2012 Buick LaCrosse 3.6 LFX 10k mi Amsoil SS 0w-40

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I feel like topping off the oil to full is increasing my consumption rate it does not like to be that high. Dipstick may be inaccurate. Lots of idling with this oil... 15-20 min a day to get the seats toasty and windows defrosted

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Looks nice! Wouldn't be the first engine to burn oil down to a certain point then stabilize....have you tried letting it go down a bit to see if the consumption stops?
 
Why are you using 0W-40 when that engine calls for 5W-30? I have a 2012 Acadia, same engine, those all call for 5W-30. Just curious why you use 0W-40?
 
Originally Posted by JLTD
Looks nice! Wouldn't be the first engine to burn oil down to a certain point then stabilize....have you tried letting it go down a bit to see if the consumption stops?


On my Caddy 3.6 I find the first half quart (of 6 total) disappears in less than 500 miles but the second half quart takes another 1000 miles or more. I believe this is mostly a pcv type issue.
 
Originally Posted by WyrTwister
Any similarities between the 3.8l and the 3.6l engines ?

We love our 2006 Lacrosse 3.8l .


About as different as two engines with the same number of cylinders can be.

3.8 cast iron pushrod 2 valve per cyl
3.6 aluminum DOHC 4 valve per cyl.
 
Originally Posted by Click
Why are you using 0W-40 when that engine calls for 5W-30? I have a 2012 Acadia, same engine, those all call for 5W-30. Just curious why you use 0W-40?



On my Caddy 3.6 Castrol 0w-40 seems to have notably less consumption than 5W-30s.
And I have a grudge against BP over price fixing on home propane so it takes a lot for me to recommend their product.
 
Originally Posted by Click
Why are you using 0W-40 when that engine calls for 5W-30? I have a 2012 Acadia, same engine, those all call for 5W-30. Just curious why you use 0W-40?

Is using 0W-40 a bad thing?
 
Originally Posted by CT8
Originally Posted by Click
Why are you using 0W-40 when that engine calls for 5W-30? I have a 2012 Acadia, same engine, those all call for 5W-30. Just curious why you use 0W-40?

Is using 0W-40 a bad thing?


Nope!


Originally Posted by nascarnation
Originally Posted by Click
Why are you using 0W-40 when that engine calls for 5W-30? I have a 2012 Acadia, same engine, those all call for 5W-30. Just curious why you use 0W-40?



On my Caddy 3.6 Castrol 0w-40 seems to have notably less consumption than 5W-30s.
And I have a grudge against BP over price fixing on home propane so it takes a lot for me to recommend their product.


BP grudge is part of my oil and gas plan also.
 
Originally Posted by Click
Why are you using 0W-40 when that engine calls for 5W-30? I have a 2012 Acadia, same engine, those all call for 5W-30. Just curious why you use 0W-40?


An experiment mostly. This was my first time doing so. The previous two UOA's in this report were Valvoline Maxlife syn 5w-30. By the end of the run the cst was that of a 20 grade. I'm not afraid to idle the car in the winter and summer. Warm it up in the winter and cool it down in the summer. It is meant to serve me. It gets driven plenty of long trips and I have a very heavy foot. I figured with all the idling I do hopefully the oil would never at any point become lower that a 30 grade. Looks like that was the case with the finishing cst. Was also hoping perhaps consumption would slow down but that didn't seem to have an effect. I'll try as mentioned above and not try to keep it "full full"
 
Originally Posted by nascarnation
Originally Posted by WyrTwister
Any similarities between the 3.8l and the 3.6l engines ?

We love our 2006 Lacrosse 3.8l .


About as different as two engines with the same number of cylinders can be.

3.8 cast iron pushrod 2 valve per cyl
3.6 aluminum DOHC 4 valve per cyl.



Thanks , :)
 
Originally Posted by WyrTwister
Originally Posted by nascarnation
Originally Posted by WyrTwister
Any similarities between the 3.8l and the 3.6l engines ?

We love our 2006 Lacrosse 3.8l .


About as different as two engines with the same number of cylinders can be.

3.8 cast iron pushrod 2 valve per cyl
3.6 aluminum DOHC 4 valve per cyl.



Thanks , :)


Oh and I forgot the 3.8 is a 90 degree V angle
the 3.6 is a 60 degree V angle.
 
Originally Posted by Danimal1q2w3
I feel like topping off the oil to full is increasing my consumption rate it does not like to be that high. Dipstick may be inaccurate. Lots of idling with this oil... 15-20 min a day to get the seats toasty and windows defrosted

Consumption seems to have been significantly higher than with previous products, so I'd keep an eye on that.

personal anecdote: I ran various oils in our 2002 Expedition and I wanted to run AMSOIL AZO 0w-30, but the truck drank the product at a rate quite similar to what you are seeing, regardless of the level on the dipstick. This didn't happen with any other lube I used in it. I could run an entire OCI on M1 AFE 0w-30 (which is what I eventually settled on) with zero consumption. 0w-40's like Petro-Canada's Duron-E and Mobil 1 0w-40 also didn't consume, nor did the Petro-Canada 0w-30, for whatever reason there was an issue with the AMSOIL product in that application.

For you, I'd give it another OCI and if consumption doesn't taper off, try another brand, if it goes away, great! If it doesn't, you know it's probably the engine.
 
Not a bad choice to run 0w40 in a 3.6. Surprised they suggested extending the interval considering how common timing chain replacements are on the 3.6
 
Originally Posted by Gasbuggy
Not a bad choice to run 0w40 in a 3.6. Surprised they suggested extending the interval considering how common timing chain replacements are on the 3.6


The timing chain was an issue in the LLT and not the LFX
 
Originally Posted by WyrTwister
Any similarities between the 3.8l and the 3.6l engines ?

We love our 2006 Lacrosse 3.8l .


Why yes, they both spec 87 octane.
 
Originally Posted by buddylpal
Originally Posted by WyrTwister
Any similarities between the 3.8l and the 3.6l engines ?

We love our 2006 Lacrosse 3.8l .


Why yes, they both spec 87 octane.


The LFX specs 87 if 91 isn't available. I use 93 in mine because 91 isn't usually available. I try to use e85 whenever I can but isn't available locally
 
Originally Posted by Danimal1q2w3
Originally Posted by Gasbuggy
Not a bad choice to run 0w40 in a 3.6. Surprised they suggested extending the interval considering how common timing chain replacements are on the 3.6


The timing chain was an issue in the LLT and not the LFX



Tell that to the 2012/2013 impala owners...
 
I have been running SS 0w40 in my Nissan Quest 3.5 for about the past 50k miles. The Nissan 3.5 is known to shear oil rather quickly, with many uoa's showing 5w30 shearing to a 5w20 .
I havent paid for any uoa's, but it has over 100k miles now, consumes no oil in a 7500 mile oci, runs smooth snd quiet, and is spotless under the valve cover.
 
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