ELF Excellium 5w-40

[SHADO]

Hey all,

I've been browsing these forums a fair bit, but have just recently registered.
Im in Australia and have a 2007 HSV (Holden) GTS with a 6.0 litre LS2, which is the same as the motor in the Corvette in the states.

The motor has 44,000kms at the moment, and i'll be doing my first oil change next week.

I've been using elf in my previous vehicle, and it was recommended to me by a few tuners, so i'll be sticking with it in my LS2.

Over the weekend i purchased some Elf excellium fully synthetic 5w-40, but i was tossing up between that and the 10w-50.

What do you all recommend would be the better one to go with? I personally feel more comfortable with the thinner 5w for startup, but if its too thing obviously i'll be taking it back for the 10w50.

Thanks in advance

 

[simple_gifts]

Welcome to the site.

You should read up on 5W and 10W designations. No way a 5W is ever going to be "too thin" on startup as oil thins out as it gets hotter....

 

[SHADO]

How about the 40 viscosity at operating temp, what would be recommended? a 40 or a 50?

By the way the manufacturer recommendation is Mobil 1 5w-30, so i thought by going to a viscosity of 40 i would be safe, and keep at the 5w i will still have the flow on startup, as opposed to the 10w50.

 

[chubbs1]

I think the 5w40 would be fine, I sure wouldn't see the need for a 50grade. You mention 5w30 is recommended. Why not use 5w30? Either way the Excellium should be fine.

 

[SHADO]

I just feel more comfortable using a slightly thicker oil, it cant do any damage.

I feel these manufacturers recommendations are more aimed at new cars, and more for efficiency...

 

[Torrid]

The 5w40 would be fine. I've ran 0w40 in my '04 LS1 GTO(Monaro in OZ) without any issues, but I tend to stick to Mobil 1 5w30 most of the time due to price and availability. A lot of the Monaro guys like Castrol Edge 10w60 for some reason.

 

[SHADO]

Originally Posted By: Torrid
The 5w40 would be fine. I've ran 0w40 in my '04 LS1 GTO(Monaro in OZ) without any issues, but I tend to stick to Mobil 1 5w30 most of the time due to price and availability. A lot of the Monaro guys like Castrol Edge 10w60 for some reason.


Yeh i hear alot about the Castrol edge 10w60, but i find it unecessary to use an oil of that weight in a fairly young motor...

 

[Torrid]

Yeah, that's one I don't get either.

 

[SHADO]

Originally Posted By: Torrid
Yeah, that's one I don't get either.


Theory is at operating temp it stays alot thicker and provides a lot more protection with less wear...

 

[Brons2]

You only need enough oil thickness to provide a hydrodynamic film, more than you need won't provide any additional protection, it will just make the engine run slower and hotter.

 

[SHADO]

Originally Posted By: Brons2
You only need enough oil thickness to provide a hydrodynamic film, more than you need won't provide any additional protection, it will just make the engine run slower and hotter.


So would you say a 5w40 would suffice in an ls2 motor?

 

[Torrid]

As a fellow LSX owner I say yes, but if it isn't consuming any oil on 5w30 I would just run that. I know GM used lower friction rings on the LS2 which is why if they weren't broken in a bit aggressively they tended to burn a little oil.

 

[Brons2]

Originally Posted By: SHADO
Originally Posted By: Brons2
You only need enough oil thickness to provide a hydrodynamic film, more than you need won't provide any additional protection, it will just make the engine run slower and hotter.


So would you say a 5w40 would suffice in an ls2 motor?


Yes, I would think so. It's spec'd for 5w30, but 5w40 would probably be fine as the LSx motors seem to like a little thicker 30wt. 10w60 is completely unnecessary though.

 

[SHADO]

Originally Posted By: Brons2
Originally Posted By: SHADO
Originally Posted By: Brons2
You only need enough oil thickness to provide a hydrodynamic film, more than you need won't provide any additional protection, it will just make the engine run slower and hotter.


So would you say a 5w40 would suffice in an ls2 motor?


Yes, I would think so. It's spec'd for 5w30, but 5w40 would probably be fine as the LSx motors seem to like a little thicker 30wt. 10w60 is completely unnecessary though.


Great to hear, one last thing, does anyone know if the elf excellium 5w-40 meets the specs of the ls2 motor?

The SL... lettering didnt seem to match up exactly with what was on the bottle, and what the handbook recommends, i think only the first part matched up...

 

[Torrid]

No it doesn't. GM doesn't license anything above 10w30 with their Corvette specification.

 

[MJC302]

I use Total 0-30 in my CLS550. The vis @ 100C is 12.5 and the HTHS is ~ 3.6-3.7. Handles the heat great. Thought I'd throw in another bone for everyone to chew.

 

[Torrid]

Total Quartz 0w30? I found that online for a reasonable price.

 

[dailydriver]

Which part of the country are you in, and how hot does it get there??

As others have stated, GM specs a 5W-30 for pretty much EVERY LSx
powerplant, and the Vette's Mobil 1 factory fill is a fairly light weight/low viscosity 5W-30 at that.

Which Excellium 5W-40 is this (they seem to make MANY, MANY different variants of a given weight just like Motul, Silkolene, and Elf's parent company, Total)??
(I was trying to look up the cSt @ 100*C, and HTHS specs. )

In any case, I would NOT go to the 50 weight stuff unless you are doing endurance racing on a road course in constant 115*F ambients (and even then the 5W-40 should be more than enough for an LS2).

Most LSxes seem to 'like' oils in the low 11s to high 12s range for cSt @ 100*C, and HTHS numbers in the 3.2 to low 4 ranges.

YES, CATERHAM (and others) will likely (and quite rightfully) come on here and state that the ONLY way to know for sure is to use oil temp and pressure gauges, and monitor the engine under various operating conditions, but the above ranges are generally what stock, unopened, LSx clearances are 'happy' with.

 

[SHADO]

Originally Posted By: Torrid
No it doesn't. GM doesn't license anything above 10w30 with their Corvette specification.


By this do you mean that i cannot use it in my car? And that it will do damage?

 

[SHADO]

Originally Posted By: dailydriver
Which part of the country are you in, and how hot does it get there??

As others have stated, GM specs a 5W-30 for pretty much EVERY LSx
powerplant, and the Vette's Mobil 1 factory fill is a fairly light weight/low viscosity 5W-30 at that.

Which Excellium 5W-40 is this (they seem to make MANY, MANY different variants of a given weight just like Motul, Silkolene, and Elf's parent company, Total)??
(I was trying to look up the cSt @ 100*C, and HTHS specs. )

In any case, I would NOT go to the 50 weight stuff unless you are doing endurance racing on a road course in constant 115*F ambients (and even then the 5W-40 should be more than enough for an LS2).

Most LSxes seem to 'like' oils in the low 11s to high 12s range for cSt @ 100*C, and HTHS numbers in the 3.2 to low 4 ranges.

YES, CATERHAM (and others) will likely (and quite rightfully) come on here and state that the ONLY way to know for sure is to use oil temp and pressure gauges, and monitor the engine under various operating conditions, but the above ranges are generally what stock, unopened, LSx clearances are 'happy' with.

here is the Elf oil i have purchased:
http://www.elfoil.com.au/products/produc...llium_SM_5W-40#

Its coming up to summer here in Aus, the hottest it really ever gets is around 40 degrees celsius, but an average summers day will be around the 30 degree celsius mark.

At the moment temperatures are peaking at around the 20 degree celsius mark and cools down as the day goes on, so we dont exactly experience super warm climates.

I just want to know if this oil will be safe to use...

I have also been considering taking it back and using some Royal Purple 10W-40, but would like to stick with the ELF as it has been recommended to me by my own tuner, and a couple of others...