OT engine oil

Tom in Ga · Dec 9, 2014

I have a 2011 Silverado . GM recommends synthetic oil with a dexos rating. What would it hurt to use a good 5w30 regular motor oil? Thanks Tommy

Paul from MI · Dec 9, 2014

Basically, I'd use whatever the manufacturer recommends. They do extensive testing to arrive at their recommendations, which you could not afford to do yourself. The object of those tests is to make the product perform and last as good as it possibly can. This goes for just about anything any manufacturer recommends in my opinion. Of course, if we are talking about a machine that's 50 years old or more lubricants have been vastly improved since it was built and you probably can't find what's recommended anyway.

Russ from MN · Dec 9, 2014

I run a similar truck, and take it to the gm dealer, they change the oil, wash it, and rotate the tires for little more than the oil and filter would cost me. But I do run it till it recommends changing, 5000+ miles. Tests have proven that changing at 3000 is a waste of oil. But I do very few cold starts and mostly highway miles. Been doing this with 3 of them and they are completely trouble free for the first 75000 mi, after that they are someone elses!

Eastsider · Dec 9, 2014

Simply because if you don't use oil with that specification, any engine warranty will be void. You don't have to use the GM oil, just oil that has that spec. Engines are very much advanced over those of even a few years ago. The Dexos oil is a semi-synthetic, and the dealer oil change is good for 6000 miles. I live in northern MN, so have lots of cold starts and a variety of driving...severe service. Still good for a 6000 mile interval. In fact, your oil life monitor will tell you when you need a change.... Don't try to cheap out on oil....it isn't worth it. With the better oil, you only have to change half as often, so you save money anyhow.

DaninKansas · Dec 9, 2014

Depends on the engine. Changing the oil at 3000 miles on some engines is a must. The "HF" engines put in the Cadillacs in the 2000s (like the 3.6) need the oil changed every 3000 miles. People following the recommended schedule in the car's computer were toasting their engines on a regular basis. The cheap light duty timing chains and the cheap light duty hydraulic timing chain tensioners fail at an alarming rate. When the mechanic pulls the engine apart its nasty with grime or sludge and the dealership says the owner abused the engine - warranty void.

http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/v6-3-0-3-2-la3/219214-3-6l-timing-chain-problem.html

JohnDeereJimOhio · Dec 9, 2014

I run rotella 15/40 in my 2012 have since new every 5k it shows a greater oil percent than the few times dealer did it....

Steve@Advance · Dec 9, 2014

I would use exactly what the mfg recommends, especially while it's under warranty.

I think that engine has variable valve timing. Any engine that does needs the proper viscosity to function properly.

Jiles · Dec 9, 2014

As long as it meets their Dexos spec., Dino or synthetic, that's all that matters to GM.

pat sublett · Dec 9, 2014

I am sold on synthetic oil. Several years ago I had an old chevy 2 ton that I hauled concrete mix on about 70 miles once a week on the interstate. I put an air conditioner on it and it would run a little past normal on the heat gauge. Somebody told me it would run cooler with synthetic. It didn't but, there was one hill that I had to pull with the accelerator on the bottom to come over the hill at 60mph. Same road, same time of day, exact same load with synthetic oil would come over the hill at 65 mph. That has to represent a lot less engine friction. I proved it time and time again switching oil back and forth. Today I run it in everything I own. I also use synthetic grease and synthetic 80-90 wt in manual transmissions.

showcrop · Dec 9, 2014

I read somewhere that part of why the manufactures specify the light weight oils that they do now is to help them meet Fed. Corp fuel mileage requirements. my '06 6.0 Ford specs 10w30 or something like that, unless it is towing or hauling heavy, and then it needs the real protection so they spec 15-40.

Jiles · Dec 9, 2014

There are very few people that take maintenance as serious as I do.
It is my choice to use manufacturer recommended oil weights but I use regular motor oil. If I lived in Alaska or Arizona or any where in the world with extreme weather conditions or made short trips in town, where I live, I would consider that to be severe usage. Also, if I pulled heavy loads or idled my vehicle for longer then normal times---I would use Synthetic Oils.
I found this article to be of interest, copy and paste---
http://www.xs11.com/xs11-info/articles/51-consumer-reportstruth-motor-oils-july-1996.html

Texasmark1 · Dec 10, 2014

When I bought my 2011 Silverado I started using Mobil 1 0w-30 as I knew Dexos was a syn blend and learned from my Dodge Hemi that oil pumps in newer vehicles along with clearances in the engines are made for the thinner oils. The 0w meets the 5w and 10w requirements for cold operation. After a couple of years I noticed the Dexos logo showed up on the Mobil 1 container. I run around 6000 on an oil change and do not have to add oil between changes.

I think GM uses syn or syn blends in the tranny and diff also as there are no drain and refill instructions in my manual out to 150k miles with a 100k mile drive train warranty. That suits me just fine.

Mark

DaninKansas · Dec 10, 2014

If you read the owners manual on what "severe useage" is you'll probably find operating your vehicle in North America is severe usage.

Many people that bought Dodge and Chryslers powered by their 2.7 engine and followed the "normal useage" oil changes (every 6000 miles) where shocked to learn they voided the warranty because they should have been using the severe usuage oil change interval - every 3000 miles.

sotxbill · Dec 10, 2014

Oil has change big time... over the years... from old base oil that sludge up to new modern oils that can go 10,000 mile between changes.

Engines used to require a valve job at 50 to 60k and a over haul at 60 to 80k with old oils. Now engine can run to 250k with modern oils.

However you can still buy cheap oil, good oil and excellent oils. In recent years lots of engines had problems with the oil passages gunking up with middle oils and caused lots of problems with sludge and ruined the engines early. Changing those to high performance oils solved the problem. High performance oils dont allow wear, dont allow sludge, dont produce acids, dont allow dry cold starts, and many other things through the additives and processing of the oil.

bottom line buy an oil the meets or exceeds the spec and you will be fine. saving 10 bucks a year on cheap oil will cost you $3000 dollars later.

Tom in Ga · Dec 10, 2014

Reason I was asking is because it was changed by mistake when it was in for other service. They used a good brand of 5w 30 regular oil. I read the owners manual and it said that is acceptable if dexos not available. I will go back to dexos spec on the next oil change Thanks Tommy

OT engine oil

Tom in Ga

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Paul from MI

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Russ from MN

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Eastsider

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DaninKansas

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JohnDeereJimOhio

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Steve@Advance

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Jiles

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pat sublett

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showcrop

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