BWZ_2k2Z28

When my OPSU broke, I took a good look at my intake manifold and the valley cover while they were off. It was very little oil residue on them. Problem is I've never seen another intake manifold or valley cover on another LS1 in person so I really don't have anything to compare it to. I've checked the pvc lines and all of them look fine so I don't think they're the problem. As for why I changed to 10w30, my dad was blaming all my oil problems on the synthetic oil. He said that the engine seals were meant for 5w30 SAE not synthetic. Then he said to try a little thicker oil like 10w30 SAE and see what happens. Well, I'll be damned if it didn't seem to work.

DarkblueTA

So does regular dino oil.

Just something I've noticed on other threads. Guy running synthetic (don't remember what kind or the weight) had Blackstone perform an oil analysis on his car. His Iron (Fe) was in the 30s and low 40s over the multiple oil burns.

I burn mine at work. Yes, the machine is calibrated to USAF standards (elements/ppm) 12/0, 12/5, 12/30, 12/100, 3/100 and the machine is calibrated daily, standardized monthly or if any numbers are even close to the boarder-line range.

So, my 10w30 Valvoline regular dino oil spit out Fe of a 13 (average numbers for 3 burns). Personally, I thought that was a touch high, but didn't have anything to go off of. So I looked at others who had showed their oil burns and was happy with my results. Seriously, all the important elements (Al, Cu, Ni, Fe, Cr) were just as good if not better than the poster who was using synthetics. It's not just this said poster, but multiple others.

I ran my oil just over 5k miles (IIRC, he did too). I just did the change when the "change oil" light came on. Although the SS is not a daily driver, I live in one hell'va hot place and I'm not always 'nice' to the car. Don't get me wrong, I don't beat the **** out of it, but when I do get on it, "its all or nothing".

My daily driver (02 Dodge Stratus) is in the same ball park. Low wear for having 169k miles on the clock. Oil changes at 5k miles.

mannyman84

iTrader: (2)

True but synthetic oil has a lesser chance of sludging.
Personally i use either SAE oil or synthetic blend which is about 30% synthetic. No matter what people should change their oil every 3K or 3 months on these cars. And OP go back to 5W it's what's required for this engine stock

_GTO_

With Mobil1 my car did the same thing , switched to Castrol synthetic and seems lot better .

dr_whigham

iTrader: (49)

Bingo.

Castrol Edge will quiet the tapping down. I've done this with my car as well as my Escalade. It's simply a better oil than M1

badazz81z28

iTrader: (6)

I looked at some of those..It appears they must meet a range to be considered "5W-30" etc. So the real concern here should at operating temps. The freezer experiment only shows that Synthetic does not clog up in extreme cold. Like I mentioned before, if oil is getting sucked passed the rings, its not the oil. It appears to me synthetic is so well at doing it's job, its finding the issues in one's engine. I guess "thicker" oils would show less leaks, but still not to blame the oil. Just a Band-aide

DarkblueTA

I have never heard of an LS1 having a sludge problem.

After my oil analysis, I upped my dino oil change intervals to 5k (or in the case of the Camaro with the oil change sensor, when that comes on). I'm ok with the increased interval. Although I could go longer, I decide not to try pushing my luck.

badazz81z28

iTrader: (6)

How can an oil analysis tell you if your oil is ok for XXXXK miles? From my experience, OAP just tells you the contaminants within in, showing part wear and predicting failure. High metal contents doesn't mean you need to change your oil, it means something is wrong.

sabersaw30

iTrader: (10)

Can you switch from synthetic to regular oil? I thought it was not good to switch back and forth between them.

"MAC"

iTrader: (1)

I used to use synthetic all the time and now I use the regular with 90W mixed in it and it runs just fine. no oil leaks, doesnt run low on oil anymore and doesnt burn oil anymore its fine.

JakeFusion

iTrader: (7)

If you want a heavier grade oil that Mobil 1, get the German Castrol Syntec. Autozone sells it for $4.99/quart. Your oil pressure is going to go through the roof with the stuff. It's a 0W-30 but it's way heavier than the paper thin **** Mobil 1 sells.

Or get Valvoline VR1 if you're modded at all. Or Amsoil Z-Rod.

Those are the only three oils I'd put in an LS1 and that's supported by independent oil analysis and sheer testing.

DarkblueTA

Exactly correct. If everything is still in spec, then you can increase your duration between oil changes.

Example. If I was getting 14.5-15.3 on Fe (Iron) with the Stratus, and then all of a sudden its 46.5 range, I know my cylinder linings are starting to wear and I may soon have a problem (Engine is all Al and the cylinder linings are iron).

I also take a clean sample of oil (right from the bottle, just like we do with the carts) and put it up against the sample just pulled out of the car. The clean sample shows what is in the oil (amazing how much Na (Sodium), Mg, Ti and Zn are in the oils before ever going into the engine.

SlowBurn

iTrader: (7)

This.

Mine loves T6.

jimmyblue

iTrader: (11)

There is another aspect to this, that isn't spec'd at
all. If you're losing oil via the PCB system, that's from
oil fog. What do the specs say about how finely the
oil, thrashed by the valvetrain , suspends in the heads'
rocker cavity air, and how quick it falls out of the air?
Nuthin'. But certainly this will vary, whether it sticks
or flies off the rockers and springs, and whether the
mist droplets glom onto each other and fall, or stay
fine and suspended.

BWZ_2k2Z28

So I shouldn't run 10w30, why is that? What about a 5w40, would that be ok?

badazz81z28

iTrader: (6)

I suggest what GM says to put in the engine 5W-30...Unless you had the engine rebuilt, ask the builder. You put thick oil in an engine with tight clearances designed for 5W-30, you may have good pressure but poor volume. I don't understand why people over think this. I wish a lot of questions had such simple answers. In my 2010 dodge ram, it says to put 5W-20 in it...now why would I consider something else? Because I "think" its too watery? Obviously the engine was designed and built to achieve a spec, they didn't just "make-up" what oil to put in it...

JudgeGuns

iTrader: (1)

I gree Mobil one sux. only one i wouls use is the 15/50 but even that crap is highly acidic and will eat your seals

5 litre eater

Amsoil 5w-30 since new, 45,000 miles and not a drop used.

RockinWs6

Ever hear of café numbers? You actually think 5w-20 is going to protect as well as 5-30? or 5w-40? The only reason ALL car companies went to 5-30 and now 5-20 is to meet the gov mandated mileage requirements.

I don't care how little clearance there is a 40wt oil @ 200 degrees f is going to protect better than a 20wt oil.

Light oils are about two things....fuel mileage and HP.

RockinWs6

I wanna add something else to this, My 02 WS6 has terrible piston clatter hot. Sounds terrible until you drive it 20 miles and even then its still there. I started putting STP in the oil, About 10ozs per 6 qts to quiet the clatter noise it makes. Works great and the engine is quiet. Another side effect I found was MORE POWER, the engine pulls harder with the STP in the oil and the engine doesn't use any oil. So don't believe all the thin oil bs you read.

Thin is good for the car companies to make cash on parts and make the govt happy.

I personally use Pennzoil 10-30 high mileage with 10 ozs STP high mileage. The high mileage oils are a synthetic blend and much thicker than the 10-30 full synthetics.They are close to a 40wt oil hot.
You can't tell me that all that ENGINE NOISE you hear in most LS1's using full synthetic oil is a good thing.

Take a bottle of 10-30 full synthetic Pennzoil and a bottle of regular Pennzoil and try pouring them. The full synthetic is very thin and pours like melted butter, the regular is much thicker and pours much slower.

You might say well thinner oils pour faster so you get quicker lubrication cold and more oil flowing to parts all the time its running. More oil moving through bearings helps cool them better BUT thinner oils also can't protect as well against metal to metal contact.