Hi, can someone tell me which would be the best Oil filter for my C6?

I am going to change my oil for the first time myself and would also like to know whether it is OK to use Mobile 1 15W50 oil. I was told to use this heavy weight since I am running a Vortech supercharger. Thanks for any help.

 

I would never run that weight in the Vette, never.

 

I would stick with the OEM filter or comprable aftermarket filter. As for the oil...I see no reason to run anything besides the 5w30 Mobil 1.

I just switched to the 0w30 Mobil 1 in my SC 99 after years of running 10w30 Mobil 1.....it exceeds the old GM spec. So far only difference is a higher oil pressure. Then again my 99 is 10 years old.

 

Whos telling you to use 15w50 a Mustang guy?
Use what GM says.

 

5W30 and an AC filter. So much is made over oil brands, oil filter brands, viscosity weights, and oil change cycles. I just don't get it at any level. The GM recommendations do the job just fine.

 

Mobile 1 filter here and 5w30 with a Maggie set up, no issues.

 

Stick with the OEM recommendation of 5w-30. Now if the blower uses your engines oil for lube and cooling (not self contained), then you may have other requirements to deal with..

 

As for oil filters, I don't know which one is the best, but I use Wix filters. Can be easily found, inexpensive great specs, made in North Carolina.
I have read some good reviews about them also. There is a review site for oil filters which is very helpful.

 

My Vortech supercharger does use engine oil for lube and cooling so should I still stay with 5w30 or go higher?

 

i use WIX/NAPA or Delco. Run 5w30. Thats what the engine was built on using. With power adder, just change more frequently.

 

Mobil is good, but AmsOil is better...both oil and filter.

 

Respectfully, based on what? Conventional oil works very well for oil change cycles of 3000-5000 miles. I have used that interval for years on my vehicles and never had an oil related problem with even conventional oils. Most Vette owners follow the same/similar cycle for their cars and we are using synthetic lubricants, which demonstratively have longer life cycles than conventional oil under typical driving conditions. (I end up changing my oil about every 4000 miles so I can meet the warranty requirements of an oil change at least once a year). So, how much better can one synth oil be over another over a relatively short oil change interval. Not trying to flame anyone here. I have my own buying preferences too and stick to them - and most of my reasoning is subjective preference - as is my preference to stay with Mobil 1 and AC filters (although objectively its based on the GM preferences).

 

GM sells lots of supercharged cars, those come from the factory with
5w30 also. 15w50 is for a racing. Cold start wear would be the killer with oil that thick in a daily driver street car. On race cars they have to survive ungodly oil temps and loads, plus frequent refreshes. So cold starts aren't really a concern for them or long term reliability. They need 500 mile 300 degree survivability.

The owner's manual in the 600 + hp ZR1 will say - 5w30 Mobil 1 and ACDelco filter.

 

I agree. The evidence is in the testing and specs. Tests can be found at AMSoil.com

 

That is great information. Thanks

 

I use mobil 1 15-50 only because I have a forged 427 in my 05 C6. My piston to cylinder wall clearence is .055. If it's a stock block you're fine with 10-30 mobil 1. As for a filter I like the mobil 1 M206 it's an inch longer than the stock filters. As for using 15-50 in a stock motor, really there nothing wrong with it. It's a little more drag on the oil pump maybe a little loss in fuel milage. Don't believe that the LS type motors have tighter clearences and that's why they recommend thinner oil. It's all about gas milage. If any of these people would bother to check out the specs for these LS type motors they would fine they use the same clearences for the mains, rods, and crankshaft end play as the small and big blocks of the 1960's. So there goes your theory on tighter clearences. If you don't believe me give LPE or Katech a call and ask them.

 

First, the relatively new AMSOIL Ea Oil Filter filters are available from AMSOIL on the C6 if you are interested. AMSOIL also carries Wix filters which are fairly well regarded. Applicable part numbers:
05-06:
AMSOIL EAO32
Wix 51042

07-08:
AMSOIL EAO47
Wix 57060

The oil is an interesting topic. I jumped in a similar thread in the C5 FI subsection. Cutting and pasting my thoughts here.

When chosing an oil for your car with a supercharger, I think there are several things to consider including CAFE's impact on GM's oil recommendations, viscosity and anti-wear additives. And keep in mind that while your engine will generate extra heat with your supercharger, your bearing clearances haven't changed. What will really drive oil flow through your bearings is the oil's viscosity which is primarily grade and oil temp dependent and to a lessor extent brand dependent. For example, a 30 grade oil has a viscosity of 9.30 to 12.49 at 212F (a pretty large spread). To determine the actual viscosity at 212F, you need to check the product data sheet... and not all oil companies share this info.

CAFE. First, I feel that CAFE ratings are driving auto maker fluid recommendations. Viscosities of oil and tranny fluid are coming down as each drop helps the companies overall CAFE rating. Look how many manufacturers are recommending 5w20 oils now. Dexron VI has a lower viscosity than Dexron III, again, I feel to improve CAFE. While a 40 grade oil might work better in a stock LSx motor, how much better for a daily driver (which is what GM warranties - not cars with FI or those raced such as mine)? Will a stock motor last 100k miles with a 5w30 when used as a daily driver? If so, then the company can take the 5% or so improvement in fuel mileage a 5w30 brings to the table with little risk.

Viscosity. I feel that a stock LSx works well with an oil that has a viscosity of 10-11 cSt, which is what a 30 grade oil's viscosity is at 212F. But how hot does your oil get when you are running your motor hard? Even with an oil cooler, I see oil temps of 250-270F on the track. 300F is common for those guys without oil coolers at the track. At 300F, a 30 grade oil has lost about 70% of the viscosity it had at 212F and has a viscosity of about 3 cSt. That's roughly equivalent to the viscosity a 5 grade oil would have at 212F. How many of you would be comfortable running an SAE 5 oil in your cars? This is one of the primary reasons I run a 40 grade oil in my car on the track. Don't see oil temps over 212F? Then a 30 grade oil might be a better choice for you.

Anti-wear additives. As mentioned above, the EPA mandates that smog equipment function for 100k miles. One of the primary anti-wear additives, Zinc dialkyl dithio phosphate or ZDDP, damages catalytic converters. To ensure their catalytic converters can last 100k miles, the auto industry requested that the API and ILSAC limit the amount of phosphorus in 30 grade oils to 0.08% or 800 ppm (actually they asked for even lower but a compromise was reached at 800 ppm). The new API SM/ISLAC GF-4 oils thus are limited in their primary anti-wear additive to 800 ppm. Most oils used to run 900-1000 ppm and some such as AMSOIL were in the 1000-1200 ppm range. Note that this only impacts 30 grade oils. But, don't assume that 40 grade oils will have higher ZDDP. This is very brand dependent. There are ways around this issue. High Mileage oils usually are not API SM compliant. Diesel CI-4 oils do not have the same limit (but note that newer CJ-4 diesel oils have a similar ZDDP limit at 1200 ppm - so oils dual labeled as CJ-4/CI-4 are probably not as good a choice as those only labeled CI-4).

Not everyone's choice of oil should be the same. I personally would decide what viscosity to run first and base that decision on oil temp. With my oil temps of 250-270F I run a 10w40 with a high HTHS rating.

To highlight some of the differences viscosity and ZDDP levels make on an oils performance, I'd look to these HTHS ratings and note how they change with brand, viscosity, API rating, and application (high mileage, diesel, etc). The High Temperature/High Shear Test measures a lubricant’s viscosity under severe high temperature and shear conditions that are similar to severe service applications in an engine. The below HTHS ratings were pulled straight of the corporate websites of the various companies.

Amsoil Series 2000 20w50 (API SM) – 5.8
Amsoil Premium Protection 20w50 (API SL) – 5.0
Amsoil Marine Synthetic 10w40 (API SL) – 4.6
Mobil 1 EP 15w50 (API SM) – 4.6
Pennzoil Marine SAE 40 (API SJ) – 4.5
Mobil 1 15w50 (API SM) – 4.5
Amsoil Heavy Duty Diesel 15w40 (CI-4+) – 4.4
Amsoil Premium Protection 10w40 (API SL) – 4.3
Amsoil XL 10w40 (API SM) – 4.3
Pennzoil Truck/SUV 15w40 (CI-4+) – 4.3
Pennzoil Long Life Heavy Duty 15w40 (API SL) – 4.3
Amsoil Premium Diesel 5w40 (CJ-4) – 4.2
Mobil 1 High Mileage 10w40 (API SL) – 4.06
Pennzoil Marine 15w40 (API SL) – 4.0
Amsoil European 5w40 (API SM) – 3.7
Mobil 1 0w40 (API SM) – 3.7
Mobil 1 High Mileage 10w30 (API SL) – 3.66
Amsoil Marine Motor 10w30 (API SL) – 3.64
Amsoil Heavy Duty Diesel 5w30 (CI-4+) – 3.5
Pennzoil Long Life Heavy Duty (API SL) – 3.5
Pennzoil Marine SAE 30 (API SJ) – 3.5
Amsoil Signature Series 0w30 (API SM) – 3.2 (meets GM Standard 4718M)
Amsoil SAE 10w30 (API SM) – 3.2 (meets GM Standard 4718M)
Amsoil SAE 5w30 (API SM) – 3.2 (meets GM Standard 4718M)
Amsoil XL 5w30 (API SM) – 3.2 (meets GM Standard 4718M)
Amsoil XL 10w30 (API SM) – 3.2 (meets GM Standard 4718M)
Amsoil XL 5w30 (API SM) – 3.2 (meets GM Standard 4718M)
Pennzoil Platinum 10w30 (API SM) – 3.15 (meets GM Standard 4718M)
Mobil 1 10w30 (API SM) – 3.14 (meets GM Standard 4718M)
Mobil 1 EP 10w30 (API SM) – 3.1
Mobil 1 EP 5w30 (API SM) – 3.1
Pennzoil Platinum 5w30 (API SM) – 3.1 (meets GM Standard 4718M)
Pennzoil Truck/SUV 10w30 (API SM) – 3.1
Mobil 1 5w30 (API SM) – 3.09 (meets GM Standard 4718M)
Mobil 1 Truck/SUV 5w30 (API SM) – 3.09
Pennzoil Truck/SUV 5w30 (API SM) – 3.0
Mobil 1 0w30 (API SM) – 2.99 (meets GM Standard 4718M)
Amsoil SAE 0w20 (API SM) – 2.8
Amsoil XL 5w20 (API SM) – 2.7
Mobil 1 EP 5w20 (API SM) – 2.7
Mobil 1 5w20 (API SM) – 2.62
Mobil 1 0w20 (API SM) – 2.61
Pennzoil Platinum 5w20 (API SM) – 2.6
Pennzoil Truck/SUV 5w30 (API SM) – 2.6
Pennzoil Platinum 0w20 (API SM) – 2.6

Note: Many companies such as Castrol, Shell, and Royal Purple do not list HTHS ratings

For those looking for AMSOIL products with high levels of ZDDP, these AMSOIL products have phosphorus on the order of 1265 ppm and zinc on the order of 1378 ppm:
AMSOIL Series 2000 20w50
AMSOIL SAE Synthetic Premium Performance 20w50
AMSOIL SAE Synthetic Premium Performance 10w40
AMSOIL Series 3000 Synthetic 5w30 Heavy Duty Diesel Oil
Note that none of these meet GM Standard 4718M.

For those more comfortable with Mobil 1, here is a table showing the phosphorus levels in their various offerings:
http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/...duct_Guide.pdf

For those who do decide on going with a 10w40 or 15w50, keep in mind how much more viscous your oil will be and be easy on the throttle until the oil is very very warm. For example, Mobil 1 15w50 has a viscosity of 131.1 cSt at 100F and 18.1 cSt at 212F. For comparison, Mobil 1 5w30 has a viscosity of 64.8 cSt at 100F, less than half that of the 15w50 and 11.3 at 212F, something like 40% less than the 5w30.

 

A/C Delco pf48 nothing else.