[BigSky]

So I've had my 1LE for about 6 weeks. Got the oil changed getting ready for the winter nap (have all the stuff ready to go after reading multiple threads). However, the weather is going to be sunny and 45-55 degrees in the afternoon for the next week and I want to drive the car . Should I worry about putting 100-200 miles on the car and not changing the oil again before letting the car sit for 3-4 months?

[RollaMo]

You'll be fine

[Rock-It Man]

No. Don't worry.

[CamaroBody]

yes. don't worry









.

[enzia35]

Yes, time for panic!!!

Anyway, just get the car nice and hot to burn off any water in the oil.

[shawndean22]

factory oil is fine for ss 1le. They test these cars in freezing temperatures in product development and research.

[Ryephile]

Originally Posted by BigSky

... Should I worry about putting 100-200 miles on the car ...

Ummm.... It's a Chevrolet, not a Formula 1 car. What's the actual concern?

FYI factory fill on the LT1 is 0W-20, according to my UOA.

[Mr. Wyndham]

Originally Posted by Ryephile

Ummm.... It's a Chevrolet, not a Formula 1 car. What's the actual concern?

FYI factory fill on the LT1 is 0W-20, according to my UOA.

0W-20???

I think the concern is...the idea of an oil change before winter storage is to put fresh oil in the engine that doesn't have the fuel, moisture, particles, etc in it that could increase chances of corrosion if left in there for a long period of time...so if he changes the oil, will a 100-200 miles of driving until the car is actually put away damage anything.

I don't think there will be a problem. Like someone else said, just make sure the oil gets up to temperature to evaporate the moisture.

[Ryephile]

Yes, 0W-20. This can't be a surprise. 0W-20's are within the span of Dexos 1 gen 2, and 0W-20 provides the best FE among the approved weights.

If the OP wants to change the oil before and after storage, it's not going to make a lick of difference. The fact is when the car sits for a really long time the oil ends up in the sump, not coating the parts. The engine doesn't know how new the oil is, it only sees that the pump hasn't turned over in months so nothing has been oiled. The best way to stop that is to actually drive the car. Letting cars sit and rot is the worst thing you can do to protect it.

Also, driving the car on the street will never burn off the accumulated water, as the cars have a coolant/oil heat exchanger and the oil temps don't get hot enough to boil off the water. This is why driving the cars hard on a racetrack is actually good for the oil, to a point, and doing UOA's prove that.

Oil is not a black art, it's science.


*edit* I remember a while back you linked to that 540rat guy. He had good intentions but his unwillingness to share his setup and claiming he invented some kind of secret new test that nobody ever thought of is shady at best. His test appears to be a home-made derivation of existing API tests.

[Mr. Wyndham]

Originally Posted by Ryephile

Yes, 0W-20. This can't be a surprise. 0W-20's are within the span of Dexos 1 gen 2, and 0W-20 provides the best FE among the approved weights.

I don't believe that for a second...manual requires 5W-30, and allows 0W-30 in very cold temps. 0W-20 is WAY thin for the temperatures these engines can reach...maybe it broke down - but it's NOT 0W-20 from the factory...I just don't believe it. Maybe in Camrys and Cruzes, etc with little bitty I4s...but not the V8s.

Originally Posted by Ryephile

If the OP wants to change the oil before and after storage, it's not going to make a lick of difference. The fact is when the car sits for a really long time the oil ends up in the sump, not coating the parts. The engine doesn't know how new the oil is, it only sees that the pump hasn't turned over in months so nothing has been oiled. The best way to stop that is to actually drive the car. Letting cars sit and rot is the worst thing you can do to protect it.

I disagree on principle...but there's a wide range of opinions on what's best for the engine. I subscribe to the believe that going out and starting the car and running until at temp (because some can't drive them during winter) just accumulates crap in the oil, and forces additional oil-less cold starts for no reason.

Let it sit...start it in the spring again. One cold start will do less damage/wear than 20...and the oil will stay uncontaminated. Three or four months isn't enough time for synthetic oil coatings to completely drool away from surfaces, especially not in the cold when viscosity increases dramatically. So nothing will "rot".

Originally Posted by Ryephile

Also, driving the car on the street will never burn off the accumulated water, as the cars have a coolant/oil heat exchanger and the oil temps don't get hot enough to boil off the water.

Get the oil to 220 with some regular acceleration, and it'll boil off.

[ctrlz]

Originally Posted by Mr. Wyndham

0W-20 is WAY thin for the temperatures these engines can reach...maybe it broke down

I am also a doubter, and favor thermal breakdown for the drop in viscosity. How many miles were on this oil when submitted for analysis?

[Ryephile]

Originally Posted by Mr. Wyndham

I don't believe that for a second...manual requires 5W-30, and allows 0W-30 in very cold temps. 0W-20 is WAY thin for the temperatures these engines can reach...maybe it broke down - but it's NOT 0W-20 from the factory...I just don't believe it. Maybe in Camrys and Cruzes, etc with little bitty I4s...but not the V8s.


I disagree on principle....

You don't have to believe me, but if you choose to ignore the facts then you've decided to be willfully ignorant, and I can't help you. The derogatory remarks about "little bitty I4s" I thought was beneath you. The bearing loads of our V8's, even yours, is ignorable compared to a whole raft of engines out there regardless of their cylinder count. I'm really disappointed in you for making such a comment.


You're also free to disagree, it's your car and yours to use or misuse as you see fit.

[Mr. Wyndham]

Originally Posted by Ryephile

You don't have to believe me, but if you choose to ignore the facts then you've decided to be willfully ignorant, and I can't help you. The derogatory remarks about "little bitty I4s" I thought was beneath you. The bearing loads of our V8's, even yours, is ignorable compared to a whole raft of engines out there regardless of their cylinder count. I'm really disappointed in you for making such a comment.

You're also free to disagree, it's your car and yours to use or misuse as you see fit.

Slow down there...the small-displacement four cylinders of the Industry generally seek improved mileage at the expense of performance, and they are engineered as such - including a very light oil in some cases to reduce frictional losses. But the bearing loads are not the only factor here...0W-20 or 15W-50...both will protect at regular engine temperatures. But those smaller engines, unless abused, will never produce oil temperatures at the level that will thin out the 0W-20 to where it doesn't protect anymore. A high-powered V8 WOULD. Heck, a turbo'd four would probably, too. That's what I meant by itty-bitty. And even if it happened only once in 10,000 miles...for that one time, I would want a heavier weight oil in my engine.

Anyways,

Where does it say 0W-20 in that document? Did I misunderstand, I thought you said they told you the factory fill was 0W-20?

Dexos certifications concern the quality of the oil anywhere from degradation (for long service life) to catalyst protection. Dexos is not oil weight specific...which is why there are so many different ones that qualify. But just because both a 0W-20 and a 5W-30 both have a Dexos cert. does NOT mean that they can be interchanged.

[Ryephile]

An 8.35 cST at 100°C is 20 weight. Dexos 1 Gen 2 is either 0W-20 or 5W-30, so that means my factory fill was 0W-20. Viscosity breakdown is essentially irrelevant for current full-syn oils within a rational service span.

Have you found any other LT1 factory fill UOA's to prove me otherwise?