2005 Buick LaCrosse CXL, 3800 Series III, Pennzoil Platinum High Mileage 10w30, 4118 miles

[KansasBuickFan]

Vehicle: 2005 Buick LaCrosse CXL
Engine: Buick 3800 Series III V6
Miles on Engine: 165,090
Miles on Oil: 4118
Oil Type: Pennzoil Platinum High Mileage 10w30.

Ran 10w30 for the summer months. Viscosity was a little higher than the 5w30s that I have been using,
although as Blackstone notes, it was a little below 10w30 spec.

Otherwise an unremarkable report, good news for an 18-year-old engine!

Current fill for the winter is Quaker State High Mileage Full Synthetic 5w30.

 

[fantastic]

Yes, it looks like the visc thinned out a bit but you choosing to use a 10w-30 helped that to start with. These 3800's probably spec'd a 5w-30 unless they changed that over the years. As for the wear it appears that this engine sheds a little bit of copper but I've seen that on other GM engines too so it's just their nature & nothing out of the ordinary. Nice work!

 

[KansasBuickFan]

Yes, it looks like the visc thinned out a bit but you choosing to use a 10w-30 helped that to start with. These 3800's probably spec'd a 5w-30 unless they changed that over the years. As for the wear it appears that this engine sheds a little bit of copper but I've seen that on other GM engines too so it's just their nature & nothing out of the ordinary. Nice work!

Yeah the spec is 5w30, but I ran a 10w30 during the summer because why not?

 

[KansasBuickFan]

Previous fills are, in chronological order

STP Full Synthetic 5w30
Pennzoil Platinum 5w30
Frankenblend of various 5w30s, all Pennzoil or Quaker State.

 

[fantastic]

Yeah the spec is 5w30, but I ran a 10w30 during the summer because why not?

I've done the same thing.

 

[Oro_O]

Previous fills are, in chronological order

STP Full Synthetic 5w30
Pennzoil Platinum 5w30
Frankenblend of various 5w30s, all Pennzoil or Quaker State.

So all those fills sheared out of grade in that relatively short/safe OCI? Is that characteristic of that engine, or those oils?

 

[himemsys]

As for the wear it appears that this engine sheds a little bit of copper but I've seen that on other GM engines too so it's just their nature & nothing out of the ordinary.

The copper was way below universal averages, so I wouldn't consider it an issue. The only metal that was near UA was aluminum. Not knowing what the average miles for UA are, it's hard to say much.

 

[Oliveoil2]

Given these UOA’s I’d change it once a year, spring or fall. Looks like 8-10k per year. These engines are easy on oil. Just keep it topped off.

 

[fantastic]

The copper was way below universal averages, so I wouldn't consider it an issue. The only metal that was near UA was aluminum. Not knowing what the average miles for UA are, it's hard to say much.

Yeah, good results for the oil.

 

[Brons2]

Excellent report. The engine will probably run until the car falls apart around it.

 

[71Chevyguy]

These engines don't care about oil as long as it is in there. Keep it topped up to the full level and it will go till there is no car left. Although I have noticed that they prefer clean oil over quality oil. You are much better off running cheap oil changed more often than top tier oil for very long runs.

I'm guessing it is just such an old school engine that it just seems happier with clean oil. But they are like the old small block chevy, as long as there is any oil in it, they are happy hahaha. I have 3 of them, one supercharged and they just keep going and going and going.