Dexos 1 oil for a Buick

[stp44]

I've been a Ford man for most of my life so I have always just used motorcraft oil and filter. Last night I bought my daughter a Buick Lacroose.
What do you guys recommend as the best dexos oil for a GM product?

 

[bigt61]

Year, engine, odometer reading, intended usage, recommended grade?????

 

[gabriel9766]

I have mobil1 AFE in the sump Right now then i got a case of napa synthetic i got for $3 a quart for the next couple oil changes. Just find a cheap dexos synthetic oil and run it the whole OLM.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Which engine do you have, the 2.4L four or the 300-hp six? What color combo? Show us a pic or two.

My 2.4L Buick Regal has been on a steady diet of the dealer's AC Delco dexos1 5W-30 synth blend. In January, after reading here, I had the oil changed to Quaker State Ultimate Durability, also rated dexos1, in 5W-30. It consumed 2 quarts in 2000 miles. Puzzled, I've gone back to the AC Delco. In 1500 miles the oil level hasn't moved a bit.

That said, I'd expect that any dexos1 oil would do fine in your LaCrosse. The dexos specification is pretty stringent; if an oil passes, it's got to be good.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: Benzadmiral
That said, I'd expect that any dexos1 oil would do fine in your LaCrosse. The dexos specification is pretty stringent; if an oil passes, it's got to be good.


This.

Any oil with the certificate is good, just get the correct weight for your car...

 

[Solarent]

FYI the dexos1 program is in the middle of an upgrade - so you can pay attention to the posted dexos list on centerforqa.com especially after Dec 31 2016 because anyone who doesn't have the new spec oil at that point will have their dexos1 license cancelled.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Liking the Magnetec SS for "normal" OCi.

 

[oldhp]

"The dexos specification is pretty stringent; if an oil passes, it's got to be good."
Having looked at the "list"....to me its all about the money. There are oils listed I've never heard of.

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted By: oldhp
"The dexos specification is pretty stringent; if an oil passes, it's got to be good."
Having looked at the "list"....to me its all about the money. There are oils listed I've never heard of.


What do you mean by that? There are a lot of oils I've probably never heard of before. How is that related to the certification it may or may not hold?

And what certification doesn't cost money?

 

[Bgallagher]

I have been hearing really good things about Castrol Magnetic. 5w-30 is a syn-blend and there have been a lot of positive UOAs. I would stick with the delco filters. if you can find the "classic" versus the ecores that is preferable. The filter # is lacking an "e" at the end of it. Rockauto has them for a good price.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Use the cheapest dexos on sale for the full interval suggested by your OLM

Pennzoil Gold synthetic blend is fine, and most likely the cheapest dexos. Walmart brand synthetic is good. A few times a year, Napa puts their house brand synthetic on sale for $3-4/qt, and it's rebranded Synpower.

 

[oldhp]

Big Red Oil Products Full Synthetic, Blue Mountain Professional, Go Green Full Synthetic Motor Oil, Mighty Engine Guard Full Synthetic, these are "Dexos " approved. Never heard of these oils, and for a while Valvoline wasn't. Really??? Val is now, but to me it was only about the licensing money. That's all I meant.

 

[ST2008]

Sorry for hijacking the thread. Can someone tell what is the deal about Dexos? I went to several GM's websites but didn't find anything specific or concrete about Dexos. All I found is Dexos is blah blah blah and blah blah...

 

[oldhp]

From what I remember it's a global oil spec for all GM cars no matter where they are sold. Dexos1=gasoline engines. Dexos2=diesel engines.
OR this,
"In 2011 the American Petroleum Institute (API) Service Category SN and International Lubricants Standardization and Approval Committee (ILSAC) GF-5 were introduced as the latest Resource Conserving service categories. API and ILSAC have set the standards for oil for 60 years. API is recognized as an American standard and ILSAC is an internationally recognized specification. In 2011, GM introduced their own, stand-alone specification “dexos” to meet the stringent requirements for their engines. The difference in a GF-5 approved oil and dexos approved oil is testing. GM dexos approved oils require proprietary tests that are not included in current industry standards. GF-5 is tested to meet API specifications. GF-5 oils are available in conventional, synthetic blend, and full synthetic versions where as dexos has to have some level of synthetic in order to meet GM’s stringent requirements."

OR this,
"Starting in 2011 GM instituted its own Dexos performance ratings, requiring customers use Dexos-licensed oil or risk voiding their engine warranty. GM then demanded oil manufacturers pay a licensing fee and a per-gallon royalty for the privilege of advertising oil as Dexos compliant."

 

[ST2008]

This what I said. GM never releases anything specific about Dexos' tests and the standards the oil companies have to meet. It's more like a Mafia thing to me.

 

[FutureDoc]

Use oil. If under warranty, pay the DEXOS ransom and get "licensed" oil. If not, even most conventional will work fine. My out-of-warranty GMs fleet get the "cheapest" Formula Shell or multi-fleet oil and that definitely is not DEXOS.

 

[TiredTrucker]

I always smile when I see something like "GM's stringent requirements". GF-5 beats dexos1 in ethanol emulsification, which seems goofy since GM promotes ethanol and flex fuel like crazy. And we can always lay out the various engines that didn't quite meet "GM's stringent requirements". This is why I worry about dexos1 for my GM vehicles about as much as I worry about a 2 mile wide rock crashing into the earth. I don't even bother with the arguments about payoffs, ripoffs, whatever over certification. I could care less. My 2006 Caddy 3.6 and my 2015 2500 6.0, neither one get a certified, approved, or whatever dexos1 oil. I don't lose one minute of sleep over it.

 

[Ramblejam]

Originally Posted By: ST2008
GM never releases anything specific about Dexos' tests and the standards the oil companies have to meet.

They release everything about it, and it consists of the following:

GM Stochastic Pre-Ignition Test
GM Aeration Test
GM Turbocharger Deposit Test
GM Oxidation and Deposit Test
Sequence VID Test
New European Drive Cycle Fuel Economy Test
GM Valve Train Wear Test
Peugeot Valve Train Scuffing/Wear Test
GM Oil Release Test
Peugeot High Temp Deposits, Ring Sticking, Oil Thickening Test
Sequence VG Low Temperature Sludge Test
M271 Sludge Test
Sequence VIII Bearing Corrosion Test

 

[nascarnation]

Originally Posted By: ST2008
This what I said. GM never releases anything specific about Dexos' tests and the standards the oil companies have to meet. It's more like a Mafia thing to me.


You might surf this website.
It's got everything including a 132 page manual for building the engine for the Oxidation and Deposit Test.
If you want more info than that, you probably need to get a job at Lubrizol.

 

[ST2008]

Originally Posted By: Ramblejam
Originally Posted By: ST2008
GM never releases anything specific about Dexos' tests and the standards the oil companies have to meet.

They release everything about it, and it consists of the following:

GM Stochastic Pre-Ignition Test
GM Aeration Test
GM Turbocharger Deposit Test
GM Oxidation and Deposit Test
Sequence VID Test
New European Drive Cycle Fuel Economy Test
GM Valve Train Wear Test
Peugeot Valve Train Scuffing/Wear Test
GM Oil Release Test
Peugeot High Temp Deposits, Ring Sticking, Oil Thickening Test
Sequence VG Low Temperature Sludge Test
M271 Sludge Test
Sequence VIII Bearing Corrosion Test


Wow thanks. Can you provide me a link about all those tests pls ?

I went to Dexos GM website and all I got is this
http://www.gmdexos.com/