Gm 5.3L L84(Newest Gen) with DFM...Which Dexos Approved 0W-20?

[scip5.3L]

Having working in the auto industry, I can tell you the suppliers don't ship bad parts knowingly if they wanna stay being a supplier. When I was still in automotive engineering, I can't tell you how many calls I was on in regards to supplier issues and how to contain them before they made it on to vehicles. If bad part are getting through, it means the quality check procedure isn't robust enough. The other option could be, the required failure mode doesn't have a easy/cheap way to do a quality check in a production setting. But if that's the case, they should still be doing the more intensive quality checks on at least one part every shift.

I agree, whomever "fault" it is GM should stand up and come up with some sort of resolution for the current and future owners.

 

[Fahrvergnügen]

I agree, whomever "fault" it is GM should stand up and come up with some sort of resolution for the current and future owners.

Best advice I can give is buy brand new, go have the LS7 cam and lifters put in and have the computer programs to disable the DOD/AFM. turning off the DOD/AFM will not solve the problem, the problem meaning larger taller lifters with slings need to be removed and replaced with the regular style lifter and cam be replaced with an LS7 cam. You now have a flawless 500,000 mile motor. You can thank your US government CAFE for ruining the 5.3 and 6.2. All this BS 0w20 oil and displacement on demand.

 

[Bullwinkle007]

I run it in L9 which turns off the DFM,...BUT by no means a guarantee the lifters won't collapse....no getting around the flawed design but wondering which 0W-20 Dexos oil would be ideal for this engine.

I certainly wouldn’t run a 0/20. Stick with M1 0/40.

 

[JavierH19]

I'm running 5w-40 in my 2021 escalade's 6.2 which is still under both b2b and pt warranty and i have no worries about it. The dealer will basically never uoa your oil, if they have to pull the heads to do lifters the dealer just checks to see if the oil is at level and that it doesn't look sludged and they'll warranty it. 0w-30/40 will work in Michigan weather no problem.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Dexos 1 Gen 3

 

[PontiacHO]

I'm running 5w-40 in my 2021 escalade's 6.2 which is still under both b2b and pt warranty and i have no worries about it. The dealer will basically never uoa your oil, if they have to pull the heads to do lifters the dealer just checks to see if the oil is at level and that it doesn't look sludged and they'll warranty it. 0w-30/40 will work in Michigan weather no problem.

Interesting. Can you feel the engine switching into the modes dropping cylinders? My concerns with thicker oil in these GM engines are the tiny oil passages and ECM controlled (calibrated oiling system) switch-valve with tiny oil passages and switch-valve calibration for 0W20. Maybe oil starvation during the oil pressure-volume deactivation of the lifters associated is too drastic a thought, but I’ve often wondered… These engines (since 2014) also spray oil on the lower section of the cylinder walls for lubrication and act as additional cooling. Thicker oil may also be a concern here…again just wondering.

 

[Rogueman2016s]

Ask gm what they recommend get it in writing from them mail yourself a copy keep it sealed it’s now a legal document.

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

I think the lifter problem is a quality issue from the suppliers, same with the hemi engines that suffer the same failures.

The point was that when there is a material or machining related issue, no oil is going to “cure” that deficiency. You may sometimes be able to lengthen the time to failure by ensuring everything stays separated by increasing MOFT. But, in this case in engine series with known garbage lifters, it’s a ticking time bomb regardless of the oil used.

Another takeaway from this is thinking that in a spec like d1G3 that there are huge differences between oils is futile. That’s the exact reason FOR the spec’s existence… so that any brand you grab off the shelf with a valid license will perform statistically similarly over a long period of time. The only way you can infer there may be “better” performance is for the oil to also carry more stringent certifications in addition to the one your engine needs.

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

Ask gm what they recommend get it in writing from them mail yourself a copy keep it sealed it’s now a legal document.

GM’s legal document is already contained in every OM they give away with their vehicles. They “recommend” you use d1G3 (currently), d2, or dR depending on which engine of theirs you purchased.

Besides, if you got their answer in writing and kept it sealed, how could you possibly know what they recommended to use in your engine??

 

[Snagglefoot]

It’s right here in the 2020 Sierra owners manual which is on the net in a searchable format. Back in 2020 the recommendation was Dexos 1 Gen 2 which has been superseded by Gen 3. The OP’s question was what is brand recommended. I would choose a brand that has good internet rebates which for me means Pennzoil and sometimes Mobil. As always you will get input from thickies to disregard the manual and run a 40 grade. It’s the Bitog way.

 

[Snagglefoot]

I’m not buying it that DFM is the disaster that some people claim. We are approaching 5 years of production, so it is early in the game with the latest iteration of GM’s variable displacement technology. If anyone can prove up some statistics or report on any law suits I’d like to see it. Perhaps some of the brave Bitoggers can chime in on the mileage of their DFM equipped vehicles.

 

[Rogueman2016s]

GM’s legal document is already contained in every OM they give away with their vehicles. They “recommend” you use d1G3 (currently), d2, or dR depending on which engine of theirs you purchased.

Besides, if you got their answer in writing and kept it sealed, how could you possibly know what they recommended to use in your engine??

you already have your answer, refer to your owner’s manual

 

[JavierH19]

Interesting. Can you feel the engine switching into the modes dropping cylinders? My concerns with thicker oil in these GM engines are the tiny oil passages and ECM controlled (calibrated oiling system) switch-valve with tiny oil passages and switch-valve calibration for 0W20. Maybe oil starvation during the oil pressure-volume deactivation of the lifters associated is too drastic a thought, but I’ve often wondered… These engines (since 2014) also spray oil on the lower section of the cylinder walls for lubrication and act as additional cooling. Thicker oil may also be a concern here…again just wondering.

No there are no issues with any of that. People said the same thing about vtec and oil viscosity but it's solenoid controlled, without it it'd activate at startup from the oil being so thick even if it was the best cold pumping 0w-20. At 104f a 20 grade is about 3.5x thicker than a 40 grade at operating temp.

 

[PontiacHO]

To clarify, a 20 grade is thicker when hot than a 40 grade?

 

[350Rocket]

The point was that when there is a material or machining related issue, no oil is going to “cure” that deficiency. You may sometimes be able to lengthen the time to failure by ensuring everything stays separated by increasing MOFT. But, in this case in engine series with known garbage lifters, it’s a ticking time bomb regardless of the oil used.

Another takeaway from this is thinking that in a spec like d1G3 that there are huge differences between oils is futile. That’s the exact reason FOR the spec’s existence… so that any brand you grab off the shelf with a valid license will perform statistically similarly over a long period of time. The only way you can infer there may be “better” performance is for the oil to also carry more stringent certifications in addition to the one your engine needs.

I agree. Neglect could cause some of these to fail, but a number of them with material/machining issues are going to fail no matter what oil is used at what intervals.

 

[kschachn]

To clarify, a 20 grade is thicker when hot than a 40 grade?

Try to stay focused.

 

[PontiacHO]

Try to stay focused.

Try to be a jerk…

 

[kschachn]

Try to be a jerk…

Ehh. I wasn’t the one who posted “To clarify, a 20 grade is thicker when hot than a 40 grade?” That wasn't what was said nor is it anywhere near the point of this thread.

Also despite anything you may have posted in the past I doubt that was a notion you believe.

 

[4WD]

No there are no issues with any of that. People said the same thing about vtec and oil viscosity but it's solenoid controlled, without it it'd activate at startup from the oil being so thick even if it was the best cold pumping 0w-20. At 104f a 20 grade is about 3.5x thicker than a 40 grade at operating temp.

^^ (104°F) ^^
That’s still in the bottle this last summer …

 

[scip5.3L]

The point was that when there is a material or machining related issue, no oil is going to “cure” that deficiency. You may sometimes be able to lengthen the time to failure by ensuring everything stays separated by increasing MOFT. But, in this case in engine series with known garbage lifters, it’s a ticking time bomb regardless of the oil used.

Another takeaway from this is thinking that in a spec like d1G3 that there are huge differences between oils is futile. That’s the exact reason FOR the spec’s existence… so that any brand you grab off the shelf with a valid license will perform statistically similarly over a long period of time. The only way you can infer there may be “better” performance is for the oil to also carry more stringent certifications in addition to the one your engine needs.

This is my general assumption with D1G3,..but figured I would ask if there was an ideal oil brand/series.