In relation to the tranny fluid thread.. its about time for me to do an oil change and I was wondering which brand of oil is a good price/quality combination? I don't want to dump in the most expensive oil because 5,000m later I have to dump it all out again. Thanks.

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87 Camaro Sport Coupe
MSD Coil, Accel 8.8mm wires, Rapidfires
K&N Filters, No Air Baffles
Z28 Hood and Rims

 

I use 5W 30 Valvoline MAx life it burns less oil i noticed and my car has 180,000 miles but the lifters are going bye bye s in october REBUILT TIME

 

As you can see in my other post what I use in my cars. This is because different oils do have different porperties. I would never use Castrol GTX in anything besides a High revving motor. Like my Escort that turns 3000rpms at 60MPH. A synthetic is always the best chioce, its a cleaner oil and has be sytheticaly engineered to withstand more abuse than conventional petrolwum based oils. Though if you Religously change you oil every 3000 miles and don't run you car extreemly hard and under hight tempuraturs conventional oils are fine. I recomend a cleaner base oil like Penzoil or Quakerstate. The Valvoline( can't say anything about maxlife because I haven't seen anytest on it or what process/ additives they use to produce it, though I have a feeling its regualar Valvolin with some additive to swell up the gaskets and seal added) But in general motors I have seen torn down that had Valvoline ran in them for many yeas seem to be a little more sludged up than others. This has a lot to do with the fact that Valvoline tends to gunk up at high temperatures so if you are burning any oil at all what doesnt get burned wil heat up the rest of the oil and thicken up. From what I have seen if you dont want to use Synthetic use Penzoil.
Though no oil is going to make a difference of night and day in you motor, but depending on your driving habbits it may make it last longer.

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89 Trans Am Turbo 3.8L All stock 43,000 miles #1053 of 1555

Past Thirdgen:
86 Trans Am w/ built 355TPI with SLP goodies and too much other stuff to List. One sweet *** car, wish I would have had a good enough Job to pay insurance on three cars so I could keep it, but for a 89 Turbo Trans Am w/ Low miles, I think I made the right choice!

 

Now this one, I can only say that, buy the oil that is on sale (Quaker State, Pennzoil, etc) anything at $.99 or less if ya can.
I have been changing oil since I guess 1972. Then my Cousin, the mechainc said change it every 3K miles.
Which I have (or close to 4K, if I get busy).
BUT
I always use AC Oil Filters.
Always.
211,500 miles on my S-10 Blazer
135,000 miles on the 1974 Corvette
43,000 on the Firebird
My Wife's 1968 Camaro 6 cylinder, it has lots of miles.

When I pull apart the 211,500 mile engine (very soon, the heads do need to come off, have to get past the carb difficult to remove), I'll see how well the cylinders wear/bore has held up.

From what I can figure out, tho (by smog testing, Vacuum gauge readings, oil pressure readings) this practice of any brand oil, on sale, plus an AC oil Filter, seems to work well. The Corvette, the heads are worn, so I stick in anything (even Pep Boys) to keep it topped off. But, I will not be doing the bottom end. It's still a tight running engine.


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Chat Soon,
KED85
Karl
1985 Firebird 2.8 to 3.4 swap project for Smog Happy LA, CA

 

well I run 5-50 full synthetic..castrol syntech and I have not had any probs with oil break down or overheating. My car does start easier I noticed and gets a little better milage though...the Oil pressure is stable as well...I have been ridaculed for running that high a weight but the engine seems to like it. No leaks in 6-7 months it might burn 1/8 of a quart of oil...I also change my oil around every 6 months with 7500 miles...so I spend 25-30 bucks an oil change but only 50-60 bucks for the year...

 

I've been a fan of Kendall oil for years. JMO

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'86 Camaro SC 2.8 V6, 5spd, T-Tops
Mods:

(Performance)
Flowmaster cat back exhaust

(Non-Performance)
Pioneer DEH-P4000 head unit
Pioneer 6X9 Tri-Ax speakers
Jensen 8" dual voice coil sub
Blacked out tail lights and side markers (VHT
Nightshades spray tint)

3

 

Just out of curiousity, what are all you guys running for Oil weight...

I am Running 10w30, because I have over 150,000 and there was never a rebuild, and it doesn;t burn any. I thought the 5W30 might cause it too smoke...

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1987 Firebird
2.8L Auto
T-Tops
New Paint last Fall
No mods yet...

 

im running 50w

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1989 Firebird
2.8 v6, t5 swapped in

Ram Hi-po clutch, Cold Air, 1.6 rockers,Lakewood LCA's, Lakewood Lift bars, Wonder Bar, 3" y-pipe, Random Tech Cat, 3" I-pipe, Flowmasters, MSd 6a, MSD Coil (Fireball in future) Accel 8.8 wires, MSD Ignition Module, Auto Meter Gauges (Water, Clock (needed one) Fuel Pressure, and 5" monster tach) 4th Gen Seats

"I'd rather run last in a full out race, than to not have run at all"

 

I'll try to find some cheap stuff and change it more often.. hopefully I can grab some Penzoil for a good price, but should I stay away from the non-popular brands?

 

5-30 for these V-6's. Even in my 211,500 engine of the Blazer. It never burned oil.
10-40 for V-8 & my Wife's 6 cylinder in her Camaro.
IF you have extreme temp ranges, adjust accordingly.


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Chat Soon,
KED85
Karl
1985 Firebird 2.8 to 3.4 swap project for Smog Happy LA, CA

 

I use penzoil 5w-30. I never have to put in any oil till I change it.

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1988 Camaro RS
2.8L five speed
accel cap and rotor, crane cams 8.5mm wire
TB bypass
stop laughing you gotta start somewhere.

[This message has been edited by HIX5000 (edited June 01, 2001).]