Advice on picking new oil for LS1 Camaro.

[Chris B.]

I posed in the UOA section too but thought I may find more help here too. I think I need a new oil type for mt LS1 Z28. Copper seems to not like Rotella Syn 5w40 and it is still burining even with the thick oil. All other wear is decent though. So any ideas on what this engine might like? Many thanks!!!!!:

2002 LS1 Camaro Z28 with 54,000 total miles.
Rotella T Syn 5w40 3,000 miles on oil.
Car is driven every day and is not driven hard at all for the most part.
1st collum is this sample and the 1st 3 collums are all Rotella T Syn and all the rest are German Castrol 0w30 except for 2nd to last which was Halvoline Dino 5w30.
Aluminum 2/2/3 /6/3/3/3/2/2/3/2/3

Chromium 1/1/1 /1/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/1

Iron 10/11/16 /32/26/19/20/10/12/31/9/16

Copper 83/44/61 /22/32/25/42/44/56/63/52/118

Lead 3/4/5 /10/9/7/10/5/5/6/4/8

Tin 0/0/2 /1/2/0/2/1/3/6/3/3

Molybdenum 3/4/6 /6/7/5/11/10/60/74/65/68

Nickel 1/1/1 /1/1/1/1/0/1/1/0/1

Manganese 1/0/1 /2/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/0

Potassium 3/2/0 /2/0/1/3/3/3/2/2/0

Boron 1/2/4 /2/0/3/10/17/140/152/119/157

Silicon 10/11 /10/9/8/10/10/12/23/37/14

Sodium 3/2/2 /2/3/2/3/3/6/6/2/9

Zinc 1602/1335/1576

SUS Viscosity 71.6

cSt Viscosity 13.37

Flashpoint 405

No Fuel, Water or antifreeze.

Blackstone comments:
We don't know if "Fuel Power" has any copper in it as an additive but we doubt it. Copper, from brass bronze parts increased again and reads at cautionary levels. Copper is likely from a poor wearing bushing or an oil cooler, if this Camaro has one. If it does and the cooler is new , copper can be from oxides coming off it. If the cooler is old, the copper could show a problem with it.

Other then high copper all other wear is about the lowest this engine has seen. I think I need to get off Rotella Syn 5w40 and try something else for coppers sake. What would be a good oil I can get over the counter to try next? I have very low wear in my Tahoe using Castrol GTX 5w30. Should I try that? Or Halvoline 5w30. Also this engine is still burning a bit of oil. Maybe 1/4 to 1/2 qt in 3,000 miles so I wouldlike to use an oil that may not bun as buch. Seems the thicker Rotella is not helping like I thought it would.

 

[PT1]

PP 5w30 if it burns after 2 OCI's try Maxlife 5w30 blend.

 

[OVERKILL]

If you like to use a 5w40, try the M1 TDT 5w40. Always seems to show great UOA results.

 

[glennc]

Did you notice how good the Havoline UOA came out? That was early in the car's life and break-in was still happening, as you can see from the downward trend in most of the metals. Even so, the Havoline results were as good as or better than any since, in most metals, especially Fe.

I'd go back to a good conventional PCMO, like Pennzoil, or maybe try the Maxlife Blend which is a very good oil, if you want low wear numbers.

My humble opinion.

 

[Chris B.]

So if I use a dino oil what would be the best choice for an LS1. GTX does really good in my Tahoe engine. Should I stick with a syn and try Penzoil Platnum?

 

[glennc]

I like GTX. Pennzoil seems to get great results almost all the time. I think all the majors are pretty good.

It would be an interesting experiment and I think there's a good chance you'd get positive results.

 

[fnbrowning]

Chris;

2002 Collector Edition LS1 owner here.

When I get home tonight, I'll look at my last couple of UOAs, but I'll tell you this right now, LS1 engines always show high copper in a UOA.

For my part, I run Redline oil, and stopped chasing UOA numbers.

 

[Patman]

Originally Posted By: Chris B.
So if I use a dino oil what would be the best choice for an LS1. GTX does really good in my Tahoe engine. Should I stick with a syn and try Penzoil Platnum?


Pennzoil Platinum is giving good UOAs in my LS1! Give it a go in yours and see how it does!

 

[Chris B.]

Ok,
I just got back from Wal-Mart and bought 6 qts of Pennzoil Platnum 5w30. Hopefully she like this oil and shows better wear across the board!

You know after trying many different oils and weights the engine never sounded any different. It alway made a diesel type sound no matter what oilwas in the engine.

I'm starting to think that some oils being able to quiet an engine is a myth....oil is oil....none seem to help any at all.

 

[BoostFiend]

I agree with Fnbrowning , seems like all ls1's have high copper in thier uoa.

 

[Patman]

Originally Posted By: BoostFiend
I agree with Fnbrowning , seems like all ls1's have high copper in thier uoa.


Only when the engine is new though, when I got my LS1 Corvette's first UOA, it had 37k on it and copper was down to only 5ppm (in a 5000 mile interval)

 

[donniekak]

Copper = bearings. Any time i see high copper in the anylasis of a performance engine it is usually followed by a spun bearing.

 

[ProStreetCamaro]

Originally Posted By: Chris B.
Ok,
.

I'm starting to think that some oils being able to quiet an engine is a myth....oil is oil....none seem to help any at all.


Negative. My 67K mile LS1 in my 99 SS had piston slap with M1, PP, Maxlife and when I switched to Amsoil SSO with an EaO filter it went completely away.