matter of opinion. For example. I use mobil 1 full synth 5W30 and it works great. But that doesn't mean it's the best by any means. But there are 4 or 5 widely accepted well known oils that do VERY good in our cars and that is one of them. A quality brand synth with the manufacture suggested weight is usually just fine and will do it's job well. Some people swear by royal purple for no other reason then they associate expense with quality. That’s not always the case

Renegade

iTrader: (1)

What do you guys think about running 10w-30 for summer and 5w-30 Early October Up when the temp starts to fall around here? I have a 160 Thermo, Thermomaster Chip, and CAI, my enigine always runs cool no matter how much I beat on it... of course I haven't gotten her to the drag strip yet. I'm just worried about 10W-30 being a bit thick part of the year. I've kind of crossed out 0w-anything because the local autoparts stores don't carry it, and I get everything half priced there. Money is kind of tight because I'm saving up for Headers. But I could order it if you think it would be my best option, one of my friends insists that it's too thin and is going to mess with my engine.

HBHRacing

really on a car that is pretty stock just go by what he owners manual tells you for season. They recoemds 5W30 for some temps and 10W30 for others. Just follow that along with a good quality oil and you should be just fine. I know a guy with an LT1 thats pushing 250,000 miles. His motor is SPOTLESS and is running 5W30 mobil 1.

Remember, heavy oils can have a VERY hard time cuirculating through the motor. It's a reason that some ford motors keep blowing up. They oil will not go through the galleys and it robs the top cams of oil and they seize. This is why they pound into you to run the correct weight oil.

Renegade

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the advice guys, that's why I turn to this board for all my questions and to help out in areas I can. I get a lot of different opinions which is great... anyway, I think I'm just gonna run M1 5w-30 for now, when I mod my car some more I may switch oils.

Oh yeah, does anyone have any experience with M1 Extended Performance? It's on sale at autoparts but I haven't heard much about it.

96capricemgr

iTrader: (1)

Actual analysis of USED M! 5w-30 and 10w-30 PROVE there are better choices for this engine the 10w-30 actually being thinner at operating temps than the 5w-30 and both being arguably too thin. Go here http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/...=0;DaysPrune=0 and search for results on LT1s.
Maybe the M1 10 years ago was not so very thin and was a good match but today it is not formulas change and the OEMs have goals that are not always longevity based. 5w-30 was speced for CAFE purposes not because it is what the engine needs. Hell the LS1 tends to like the same oils as the LT1 thick 30weights to thin 40weights, yet the ignorant still push the M1 5w-30. Some 5w-30s are good performers in the engine M1 is just not one of them. If the 0w-40 is not available try the 5w-40 M1 truck and SUV that seems easier to find.
As far as factory recommended viscosities I have two owners manuals in front of me that both say 10w-30 is fine for 0F and above so as long as you are not driving it in the coldest part of winter that should be OK even by factory standards with a synthetic I bet you could go to lower temps with a 10w-30 but see no harm is using a thinnert oil in winter especially since you likely wont be using any sort of real power as cold salty roads don't let you open the throttle too much.

2000LS1Z28

I couldn't agree more with what this guy is saying...It has been proven through actual real life testing that M1 0w40 or the 5w40 is bar far the better choice for the LT1/LS1 over the thin M1 5w30 & 10w30 formulas. And again, I cannot say enough good things about the German made Castrol Syntec 0w30 as our motors absolutely love that oil too...Are there other quality brands out there? Yes! Royal Purple (their racing oil), Amsoil 10w30, & Redline can be good choices too depending upon what you go with...

But on a high-performance motor that sees a lot of high rpm use or redlining, you're going to want a "thicker" based oil such as the M1 0w40 or GC 0w30 (again, more of a true 40w) as it will protect the engine better in the higher rpms at very high operating temps. There are NO circulation problems with these thicker oils either as they have been tried and true up in the most frigid winters of Canada (just ask Patman!). I have absolutely no problems here in the freezing Chicago winters either, LOL. They also hold a much better oil pressure at a warm idle too (the thin M1 5w30 I used to run gradually started to get really low after driving the car for a while).

We're not saying the 5w30 or 10w30 can't do an adequate job, but why would you want to use them when you get use something that has PROVEN to be better in our motors under all conditions? I wouldn't ingore the facts, but to each their own...

96capricemgr

iTrader: (1)

Patman used an LT1 Firebird and now a LS1 Vette as year round cars in CANADA I think there was another f-body for awhile too he drives it hard and a lot. He even posted alalysis results from the oil that was in during dyno tuning once, he will drive a couple hundred miles to race it too. He is very good about testing oil and sharing ACTUAL results in the form of lab data.

SmokedOutZ28

iTrader: (35)

So for my bolt on/sprayed LT1 you guys are saying that the 0w-40 or the 5w-40 is a better choice then the 5w-30 i currently use?? also does anyone know what the 0w-40 or 5w-40 will do to oil temp if anything?

96capricemgr

iTrader: (1)

I don't know exactly but IF it causes them to be a little warmer it will still be thicker than the M1 5w-30. You know how guys keep saying the 0w-30 Castrol is more like a 40wt. well the M1 5w-30 and 10w-30 are nearing 20wt.

SmokedOutZ28

iTrader: (35)

well im due for a oil change and i've been looking for a thicker oil, i talked to chad at golen and he said i could try a thicker oil if i wanted to so i think i will... as for oil temp i was asking because in this hott 90 degree weather my oil temps can reach up to 240 degrees so i want to make sure it's not gonna go any higher. and in the mean time im looking for a oil cooler that will work with the LT1's

dhdenney

iTrader: (53)

My car has coolant lines running above the oil filter. That's an oil cooler, no? Also, while we are on the topic, I am intrigued by this oil discussion and thinking of switching myself. However, I am fairly certain that my local AutoZone does not carry the 0w-30 weight Castrol Syntec. I'm not sure what they do carry is the German stuff, but I will definitely check it out. Does all weights of the German stuff carry the same rep as the 0w-30 weight? Or is the only weight made in Germany the 0w-30? That's the only one I hear about.

buffman

iTrader: (9)

yeah those coolant lines are the oil lines that go to the radiator.

Matt

HBHRacing

the only real german castorl that is imported to the USA is the 0W30