Wondering if you can tell what oil was put in the car the previous oil change.

Just bought a 2000 Trans Am and plan on putting GC 0w30 in the car but I would like to know what was put in before.....thanks.

 

If you take an oil sample, you can often figure out what oil it was based on it's additive breakdown. But it could get tricky if the previous owner used one oil at the beginning of the interval but then topped it up with a different oil.

 

YOu do you go about taking an oil sample??

 

Check out www.blackstone-labs.com and order their sample kit. You then wait until you drain your oil and collect a few ounces in their plastic sample bottle, then send it to them for analysis.