Im currently running mobil 1 ep 5w-30 with a mobil 1 filter in my pontiac 3.8. What would be a good oil change interval for this engine it has 93000 miles on it and the mobil 1 ep oil thats in it now has 4500 miles on it and the OLM is reading 60%. Is this a good oil for the GM 3.8?
2006 pontiac grand prix 3.8
- Thread starter vinsonclarkjeep
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what are your driving habits?
Originally Posted By: spasm3
what are your driving habits?
Mainly all highway i have a 100 round trip to work i do some city driving but not much. I would say 90% highway 10% city I dont drive the car hard.
what are your driving habits?
Mainly all highway i have a 100 round trip to work i do some city driving but not much. I would say 90% highway 10% city I dont drive the car hard.
Originally Posted By: vinsonclarkjeep
Originally Posted By: spasm3
what are your driving habits?
Mainly all highway i have a 100mile round trip to work i do some city driving but not much. I would say 90% highway 10% city I dont drive the car hard.
Originally Posted By: spasm3
what are your driving habits?
Mainly all highway i have a 100mile round trip to work i do some city driving but not much. I would say 90% highway 10% city I dont drive the car hard.
If it gets good fuel mileage( meaning its in a good state of tune) i'd go 15k. Highway mileage is the easiest. Just watch out for the intake manifold leak, that can contaminate your oil with coolant.
Originally Posted By: spasm3
If it gets good fuel mileage( meaning its in a good state of tune) i'd go 15k. Highway mileage is the easiest. Just watch out for the intake manifold leak, that can contaminate your oil with coolant.
Is there a way to catch something like this early before it happens
If it gets good fuel mileage( meaning its in a good state of tune) i'd go 15k. Highway mileage is the easiest. Just watch out for the intake manifold leak, that can contaminate your oil with coolant.
Is there a way to catch something like this early before it happens
M1 EP can go the distance up to 15k miles with good oil filter, and M1 oil filter can go that distance, mainly because you have few cold start a day and highway driving of 50 miles each way is easy on oil.
Going with 15k miles OCI is about 6 months for your driving condition, changing oil and filter twice a year is very plan, one in the Fall and another one in Spring.
Going with 15k miles OCI is about 6 months for your driving condition, changing oil and filter twice a year is very plan, one in the Fall and another one in Spring.
Originally Posted By: vinsonclarkjeep
Originally Posted By: spasm3
If it gets good fuel mileage( meaning its in a good state of tune) i'd go 15k. Highway mileage is the easiest. Just watch out for the intake manifold leak, that can contaminate your oil with coolant.
Is there a way to catch something like this early before it happens
Your '06 should be a series III 3.8 and doesn't have manifold gasket leaking issues.
Originally Posted By: spasm3
If it gets good fuel mileage( meaning its in a good state of tune) i'd go 15k. Highway mileage is the easiest. Just watch out for the intake manifold leak, that can contaminate your oil with coolant.
Is there a way to catch something like this early before it happens
Your '06 should be a series III 3.8 and doesn't have manifold gasket leaking issues.
Just in case, at least change the coolant. The problem starts as the DexCool ages.
3800 is easy on oil. Change/flush the coolant. I run PYB in mine for around 7500 mile oci. Mobil 1 EP 15,000 doable.
Originally Posted By: rshaw125
3800 is easy on oil. Change/flush the coolant. I run PYB in mine for around 7500 mile oci. Mobil 1 EP 15,000 doable.
Do not exceed the maximum OCI time interval or distance recommended by the OEM by more than 2000 miles or 2 months whichever comes first.
Better still change at the maximum recommended or as instructed by the OLM.
3800 is easy on oil. Change/flush the coolant. I run PYB in mine for around 7500 mile oci. Mobil 1 EP 15,000 doable.
Do not exceed the maximum OCI time interval or distance recommended by the OEM by more than 2000 miles or 2 months whichever comes first.
Better still change at the maximum recommended or as instructed by the OLM.
Originally Posted By: rshaw125
3800 is easy on oil. Change/flush the coolant. I run PYB in mine for around 7500 mile oci. Mobil 1 EP 15,000 doable.
Does your 3.8 burn any oil? Mine seems to burn about a 1/2 quart every 3000 miles. Colant is good I changed it about a year ago.
3800 is easy on oil. Change/flush the coolant. I run PYB in mine for around 7500 mile oci. Mobil 1 EP 15,000 doable.
Does your 3.8 burn any oil? Mine seems to burn about a 1/2 quart every 3000 miles. Colant is good I changed it about a year ago.
Rest assured your gaskets are fine. GM used plastic gaskets on the '97-'03 3.1, 3.4 and 3.8 engines. Those gaskets did not play nice with Dexcool. Problem was fixed late 2003.
Burning 1/2 quart in 3,000 miles is probably not excessive for 93,000 miles. I have an '07 GP with 80,000 and burn a 1/2 quart between oil changes. Maybe try a quart of HM oil your next change.
Burning 1/2 quart in 3,000 miles is probably not excessive for 93,000 miles. I have an '07 GP with 80,000 and burn a 1/2 quart between oil changes. Maybe try a quart of HM oil your next change.
Originally Posted By: virginoil
Originally Posted By: rshaw125
3800 is easy on oil. Change/flush the coolant. I run PYB in mine for around 7500 mile oci. Mobil 1 EP 15,000 doable.
Do not exceed the maximum OCI time interval or distance recommended by the OEM by more than 2000 miles or 2 months whichever comes first.
Better still change at the maximum recommended or as instructed by the OLM.
Why???
Originally Posted By: rshaw125
3800 is easy on oil. Change/flush the coolant. I run PYB in mine for around 7500 mile oci. Mobil 1 EP 15,000 doable.
Do not exceed the maximum OCI time interval or distance recommended by the OEM by more than 2000 miles or 2 months whichever comes first.
Better still change at the maximum recommended or as instructed by the OLM.
Why???
Originally Posted By: PhillyJoe
Rest assured your gaskets are fine. GM used plastic gaskets on the '97-'03 3.1, 3.4 and 3.8 engines. Those gaskets did not play nice with Dexcool. Problem was fixed late 2003.
Burning 1/2 quart in 3,000 miles is probably not excessive for 93,000 miles. I have an '07 GP with 80,000 and burn a 1/2 quart between oil changes. Maybe try a quart of HM oil your next change.
Excuse my lack of knowledge but what does HM stand for?
Rest assured your gaskets are fine. GM used plastic gaskets on the '97-'03 3.1, 3.4 and 3.8 engines. Those gaskets did not play nice with Dexcool. Problem was fixed late 2003.
Burning 1/2 quart in 3,000 miles is probably not excessive for 93,000 miles. I have an '07 GP with 80,000 and burn a 1/2 quart between oil changes. Maybe try a quart of HM oil your next change.
Excuse my lack of knowledge but what does HM stand for?
Originally Posted By: vinsonclarkjeep
Originally Posted By: PhillyJoe
Rest assured your gaskets are fine. GM used plastic gaskets on the '97-'03 3.1, 3.4 and 3.8 engines. Those gaskets did not play nice with Dexcool. Problem was fixed late 2003.
Burning 1/2 quart in 3,000 miles is probably not excessive for 93,000 miles. I have an '07 GP with 80,000 and burn a 1/2 quart between oil changes. Maybe try a quart of HM oil your next change.
Excuse my lack of knowledge but what does HM stand for?
Stands for High Millage.
Originally Posted By: PhillyJoe
Rest assured your gaskets are fine. GM used plastic gaskets on the '97-'03 3.1, 3.4 and 3.8 engines. Those gaskets did not play nice with Dexcool. Problem was fixed late 2003.
Burning 1/2 quart in 3,000 miles is probably not excessive for 93,000 miles. I have an '07 GP with 80,000 and burn a 1/2 quart between oil changes. Maybe try a quart of HM oil your next change.
Excuse my lack of knowledge but what does HM stand for?
Stands for High Millage.
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Originally Posted By: lexus114
Originally Posted By: vinsonclarkjeep
Originally Posted By: PhillyJoe
Rest assured your gaskets are fine. GM used plastic gaskets on the '97-'03 3.1, 3.4 and 3.8 engines. Those gaskets did not play nice with Dexcool. Problem was fixed late 2003.
Burning 1/2 quart in 3,000 miles is probably not excessive for 93,000 miles. I have an '07 GP with 80,000 and burn a 1/2 quart between oil changes. Maybe try a quart of HM oil your next change.
Excuse my lack of knowledge but what does HM stand for?
So mixing HM Mobil 1 with Mobil 1 ep won't hurt anything?
Stands for High Millage.
Originally Posted By: vinsonclarkjeep
Originally Posted By: PhillyJoe
Rest assured your gaskets are fine. GM used plastic gaskets on the '97-'03 3.1, 3.4 and 3.8 engines. Those gaskets did not play nice with Dexcool. Problem was fixed late 2003.
Burning 1/2 quart in 3,000 miles is probably not excessive for 93,000 miles. I have an '07 GP with 80,000 and burn a 1/2 quart between oil changes. Maybe try a quart of HM oil your next change.
Excuse my lack of knowledge but what does HM stand for?
So mixing HM Mobil 1 with Mobil 1 ep won't hurt anything?
Stands for High Millage.
Mixing Mobil 1 high milage and mobile 1 ep together won't hurt anything?
Originally Posted By: rshaw125
Originally Posted By: virginoil
Originally Posted By: rshaw125
3800 is easy on oil. Change/flush the coolant. I run PYB in mine for around 7500 mile oci. Mobil 1 EP 15,000 doable.
Do not exceed the maximum OCI time interval or distance recommended by the OEM by more than 2000 miles or 2 months whichever comes first.
Better still change at the maximum recommended or as instructed by the OLM.
Why???
Unless your vehicle is designed for extended drain then do it.
If its not then you sump capacity is not designed for it. In all instances where I have seen extended drains by OEMs it has always is based on an increase in sump capacity.
Unless your engine is an oil burner and you top up frequently, and I strongly advise against extended drains because I base my recommendations on the OEMs requirements and not on the oil manufacturers marketing hype.
John Rowland former Fuchs Chief chemist made a statement to that effect that 2000 miles or 2 months extended with todays oil should not hurt if you do it occasionally. If you go beyond this period then IMO you should do a UOA.
BITOG has various opinions regarding extended drain intervals and procedures I don't wont to debate what I do. I have given you my recommendation and summary from reading and observations based on what I think is important
If want to research whats best for your vehicle in your particular operational use and climate then use the search function as there is plenty of ready and useful information to draw upon.
Originally Posted By: virginoil
Originally Posted By: rshaw125
3800 is easy on oil. Change/flush the coolant. I run PYB in mine for around 7500 mile oci. Mobil 1 EP 15,000 doable.
Do not exceed the maximum OCI time interval or distance recommended by the OEM by more than 2000 miles or 2 months whichever comes first.
Better still change at the maximum recommended or as instructed by the OLM.
Why???
Unless your vehicle is designed for extended drain then do it.
If its not then you sump capacity is not designed for it. In all instances where I have seen extended drains by OEMs it has always is based on an increase in sump capacity.
Unless your engine is an oil burner and you top up frequently, and I strongly advise against extended drains because I base my recommendations on the OEMs requirements and not on the oil manufacturers marketing hype.
John Rowland former Fuchs Chief chemist made a statement to that effect that 2000 miles or 2 months extended with todays oil should not hurt if you do it occasionally. If you go beyond this period then IMO you should do a UOA.
BITOG has various opinions regarding extended drain intervals and procedures I don't wont to debate what I do. I have given you my recommendation and summary from reading and observations based on what I think is important
If want to research whats best for your vehicle in your particular operational use and climate then use the search function as there is plenty of ready and useful information to draw upon.
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