best oil for a VS

[existentialist]

hey guys,

i havent had my vs serviced for a while. i was thinking of just changing the oil myself, i've already changed the pads.

when you get the oil changed at the mechanic's, i presume they use the cheapest oil..

Is there any benefit to using more expensive oil? If so, what's the best oil for a VS?

Cheers

 

[hako]

Just my opinion - and you'll get plenty of others! I use whatever oil is on special...sometimes even HomeBrand. Always use 20W50 and always change the filter (with a midrange ~$7)....change about every 6 months. Done that since 87000km and now near 200000km with no problems at all.
If you can afford it and don't mind spending to get the best then by all means use a sythetic oil and top range filters.....but back at ground zero you wonder if it really matters. What really matters is that you care for your car.

 

[Boonz]

mmmm gotta also realise that cheaper mineral oils dont have cleaning agents added to them and the make a sludge in your sump which blocks the pickup... castrol GTX-2 is a perfect example of this...

usually anything with over 220,000 k's id put in a 20w50, penrite, nulon, mobil and alot of other brands make a good 20w50 semi synthetic for around $30 for 5 litres

 

[Harvs82]

20w50, I used the Mobil 20w50 for 5 years and 100,000km, changed every 5000km and the car never burned a drop. Was still running A1 when I sold it with 200000km on it.

 

[XLR8ing]

I use Penrite HPR30. Its a good oil and not too expensive.
Personally i stay away from cheap oils such as HomeBrand, Golf Western etc. I prefer to spend a bit extra and get better quality stuff for my car.

 

[KeepItStock]

mobil super 1000 20w50... $35

shell is crap... makes the tappets rattle..

 

[jas98]

mobil super 1000 20w50... $35

shell is crap... makes the tappets rattle..

auto barn is selling that oil for like 10 bucks atm (special)

Besides starting a new (oil ) thread
what would be best for a vs thats only done 77 000k's......as i have only even changes oil on cars that have done over 250 000k's?:yeah:

cheers

 

[Boonz]

15w40

consider this... when they were first released holden specified to use 10w40 for the ecotec, after a while they start to burn oil, so roughly 100,000 k's you would change to 15w40 to allow for a greater clearance between the pistons and bore and valve stem seals and things that wear
as a motor gets older it wears more and more, so the clearance between 2 moving parts gets greater and greater and a thicker oil is needed to take up the clearance

 

[hako]

The owners handbook supplied new with VS Ecotec models specified 20W50 with a service classification of SG or SF with the option of 15W40 for prolonged use in snow country. That was 12 years ago and what was premium oil back then is now el-cheapo HomeBrand oil. My BigW oil - Freeway brand has the service classification of SG so it meets Holdens recommendations. Attached are extracts from handbook and oil specs.
Bottom line is change it regularly and use whatever you can afford. We had 7 kids so it was always the cheapest.

 

[stocky]

15w40

consider this... when they were first released holden specified to use 10w40 for the ecotec, after a while they start to burn oil, so roughly 100,000 k's you would change to 15w40 to allow for a greater clearance between the pistons and bore and valve stem seals and things that wear
as a motor gets older it wears more and more, so the clearance between 2 moving parts gets greater and greater and a thicker oil is needed to take up the clearance

changing from 10 to 15 makes no difference in our climate. its the second number that matters