MY02REDWS6TA

iTrader: (2)

Hey guys I switched over last week to GC 0-W30 and I am noticing a distinct valvetrain noise when first starting the engine. It doesnt matter if I start the car cold or hot I can hear the noise. I am not talking about standing there listening with the hood up either; I am sitting in the car with the windows up and I can hear it over my Magnaflow exhaust. If I increase RPM's a few times it seems to go away. The reason I am somewhat concerned is because I could hear this noise before I switched oil but, it is definately louder now with the GC 0-W30. Before I switched I could only hear it with the hood up standing there. I thought the GC would help quiet the valvetrain noise but I am not hearing that.

I would appreciate your opinions on this. Thanks in advance.

WhiteRhino

iTrader: (6)

It's probably because the GC is a thinner oil than what you were using. If you put a thicker oil in, the noise would quiet back down. I run M1 15-50 in my car. It sounds thick, but it gets quite hot where I live in the summer. In the winter I swap to 0-40 M1. Lots of ls1's have valve train noise. Some it bothers, some it don't.

If it really bothered you, you could always pull the valve covers and inspect your rockers and such. Just to make sure all is good.

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

What oil did you use before the GC 0W30?

I just switched over to M1 0W40 and it cut my valvetrain noise by at least 50% from what it was with my last oil (M1 10W30). My noise may have been different than yours though, it was the common LS1 sewing maching sound that I could only hear with the motor under load (during acceleration), it really wasn't there when just free-revving the motor. It was never very loud, but with the M1 0W40 now I can barely hear it at all.

MY02REDWS6TA

iTrader: (2)

I dont know what oil the previous owner had used. It only has 30,000 miles on it and I have only had the car two months now. The car has been exceptionally well cared for inside and out and there were NO mods made to it before I got it. The valvetrain noise is only noticable at idle. As soon as I rev it up it goes away and I dont hear it at all under heavy acceleration. I am not too worried about it but I did notice that it was worse since I switched to the GC 0W30. Just wondering if anyone else has had this experience since switching to GC.

Thanks guys........

z28_n_tx

iTrader: (7)

i thought i was the only one....i changed the oil last wk , went from mobil 1 10w-30 to the GC 0w-30, and ever since i did ive been hearing a weird noise that i dont like at all. It will only do it when i give it gas at around 1000-1500 rpms, i cant hear it after that my exahust gets some what loud. im contemplating switching back to mobil 1 just to see if it goes away and/or look at what else it can be.

oohtwo WS6

iTrader: (1)

I also have the same noise.......only comming back down to idle....like if i give it a little rev, when its comming down in rev, at about 1100 rpm, I can hear the noise. The car had regular dino oil in it when I got it, and it did not make the noise.....when I use the GC 0-30 I can hear "piston slap". Im sure the noise was there before the GC, but probably could not hear it.

Ive read too much good about the GC to stop using it...I dont like the piston slap, but live with it. Mobil would be my next choice ( once the GC dries up)


02 T/A M6 bought car with 14k, now it has 21k

A-Dub

iTrader: (6)

Where's ChocoTaco? I'd ask him, he invented GC 0W-30

ChocoTaco369

you rang?

likely it's piston slap. i have that, too. it's very common on all LS1's. i hear it on cold startup myself. the reason being is GC 0W-30 is a 0W when cold. it's very thin when cold and does not dampen the sound. the oil you were using before was likely thicker at startup. i'd venture a guess and say you switched from a 10W-30?

now, like i said, my engine does it when cold. as soon as i drive it and the oil heats up (to a near 40 weight) it completely goes away. my engine is silent. as long as it goes away when heated, you should be fine.

now, maybe you're thinking GC 0W-30 is too thin since you hear the piston slap at startup. well, the thin-ness of the oil (is that even a word?) is GREAT for startup protection. while a thicker oil at startup may dampen the piston slap noise, it protects very poorly at start-up in comparison since it's simply too thick to rush into all the little crevices of the engine. the 0-weight GC will immediately oil all those hard-to-reach places. the greater noise at start-up is a small price to pay in comparison. as long as your engine is quiet when heated up, you should be fine.

if you're wary about using it, just get the oil analyzed from a company. they'll check your wear numbers. if wear is low, you're worrying for nothing. if it's high, use something else.