My Pick for Best Oil: Mobil1 0w40 Blackstone Report
 

If you search you will find that I was one of the first to recommend Mobil1 0w40 oil for our cars. I ran it in my 2008 through 2 engines and many track days. After putting my car in the wall at a local track I bought a 2006, completely stock except for a catch can. I decided to protect the motor with the best possible oil. My research indicated Redline so I bought it even though it was the most expensive oil on the market. My Blackstone reports had me concerned about high lead levels. I addressed this concern on Bob is the Oil Guy. And many there suggested that I should use the oil I was very familiar with ....... Mobil1 0w40. Please look at my report and you will see that my lead levels have dropped to normal with the Mobil 0w40. At least for this motor the results are indisputable..........Mobil1 0w40 is THE OIL to use.

*** The last 2 changes are with Mobil1 0w40. The others are with Redline 5w30 ***

:thumbs:

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...psvd8e2j7z.jpg

:cheers:
DH

I use it in my ZR1..so far, so good !

Thanks for the post Dirty Howie! As you know, I was following your thread on BITOG. Like you, I wanted the best oil out there. When I got the heads (WCCH Stage II) done and added a TORQUER 110, I switched from factory fill M1 5W30 to REDLINE 5W30. At the time my 07 Z had 10,000 miles on it. Meaning for the last 7,000 miles (17,000 total miles now) I ran REDLINE. I wasn't impressed and was getting some smoke on start up. I thought, regretfully that my new bronze guides were wearing out. BSL used oil analysis shows otherwise. Guides do not seem to be wearing, but strangely LEAD is 24. I too recently switched to M1 0W40 and I am hoping that my lead drops from 24 to a more normal range of right around 7. (I definitely do not see the high oil temps that you do.) Unfortunately, it takes me about a year to log 2,000 miles.

I updated my OP. To be clear first few changes were Redline 5w30. Last 2 were with the Mobil 0w40.

:cheers:
DH

I made the switch to 0w40 Mobil1 several years ago.

M1 0w-40 for daily use
M1 15w-50 for track duty

If you found lead in the Blackstone results, it's not because of anything Red Line or Exxon-Mobil puts in their oil.

The only lead in an '06 LS7 is the lead overlay on the engine bearings. Also, for the low miles on each oil sample, the first few times you took a sample, the lead was pretty high, but, then, it began to drop...perhaps because the overlay has worn away.

Mobil 1 is a reasonably good synthetic oil, but the to make a 0W40, which is totally unnecessary in California, requires a fair amount of VI improvers compared to say M1 10W30 . Important to remember about VI improvers is that they make no contribution to lubrication because they're not lubricants. They are chemical additives designed to give the base stock a multiviscosity property. In California, unless you only drive your Corvette in the high-sierras in the winter, your best choice, if you have to use Mobil 1 and you're not a track rat, is the 10W30 you can get at Costco. It has less Vi improvers and is a better engine oil for your driving conditions.

Another problem I have with M1 is that most of the oil Mobil sells in North America uses a less robust, synthesized hydrocarbon formula base stock compared to the mPAO or ester bases of premium synthetic oils, which, I think, are a better choices. That's why, other than the factory fill, I've never used Mobil 1.

In my C6 Z06 and my C5 Z06, after a long time using Red Line 10W30, I have switched to Gibbs Driven "DT40" 5W40. I use Driven LS30 5W30, in daily drivers. DT40 has less VI improvers than M1 0W40 and the VI improvers Driven uses are more stable at high temperature/high shear than are the VI improvers in other oil formulations. Also, Gibbs uses an mPAO base stock which is one of the most modern synthetic base stock on the market today.

Many of us track guys went to M1 0W-40 because it works at the 285* oil temp we see in our stock LS7's. Does the Gibbs work up at that oil temperature, Hib?

I just switched from m1 5-30W to joe gibbs aka driven LS30. I'm really interested to hear others exp with the LS30...

Hib, why use the ls30 in your daily drivers, and dt40 in your corvettes?

Hib

If you want to check out the thread on BITOG that I started a year ago here it is:
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums...30#Post3843373

I fully understand the logic of your position and is why although I used Mobil1 0w40 in my last car which saw heavy track use I decided to go with Redline 5w30 with this non tracked car/motor. But I was concerned about the lead which obviously could only be coming from the bearings. (we have discussed this over lunch). But after the information/recomendations i garnered from BITOG I decided to try the Mobil 0w40 in this motor too. On the first OCI it cut my lead level in half. Then on the next OCI (most recent one) it cut the level in half again. So now instead of high lead levels I am down to normal levels. So for me the proof is in the pudding and is why I posted this thread. I'm getting an ideal metal wear report so will be staying with the Mobil 0w40.

:cheers:
DH

Howard, I looked back at my BL reports on my use of M1 0W-40 tracing about the same mileage as your current car. My lead levels are 2-3 and my molybdenum are 85-95. Most of the other stuff lines up very closely. Provided as a reference. I previously posted that analysis back in late June. The HCIE engine currently has Amsoil Z-Rod 10W-30.

Has anyone tried Total 0W40? I've heard good things and its not so expensive on Amazon.

Dave

That not enough lead. I suggest grinding up a no.2 pencil and adding with your next OCI !!!!!!!! :D

Seriously, your lead is statistically very low. See the averages supplied by BS.

:cheers:
DH

No. 2 pencil = graphite, not lead:D

I started doing BL analyses at 19K miles, M1 5W30, then M1 0W-40 and an interim after build check at 630 miles on the Amsoil. My highest lead reading has been 6 with most 2-3, universal average is 9. I guess I am low-lead. It didn't keep my valve guides from being out of spec. Maybe the prior owner wore off all the bearing lead.:thumbs:

Right, lead and guides not related. But glad you haven't had to worry about bearings. I WAS worried !! But not anymore :D

:cheers:
DH

Amsoil Zrod 10-30 here.

I thought the M1 high-mileage had more additives. I have been using 10/40 HM in my H/C 09 Z

Not saying there aren't other good oils. Just saying that for my car the mobile 0W 40 does everything it has to. And works better then the redline 5W 30

Good info Gents. Thank you.

What are your opinions on Royal Purple 5w30?

Thank you!

I wouldn't run RP in my lawnmower.