[Dynamical]

Originally Posted by Msquared

What are you talking about? You have always been instructed to use Dexos 2 0w-40 oil. You posted the language in your own manual that says so. It is available, so there's no reason to use a Dexos 2 5w-30, which would be just as expensive anyway. It has never been okay to use a non-Dexos 2 oil in any LT1/4 for street driving. It's amazing the effort will put in to not do what the owner's manual tells them to do!

It's never been ok to use a non-Dexos 2 oil in any LT1/4 for street driving?
Well damn, my 2022 manual must be wrong then because I copy pasted exactly what is in the manual.

"If 0W-40 dexos2 oil is not available, SAE
5W-30 dexos1 full synthetic engine oil may
be used for street use"

Sounds pretty clear to me

As far as price goes, the supercar oil looks close to about double. Not exactly what I expected when I bought the car especially considering 10qt oil changes but it is what it is. Maybe the kids will have to eat leftovers

Are you done scolding me, Karen?

[GearheadSS]

Originally Posted by 2SS Capt

But 0W-40 ESP Formula wasn't around back then, obviously the GM Engineers have decided that is a much better oil than the older oils...

The reason that the new 0W-40 exists is because it's an oil that was developed to be used for street and track use. Before this oil was developed, you were required to change the oil to a 0W-40 or 5W-40 dexos2 oil for track use. There were 2 non Dexos2 oils approved(Valvoline Synpower MST 5W-40 and Mobil 1 ESP Formula M 5W-40.

GM and Mobil developed the new 0W-40 Supercar oil so that owners no longer had to run 2 different oils for street and track(we can thank Corvette for this actually).

Mobil 1 5W-30 Dexos(or any Dexos approved 5W-30 for that matter) is still approved and perfectly fine for a street driven LT1. IMO, 0W-40 is a waste of money if you're not tracking the car.

2019 is the first model year that had 0W-40 as the factory filled oil.

[ember1205]

Originally Posted by Dynamical

It's never been ok to use a non-Dexos 2 oil in any LT1/4 for street driving?
Well damn, my 2022 manual must be wrong then because I copy pasted exactly what is in the manual.

"If 0W-40 dexos2 oil is not available, SAE
5W-30 dexos1 full synthetic engine oil may
be used for street use"

Sounds pretty clear to me

As far as price goes, the supercar oil looks close to about double. Not exactly what I expected when I bought the car especially considering 10qt oil changes but it is what it is. Maybe the kids will have to eat leftovers

Are you done scolding me, Karen?

When the Gen6 first hit the showrooms, it was factory-filled with 5W-30 dexos1 and included instructions to change to 0W-40 dexos2 for track use. Starting with (I believe) model year 2019, GM changed to factory-filling with the 0W-40 dexos2 and offered the use of 5W-30 dexos1 for "street use" as an option.

GM 'owns' the dexos certification and continues to change the program to bring in new certifications as well as age out older ones. The shift in which ones they wish to continue to offer is what ultimately determines what ends up in the owner's manual and in the engine itself.

With the exception of two dealer-performed oil changes, I have run nothing but 5W-30 dexos1 oil in my car and will continue to do so because the 0W-40 dexos2 / dexosR oil does -nothing- for me.

The LT1 engine has not materially changed since its introduction with the 2016 model year, so there is no reason that oil meeting a different (read: newer) certification needs to be used and the 5W-30 dexos1 oil will still be perfectly safe for street use in these engines.

[Dynamical]

Originally Posted by GearheadSS

The reason that the new 0W-40 exists is because it's an oil that was developed to be used for street and track use. Before this oil was developed, you were required to change the oil to a 0W-40 or 5W-40 dexos2 oil for track use. There were 2 non Dexos2 oils approved(Valvoline Synpower MST 5W-40 and Mobil 1 ESP Formula M 5W-40.

GM and Mobil developed the new 0W-40 Supercar oil so that owners no longer had to run 2 different oils for street and track(we can thank Corvette for this actually).

Mobil 1 5W-30 Dexos(or any Dexos approved 5W-30 for that matter) is still approved and perfectly fine for a street driven LT1. IMO, 0W-40 is a waste of money if you're not tracking the car.

2019 is the first model year that had 0W-40 as the factory filled oil.

IDK about you, but when they tell me I can use 5W-30 dexos1 full synthetic for street use, I consider "street use" to be some spirited driving with a few passes down the 1/4 mile once a year.
Track racing is a different story. To each their own though

[L2SS455]

For those that want to use the New stuff. It's was on Amazon, when I checked back 12/4/23 for $53.30 (6 pack of 1 quarts).
Mobil 1 Supercar Advanced Full Synthetic Motor Oil 0W-40.

[FlukeSS]

After having my engine rebuilt and adding cam. In my case: Shop told me to use a thicker oil with the mods I have. 10w40 non synthetic.

Reasons: Shop said they see a lot of lifter issues with synthetic oils, and since my engine was rebuilt with a little more loose tolerances I should use thicker oil. They did say there were some synthetics I could use if I wanted to stick to synthetic.

Trade-offs: I just have to change oil every 3000-4000 miles, and give the car time to warm up for the oil to heat up.

Not to poke a sleeping bear or anything.

[GearheadSS]

Originally Posted by Dynamical

IDK about you, but when they tell me I can use 5W-30 dexos1 full synthetic for street use, I consider "street use" to be some spirited driving with a few passes down the 1/4 mile once a year.
Track racing is a different story. To each their own though

100%. Track use IMO, would be road course racing or autocrossing. For spirited driving, 5W-30 will be just fine.

[Msquared]

Originally Posted by Dynamical

It's never been ok to use a non-Dexos 2 oil in any LT1/4 for street driving?
Well damn, my 2022 manual must be wrong then because I copy pasted exactly what is in the manual.

Yeah, and it gives a very specific qualification:

Originally Posted by GM

If 0W-40 dexos2 oil is not available, SAE
5W-30 dexos1 full synthetic engine oil may
be used for street use

Sounds pretty clear to me [/quote]
You must live in the only place in the US where Dexos 2 0w-40 oil is not available, then. Sucks for you. All the rest of us can order it without any trouble, and usually it's available locally at all the usual parts stores.

As far as price goes, the supercar oil looks close to about double.

That's not what I'm seeing. For example Mobil 1 5w-30 ESP costs exactly the same as their 0w-40 ESP. Maybe non-Dexos 5w-30 is cheaper, but your manual doesn't say you can use in any circumstance. Autozone has the best version of ESP 0w-40 (x3) on a constant deal fr $38 for 5 qts plus a filter. You can ditch the filter if you want, but that's $76 for the full 10qt oil change. If it's really going to cause your kids to go hungry to spend that much on an oil change, then you may have bought the wrong car.

[GearheadSS]

Originally Posted by Msquared

Sounds pretty clear to me

It's crystal clear. You can use 5W-30 for street use with no issue.

[haggler]

If you want to go down the oil rabbit hole then there is another website which I've spent many hours on. I can save you the time.
The Dexos2/Supercar oil 0w40 is overall better protecting oil than "standard" Dexos1 5w30 because most oils on the shelf are optimzed for fuel economy per US CAFE standards. The exception is "euro" oils because euro OEMs don't follow these same standards.
Dexos2/Supercar is only a license benchmark. They benchmark the oil and if it meets xyz standards, they pay GM and get a "dexos" license. There are many oils which exceed this benchmark but don't have the label.
If you're scared about warranty, then use the licensed oil. Realistically, if there is oil in your engine and its apparent you regularly changed it, they are never going to deny a warranty claim based on non-dexos oil and legally I don't think they can.

I'm not willing to pay double for "Supercar" so I split the difference and do the Autozone deal for the M1 ESPx3 0w40 oil. This oil is Dexos2 and PORSCHE C4 specification, which is one of the toughest oil standards out there. I recently did a used oil analysis, and I'm very happy considering the price. Another option would be the regular M1 0w40 "euro" but that oil has higher "sulphated ash." If you're catless, this makes no difference. If I was catless, I'd probably use this because its easier to find and cheaper.

[Dynamical]

Originally Posted by ember1205

When the Gen6 first hit the showrooms, it was factory-filled with 5W-30 dexos1 and included instructions to change to 0W-40 dexos2 for track use. Starting with (I believe) model year 2019, GM changed to factory-filling with the 0W-40 dexos2 and offered the use of 5W-30 dexos1 for "street use" as an option.

GM 'owns' the dexos certification and continues to change the program to bring in new certifications as well as age out older ones. The shift in which ones they wish to continue to offer is what ultimately determines what ends up in the owner's manual and in the engine itself.

With the exception of two dealer-performed oil changes, I have run nothing but 5W-30 dexos1 oil in my car and will continue to do so because the 0W-40 dexos2 / dexosR oil does -nothing- for me.

The LT1 engine has not materially changed since its introduction with the 2016 model year, so there is no reason that oil meeting a different (read: newer) certification needs to be used and the 5W-30 dexos1 oil will still be perfectly safe for street use in these engines.

Exactly. My car doesn't get tracked and I'm not one to go jumping off the marketing cliff. Like I said, to each their own. I just wish some others lived by the same freedom of opinion

[WhiteMale]

Standard oil pissing contest, I see.

[Dynamical]

Originally Posted by Msquared

Yeah, and it gives a very specific qualification:



Sounds pretty clear to me

You must live in the only place in the US where Dexos 2 0w-40 oil is not available, then. Sucks for you. All the rest of us can order it without any trouble, and usually it's available locally at all the usual parts stores.


That's not what I'm seeing. For example Mobil 1 5w-30 ESP costs exactly the same as their 0w-40 ESP. Maybe non-Dexos 5w-30 is cheaper, but your manual doesn't say you can use in any circumstance. Autozone has the best version of ESP 0w-40 (x3) on a constant deal fr $38 for 5 qts plus a filter. You can ditch the filter if you want, but that's $76 for the full 10qt oil change. If it's really going to cause your kids to go hungry to spend that much on an oil change, then you may have bought the wrong car.[/QUOTE]

Sucks for me? Nah. Might suck for you worrying about what I do with my car so much.
Funny thing is, I haven't even said which oil I will use yet
Bought my car in July. They changed the oil at 2400miles. I haven't changed it yet and won't until spring. Once I figure out which oil I will use and do the oil change, should I report back just to piss you off more? I should save a few bucks and use the 5w30 on my street car. I bet that would go up your tender rear end sideways wouldn't it. Later Karen

[Msquared]

Originally Posted by haggler

The Dexos2/Supercar oil 0w40 is overall better protecting oil than "standard" Dexos1 5w30 because most oils on the shelf are optimzed for fuel economy per US CAFE standards.

I agree with everything you wrote. I'll add that, compared to 5w30, any 0w40 will protect better by having a lower viscosity at cold startup and a higher viscosity at high temps and high shear. It probably also has a higher flash point.

I'm not willing to pay double for "Supercar" so I split the difference and do the Autozone deal for the M1 ESPx3 0w40 oil. This oil is Dexos2 and PORSCHE C4 specification, which is one of the toughest oil standards out there. I recently did a used oil analysis, and I'm very happy considering the price.

I certainly wouldn't pay double (or even the same) for Supercar, either. It's the same stuff as the previous ESP non-x3, and it's not as good an oil. Compare its specs to the x3 (which is also Dexos 2), and it's obviously a better oil in high-temp/high-shear conditions. The fact that it is available cheap ($7.60/qt if you don't factor in the free filter) is a nice bonus.

Another option would be the regular M1 0w40 "euro" but that oil has higher "sulphated ash." If you're catless, this makes no difference. If I was catless, I'd probably use this because its easier to find and cheaper.

It's not just the cats. It's also the intake valves. Any direct-injection is prone to intake valve buildup due to oil because it doesn't get "washed" by gasoline, and there's no way to completely eliminate oil from the intake charge. The Dexos standard is largely a standard to make oil less likely to create the buildup (I don't know if sulphated ash is the only culprit, but I'm sure it's one). It also happens to entail the highest wear standards of any certification that I know of, so it's not as if someone is sacrificing wear protection to get the intake and cat protections.

Originally Posted by Dynamical

I just wish some others lived by the same freedom of opinion

Nobody's treading on your freedom of opinion. You are free to have any opinion you want, as is everybody else. You're also free to be wrong about the facts. In fact, you've proven that you have these freedoms quite clearly today.