Oil and OCI recomm for GM 3.8L? Long commute

Status
Not open for further replies.
C

chromatin

Joined
May 27, 2006
Messages
49
Location
Lansing, MI
Hi guys, what kind of oil and OCI do you recommend for this situation? Thanks!

96 pontiac bonneville, 3.8L (non-supercharger), 137k miles on the motor now. Manual calls for 12 months/7500 miles OCI for highway travelers. Funny thing is that the manual doesn't specify which S* category.

Oh, by the way, now I am in Michigan. Some cold weather here in winter.

I commute for ~130 miles round trip each day at ~ 70 mph. So in 3 month I have something like 10k miles. I don't want to change oil too often but don't want to spend too much either. What oil should I use? Maybe finding a good oil with 3 months OCI is a good option? Thanks!

Now the car is auto-rxing becuase of the high mileage on the car. I hope that thing makes the car really happy.
 
Given the improvements in oil since '96, I'd use a good 5W30 or 10W30 dino (I'd pick Havoline or Chevron) for 7500, and get a UOA at then end of the first OCI. . Then I'd use the UOA to decide whether to run it out to '10,000' i.e. three months.
Alternatively, use a good dino HDEO 15W40 (Delvac 1300, Rotella T, Castrol Tection, etc.) and simply go for the 3 months (due to the higher level add-pack).
If you don't mind the extra money, do either the above with a synthetic 0W30 or a synthetic HDEO 5W40.
 
Oh, another funny thing. The manual recommends against 5W30. It says one could use it if the temperature never goes beyong 60F. Otherwise, use 10W30 only. Were 5W30 and 10W30 quite difficult in 96?
 
You've got a great engine there. first step would be to UOA to test for intake manifold leak, to ensure you have no issues that way.

Search the UOA section for member "T-Keith" as I recall, he pretty much knows everything there is to know about this engine.
 
highway miles are the easiest on oil, so pushing the OCI out to 7500 or more is a reasonable choice.
The oil life monitor that GM sticks on their newer cars ends up at calling for oil change at 8500-9000+ on my 98 GM 3.8.(with lots of highway use).
The monitor is set for conventional mineral oil.
Synthetic could go much longer, if you wished.
Your car, your choice.
My 2¢
 
If you are going to keep the car long term:
Do a UOA it's a few dollars well spent.

If the engine is in good shape why not treat it to some "premium"oil.
No doubt there are many oils that meet the "premium" definition.

My choices for this engine would lie among these: Rotella T synthetic 5W40, Pennzoil Platinum 5W30 or 10W30,or the equivalent synthetic in some other brand.
I'm sure there is an Amsoil product that meets your needs.

Of course any name brand dino in the correct weight will serve you fine.

IMHO the synthetics offer a little "cushion" for adverse conditions, and that makes a synthetic worth the extra price for some folks.

Good luck Sir.

Rickey.
 
I've got a Buick with the 3.8L Series II. As of Thursday July 19, 2007, I've begun an experiment running 5 quarts VMLB 10w30 with 1 quart of Synpower 5W-40 along with the oversize AC Delco PF52 filter. The previous OCI was ran with 5 quarts VMLB 10w30 with 1 quart of Havoline Full Synthetic 5W-40 along with the standard size PF47 for a 4 month OCI.

Yes I know the book calls for 4.5 quarts, but I've had no problems running the full 6 quarts even with the smaller PF47 filter. No sign of oil foaming or sluggishness. It even seems as though the engine runs quieter with 6 quarts, but that may be my imagination.
smile.gif
 
I would use a 5w30 synthetic like Pennzoil Platinum and run it for 10K miles. My parents have a 1999 Park Avenue with that engine. There have been many improvements in oils since that car came out, so 5w30 won't hurt a thing. Been running it in the Buick for years and no problems.
 
Currently running Chevron Delo 15W40 in my 95 Bonneville, with no problems at all. Ill probably use up my Chevron Supreme 10W30 this winter, all with Purolator Premium Plus filter.

I have 154000 miles on my car, and a similar commute.

I have also used Havoline, Pennzoil, QS, and STP oils, all with no problems at all. Pick one(or get anything on sale) and drive!!!

One thing I would check out is the Upper Mainfold and lower manifold gaskets. They can leak and damage the engine. I changed mine in mid-May of this year.

Bob
 
I always used Castrol GTX in my 87 Olds Trofeo 3800 year round. Purred like a kitten to a bit over 250K when I sold her to get a 3000GT. Never had any engine issues. No leaks or oil usage at all.
 
Wanting 10K intervals in a 11 year old vehicle warrants getting a UOA done to check for fuel or coolant dilution - before going that distance on any oil. Should you get a green light, then use a Group IV synthetic like Amsoil ASL for 10K intervals. Found at Murrays, some ACE Hardwares and a few Tractor/Garden Centers that sell lawmowers ...ie.... Bouliers on Utica Rd near 16 Mile had it this early summer for 6.99 qt.
 
The Bonneville/Lesabre are probably the easiest cars in the world to change oil. I just roll a large floor jack under the front end where the frame member goes across and raise the front end up on its strut travel; the wheels never leave the ground. The drain plug is in easy reach and so is the filter. There's no excuse to run a long OCI on these cars is the point I'm making.
 
Michigan (where chromatin now lives) gets ice that sometimes stays for a month in the winter. Then the next month sees below freezing for about a month. Then more ice & cold sometimes. See where I'm going with this? That's a good excuse for not changing the oil often.
 
Some of these guys are mentioning 15w40 and 20w50. They may be fine for 8 months of the year. Keep in mind chromatin is in Michigan. It gets brutal cold there in the winter. I would probably go with pp, syntec, or mobil 1. All available at wally world for about $20 for 5 qt jug. Get a uoa done first time around 5 or 6k and see how it's holding up. Probably run it out 7.5 or 8k if all looks good at uoa. Oh, and I would just use manuals recommendation for weight.
 
My brother-in-law uses only 15W40 HDEO on his 1995 Olds 88 with the 3800 Series I with over 170,000 miles on the engine. The engine is smoother than my wifes Lexus.
 
If you want to go 10,000 miles and you live in such cold weather, do the engine a favor and get synthetic. I am not pro-synthetic, as I have a 2000 Buick Park Avenue with a 3800 series II in it, and I use conventinoal Castrol GTX 10w30. The engine stays quiet, and the oil pressure (digital oil pressure gauge) is ALWAYS good. Even at 700RPM (in gear) after running it a little hard, the oil pressure doesn't drop below 30 psi. Maybe down to 27psi. And after normal driving at the same RPM, it's more around 38-40psi. Not that this engine would be all that hard on oil anyways...

But I do think synthetic would be better for your climate and OCI plans.
 
I have a Series II 3800 with 148k on the clock. Mine is the supercharged version with a few modifications. I'm currently running GC and will be sending a UOA off tomorrow. Prior to the M1 group III switch, I've had great success with it.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

N
Back down this road again: 0w-20 Civic 2.0 NA highway commuter car
2
Replies
33
Views
1K
Glenda W.
P
Mazda Skyactiv 2.0 oil consumption
Replies
19
Views
605
Japanese
T
OCI on Ecoboost
Replies
6
Views
868
edyvw
KJ_99
3.8l jeep wrangler engine and oil question
Replies
10
Views
928
KJ_99
9
2024 tacoma oil service question
2
Replies
38
Views
2K
edyvw
Back
Top Bottom