LT1-LT4 Modifications 1993-97 Gen II Small Block V8

Oil weight and brand?

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Old Jan 7, 2010 | 12:58 AM
  #21  
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yes..im a little out of it right now 1.5 hrs of sleep in 34hrs..lol but you are right you def aint going to get the same oil they use at wally world but the high mile stuff is a good knock off for sure...i use it now over royal purpel
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Old Jan 7, 2010 | 06:17 AM
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As I'm sure you know, lt1s are notorious for low oil pressure. My car doesn't get driven in the winter at all and the 25w50 keeps it where I'm comfortable when it's hot. The new motor will make the car almost exclusively a track car but I will check out that website. Thanks
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Old Jan 7, 2010 | 07:18 AM
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15-40 Shell Rotella has done me well with the solid roller setup.
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Old Jan 7, 2010 | 07:27 AM
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What's oil pressure supposed to be at idle and cruising when hot on a stock lt1? Mines around 20psi at idle and 40psi cruising.
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Old Jan 7, 2010 | 04:28 PM
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I run Amsoil 0W-30 in my LT1 along with our GTO and TBSS. From our experiences with Amsoil and Mobil in all three vehicles, we much prefer the Amsoil.
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Old Jan 7, 2010 | 04:51 PM
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Originally Posted by 355TurboLT1
I am fully aware of which weights to use as I have studied oil for years. FWIW and with all due respect your statement about using 40wt in a stock motor is completely incorrect and anecdotal at best. This has never been proven!The differences between a 30 and 40wt are not huge in most cases, especailly considering shear. Efficiency will be affected in a small way, but premature wear does not go up as you have described in such a short time. And engine builders are not the best sources of lubrication knowledge due to agendas and old school mentalities. They are not tribologists, not even close. Please list facts as this has never been proven in testing. So many variables when looking into lubrication. The largest arguement is can the same rate of wear be had using a 0w-20 as opposed to a 5w-30. Some find it can be done but there is not enough concrete evidence and it only relates to certain applications.And many times the heavier oil wins out. Also consider there are differences between like weight oils one 5w-30 will have a certain HTHS(high temp high shear rating)while the other brand will have a different one. HTHS plays a huge role in wear as you will find if you do your research. There are as you are seeing many variables when looking at oil. This is without looking at varying chemisty used in different motor oils (moly,zddp etc......) We havent even delved into the different oil groups offered and the fact that some synthetics actually satisfy a more broad range of requirments viscosity wise. You have to look at the spec sheet for any given oil and consider if it has the tendency to shear in said engine.....I could go on forever really. I am not trying to be condicending and am not a kid.ha. So dont take it the wrong way. There were many things I believed prior to digging into lubes years ago that I learned were merely old wives tales/urban legend. Now considering the winter or cold number, yes some very very small(usually undetectable) amounts of wear MIGHT be generated with a higher weight rating, but you will not ever see this in your ownership. Many LT-1 guys on BITOG run 10w/15w-40 diesel oil (HDEO) like rotella and get better results than when using a 5w-30. The differences we are discussing can usually be picked up in UOA (used oil analysis) but this is not as realiable as tear down which many like myself have done.

I am merely looking to see what you guys use. I am not looking for a recommendation but understand I may have not been clear with my intentions. Some of the obove info may or may not be review. But I can say without a doubt that running a 40wt in your LT-1 or any motor for the most part will not lead to scoring of the bearings and increased wear in a short amount of time. I actually ran Redline 10w-40 in my LT-1 (stock short block) for near 30k with a blower and it looked great upon tear down, as it should. I am not the end all know all of lubrication.I just want to set the record straight.
are you talking about a LT-1 or LT1
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Old Jan 7, 2010 | 05:42 PM
  #27  
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German Castrol 0W-30.
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Old Jan 7, 2010 | 05:50 PM
  #28  
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Originally Posted by djjab57
are you talking about a LT-1 or LT1

I was speaking about an LT1. The dash was habbit. Didnt look at it enough.
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Old Jan 7, 2010 | 06:02 PM
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Originally Posted by Paul Bell
German Castrol 0W-30.
Same.
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Old Jan 7, 2010 | 06:34 PM
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same or RP
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Old Jan 7, 2010 | 07:24 PM
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Originally Posted by djjab57
are you talking about a LT-1 or LT1
For this discussion why would it matter??
Except for the coolant path they are very similar engines. an LT-1 would generally have a flat tappet and that would like ZDDP but other than that they are VERY much the same.

Oil pressure does not matter, oil FLOW does, just easier to measure pressure and all we need to watch for is a sudden change in pressure indicating a change in flow.

ZDDP is NOT critical for bearings, bearings the pressure fed bearings are kept apart from the part they support by what amounts to hydroplaning.

ZDDP was important to parts that did not get pressurized oil like flat tappets. How many of you are running flat tappets???

The M1 5w-30 everyone mistakes for wonderful is nothing more than decent in an LT1 or LS1.
The belief that 10w-30 is thicker at operating temp than 5w-30 is proof of no real understanding on the subject.

At one point I saw data on oil recommendations for export LT1s and they got 15w-40, the b-body was very popular in the middleast, before you dismiss that as a hot weather thing, it get plenty cold in the desert at night.

North American oil recommendations are CAFE driven, HonDa and Furd did not go 5w-20 for more protection, they did it because it provided adequate protection and gained them a fraction of a MPG.

If you READ the owner's manual that came with your car you will see 10w-30 approved down to 0F.
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Old Jan 7, 2010 | 07:43 PM
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Originally Posted by 96capricemgr
For this discussion why would it matter??
Except for the coolant path they are very similar engines. an LT-1 would generally have a flat tappet and that would like ZDDP but other than that they are VERY much the same.

Oil pressure does not matter, oil FLOW does, just easier to measure pressure and all we need to watch for is a sudden change in pressure indicating a change in flow.

ZDDP is NOT critical for bearings, bearings the pressure fed bearings are kept apart from the part they support by what amounts to hydroplaning.

ZDDP was important to parts that did not get pressurized oil like flat tappets. How many of you are running flat tappets???

The M1 5w-30 everyone mistakes for wonderful is nothing more than decent in an LT1 or LS1.
The belief that 10w-30 is thicker at operating temp than 5w-30 is proof of no real understanding on the subject.

At one point I saw data on oil recommendations for export LT1s and they got 15w-40, the b-body was very popular in the middleast, before you dismiss that as a hot weather thing, it get plenty cold in the desert at night.

North American oil recommendations are CAFE driven, HonDa and Furd did not go 5w-20 for more protection, they did it because it provided adequate protection and gained them a fraction of a MPG.

If you READ the owner's manual that came with your car you will see 10w-30 approved down to 0F.
To clarify I never said 10w-30 is any more thick at operating temps than a 5w-30.Not sure where you got that? Further my statement of the lower viscosity oils was something that was being studied on bitog not by honda. I am fully aware of CAFE thanks.

The LT1 has some differences when compared to an LT-1 as noted. The guy was just curious and asking a question.

Last edited by 355TurboLT1; Jan 7, 2010 at 07:49 PM. Reason: spelling
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Old Jan 7, 2010 | 07:51 PM
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Comments were aimed at you.

EDIT
Meant to say comments were NOT aimed at you. Sorry I think faster than I type.
Had I gone back and read my own post a lot of confusion would have been avoided.

Last edited by 96capricemgr; Jan 8, 2010 at 11:51 AM.
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Old Jan 7, 2010 | 07:54 PM
  #34  
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Originally Posted by 96capricemgr
Comments were aimed at you.
He asked which engine it was. I claified. Never said anything about 10w-30 buddy. The study as I said was from bitog and had nothing to do with CAFE certification thank you. Get your facts straight buddy. Dont make stuff up. I never elaborated on ZDDP. Look at my posts.
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Old Jan 7, 2010 | 07:56 PM
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Waiting for you to put more words into my mouth in 3, 2,.........
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Old Jan 7, 2010 | 08:37 PM
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Originally Posted by 355TurboLT1
Waiting for you to put more words into my mouth in 3, 2,.........
What was the point of this whole thread?
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Old Jan 7, 2010 | 08:58 PM
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Originally Posted by GIZMO
What was the point of this whole thread?
I am putting together a pole for the oil forums. Relating to the LT1. Most of you have been great with exception of the guy who thinks he knows about lubricants posting random statements and claiming them to be mine. Some people
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Old Jan 7, 2010 | 09:27 PM
  #38  
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I always used 10w40 when I had my LT1.
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Old Jan 7, 2010 | 09:30 PM
  #39  
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Valvoline Syntec 10w30....hell yeah!
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Old Jan 8, 2010 | 04:58 AM
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Originally Posted by 355TurboLT1
He asked which engine it was. I claified. Never said anything about 10w-30 buddy. The study as I said was from bitog and had nothing to do with CAFE certification thank you. Get your facts straight buddy. Dont make stuff up. I never elaborated on ZDDP. Look at my posts.

Again I said my comments were NOT aimed at you. Stop looking for something to get bent out of shape about and you will feel better.

Look at Al 96 Ram Air T/A's post and you will see my comments are directed more at him.

He is advocating switching weights seasonally in a location that is 10w-30 compatible year round. I lived there 17years so I know the weather.

That is besides the fact that I know at one point M1 5w-30 was THICKER at operating temps than their 10w-30.

He is also the one that said 40wt would "score the bearings". The overwhelming majority of us know better.
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