hey brother, you are right, i am a cheap ***.
i will just drive the car for a week after the car sitting for 5 years.
$25 and $75 oil change really a difference, i only want to spend on something that's worth.

 

thanks everyone's professional comments.

 

I have had 2 F bodies with LS1 engines. Can someone tell me why Mobil 1 is not the recommended oil?? Or any other synthetic?

 

yes you can use regular oil if you want but syn. is a much better oil I would say longer engine life. Less friction is always better for moving parts. When it comes to brands there isn't much difference since they all have to meet a standard. I was all caught up in the big brand names myself for a while and would use nothing but royal purple in both my cars but have since changed to Valvoline Synpower. The valvoline seems to stay just as clean just as long as the RP did and it's alot easier to find here in my town also. Besides I don't think I have ever heard of an engine failure due to using one brand of oil vs another. Lack of yes but brand no. That's how I think of it.

 

yeeeesh.....thread got kinda heated there for a moment.

 

Yeah, I sure do....My first car was a '65 Corsa convertible.




That's what happens when the amateurs tangle with those who know what they're talking about....

 

Can someone answer my question please just want to know. I use PP 5w30w.

 

i'm not sure where the $75 oil change comes from.

I changed my oil the other month with mobil 1 5w30 and a mobil 1 filter and spend $30-$35.

 

Marketing.

I have a 99 Camaro and the manual states for the LS1 to use 5 w 30 that has the Starburst symbol on the container.

 

Specification GM4718M lists approved motor oils as follows:
High Performance Engine Oil Specifications
GM4718M Registered Products
Revision Date: 1-June-2009
Product Name SAE Viscosity Grades
76 Super Synthetic Motor Oil 5W-30, 10W-30
AC Delco Full Synthetic 5W-30
Castrol Edge 5W-30, 10W-30
Castrol SLX Professional 4718 5W-30
Chevron Supreme Synthetic 5W-30, 10W-30
Coastal High Performance Full Synthetic 5W-30
Kendall GT-1 Ultimate Synthetic Motor Oil 5W-30, 10W-30
Mobil 1
0W-20, 0W-30, 5W-30,
10W-30
Northland, Synergy Synthetic 5W-30
Pennzoil Platinum Full Synthetic 5W-30, 10W-30
Pinnacle National Synthetic 5W-30
Q HorsePower 5W-30, 10W-30
Service Pro Full Synthetic 5W-30
Texaco Havoline Synthetic 5W-30, 10W-30
Valvoline SynPower 5W-30, 10W-30
Warren Full Synthetic 5W-30, 10W-30

The GM specification is based on ASTM D5533, referenced in Gasoline Engine Lubricant Evaluations Sequence IIIE. Sequence IIIG is also applicable as most synthetic oils comply with API SM and ILSAC GF-4 at a minimum.

Sequence IIIE:
Specifications
API categories SG/SJ/ILSAC GF-1 & GF-2,
MIL-L-46152E, MIL-L-2104F, MIL-L-21260D,
MIL-L-47167B, ACEA, A1-96, A2-96. A3-96.
(Some now obsolete.)
Objective
The objective of this procedure is to evaluate a
lubricant's performance in combating hightemperature
oxidation and in preventing cam lobeflat
tappet lifter wear.
Field service simulated
High-speed turnpike service under relatively high
ambient conditions is simulated.
Procedure fixture
A 1986, 231 C.I.D. Buick V-6 gasoline engine,
equipped with an external oil sump cooler and
coolant jacketed rocker covers is used.
Procedure parameters
Using leaded gasoline, the engine runs a 4-hour
break-in schedule, then operates at 67.8 bhp, 3000
rpm, and 300°F (149°C) oil temperature for 64 hours
interrupted at 8 hour intervals for oil level checks.
Procedure parts evaluated
Inspect rocker covers and internal baffles for sludge;
rate piston deposits and varnish; measure cam lobe
and lifter for wear.
Used lubricant analysis
Compare kinematic viscosity increase to a new oil
baseline (% increase).
Pass/fail criteria for SG
PARAMETER PASS LIMIT
Hours to 375% viscosity increase 64 minimum
Average sludge rating, minimum 9.2
Piston skirt varnish, minimum 8.9
Oil ring land deposits, minimum 3.5
Cam & lifter wear, maximum
• Average, μm 30
• Maximum per position, μm 64
Stuck compression rings with ring land
less than 3.5 NONE

Sequence IIIG:
Specifications
API Category SM, ILSAC category GF-4.
Objective
The objective of this procedure is to measure oil
thickening and piston deposits under hightemperature
conditions and to provide information
about valve train wear.
Field service simulated
This procedure simulated high-speed service under
relatively high ambient conditions.
Procedure fixture
A 1996/1997 231 C.I.D. (3800 CC) Series II General
Motors V-6 fuel-injected gasoline engine is used.
Procedure parameters
Using unleaded gasoline, the engine runs a
10-minute initial oil leveling procedure followed by
a 15-minute slow ramp up to speed and load
conditions. It then operates at 125 bhp, 3600 rpm,
and 150°C oil temperature for 100 hours, interrupted
at 20-hour intervals for oil level checks.
Procedure parts evaluated
At the end of the procedure, all six pistons are
inspected for deposits and varnish. Cam lobes and
lifters are measured for wear.
Used lubricant analysis
Compare kinematic viscosity increase at 40°C to a
new oil baseline (% increase) every 20 hours. Wear
metals (Cu, Pb, Fe) are also evaluated at this
interval.
Pass/fail criteria
Parameter Pass Limit
Viscosity increase 150%
Weighted piston deposits 3.5 minimum
Average cam-plus-lifter wear 60 μm maximum
Hot stuck rings None
Oil consumption 4.65 L, max
{sources: GM Corporate website: List of Approved Oils, Southwest Research Institute - Abstracts of Procedures Performed by the Fuels and Lubricants Research Division}

IMO, use an oil from GM's list of approved oil. Price should not be an issue for a quality synthetic motor oil that meets/exceeds GM4718M.

Think of it this way: Multi-billion dollar power generation companies will spend thousands and thousands of dollars on lube oil that meets the specifications for their various steam and gas turbines (which start at the "bargain price of millions of dollars). We, as Corvette owners, are on a smaller but similar scale: we invest tens of thousands of dollars in an awesome, high performance sports car. So why cut corners on oil?

Anyway...I looked up as much information as I could on GM4718M & ASTM D 5533. I hope this will be informative and useful to at least one other person besides myself.

Happy Vette-ing everyone!

 

sunchaser,
Great bit of info.
Thanks for posting it.

ET may be able to answer for sure, but if the owners manual nor the oil cap say anything about only using synthetic or the GM spec listed in this thread, maybe the reason has to do with heat or the performance of the engine. Or maybe they didn't care how long the engine lasted in the F bodies.
ET stated above they designed the engine to last 200,000 miles for the Vette.(I assume he was talking about the Vette and not all LS1's).

My brother in-law is an engineer for CAT. His specialty is combustion chamber design and cooling design. I shot him an email for some quick thoughts.

It does sound strange why require synthetic oil to a certain spec in one vehicle and not another if they have the same engine.
Being new into the LS1's, it's hard to guess other than maybe due to vehicle engine compartment design the Camaro dissipates heat better than the Vette.

 

I pulled this from API's site:
The API Certification Mark
The API Certification Mark "Starburst" is designed to identify engine oils recommended for a specific application (such as gasoline service). An oil may be licensed to display the Starburst only if the oil satisfies the most current requirements of the International Lubricant Standardization and Approval Committee (ILSAC) minimum performance standard for this application (currently GF-4 for passenger cars). Many automobile manufacturers recommend oils that carry the API Certification Mark.
It looks like all the starburst means is the supplier is committed to a certain level of quality so the consumer can have a level of trust.

 

As far as I know its the same engine. If the vette needs syn then why not the Camaro and Firebird Trans Am? Its just something I always wondered about.

 

That is a good question. I have no plans to switch myself. It doesn't cost that much more.

 

the cheapest price i've seen mobile 1 is $5 a quart. just the oil alone would be at least $35 around here.

 

I thought it had to do with the temperature that the engine runs at. I think that the F bodies have more air flow over and around the engine compartment and don't run as hot, especially when driving hard. Come to think about it, even the metal hood and fenders of an F body would transfer more heat than the C5's plastic body.

Synthetic oil was called out for the C5 so that GM would not have to install an oil cooler.

 

I didn't realize that YOU built the LS1

I'm not sure how my current profession is relevant to my knowledge in automotive technology. But if it makes you feel better, I do have a degree and years of experience in the subject. I have built many high performance engines and the LS is a beautiful engine, sadly though, the specs and tolerances are only catching up to what the Japs have had for years. And its sad that you feel these engines are designed for only 200k miles, I surely hope they would run for several times that milage. I guess someone should tell that poor lil truck at GMs proving ground with 400k that it should roll over and die.

If you wish to discuss matters such as sheer stability of motor oils, I can promise you that those lil 4 cyl "crotch rockets" have much greater demands than our LS motors and conventional oil is more than adequate in those (point being made is that motorcycle trans are lubricated by the motor oil and is subjected to extreme sheer conditions).

Truth is, "dino" oils provide more than enough protection for any engine. With that said, I do personally use Mobil 1 oils. I also acknowledge that additive packages are different between oils. Also, in test environments, synthetic oil do not breakdown and conventional oils begin to breakdown at approx 1200-1500 miles (keyword "begin").

For anyone that feels that it is time to change oil just because it "starts" to get darker is wasting money and time. Oils of yester-year were different, they could not "trap" and suspend dirt within the oil and thus sludge would build in the pan, etc. Now, oil has the ability to keep dirt suspended while not affecting its characteristics. Oil will get darker and darker as it becomes "saturated" with dirt. Oil doesn't need to be changed until it becomes saturated.

In regards to commuters, longer milage intervals are okay 5-10k miles. Engines have enough time at normal temps to burn off condensation, and will see less blow-by than other driving types.

Weekend cruisers should look to time intervals versus milage. short run times, low temps, etc are concerns

Hardcore drivers, be they every day drivers or weekend racers, should change more often as well. blow-by, sheering, etc are concerns

 

Holly Crap....3 pages about changing oil??

Pick a brand and go change it already!!

ns3

 

http://www.corvettemuseum.com/specs/2001/specs.htm

Here is a link that indicates what I thought I saw in my manual. 15,000 or 1 year interval.

 

Nicely put



Sorry, lol, my last post/reply on this fun topic