LS3 engine oil recommendations

[vombil]

gday guys

My tilt at Holden for a noisey motor didn't really go down as planned. The vehicle is registered to a business as it wasn't economical to go to trial in terms of investment of time plus the prices of vehicles were going north very quickly. The dealer who had done some warranty work on it for unrelated matters offered to buy it for 5k more than I'd paid in a used market 2 years earlier with now twice the KMS. The legal rep from Holden advised the magistrate of the offer and so I could feel I was going to hit turbulence as I couldn't show a loss as I hadn't carried out any engine repairs and vehicle couldn't be properly diagnosed unless motor was stripped down etc etc.

However, that aside, the ute is at 63,000kms now and god knows how but I haven't heard it slap since the Holden tech and the dealership had it for 3 days doing 'testing' as part of the court proceedings. I'm thinking they have potentially added something to the oil? It used to slap like religion and now - nothing. It's still a little loud when cold driving but nothing at cold start idle which is were the problem was.

It's due for a lube service and I'm undecided on a 5/30 fully syth Dexos approved Nulon which is in there now or a semi or even a 10/30 or 10/40 as in summer it used to get a little chattery when right up at temp on a hot day.

Anyone have anything they swear by? I haven't had a good run with Penrite - just saying

thanks again

 

[Ron Burgundy]

The oil would not make it louder or quieter if it is piston to bore clearance issue. They might have played with cold start tables in the tune ?

 

[losh1971]

Stick with the full syn, I run Nulon full syn in my L98. I run 10/40 but mine has 200k on the clock.

 

[RevNev]

the ute is at 63,000kms now and god knows how but I haven't heard it slap since the Holden tech and the dealership had it for 3 days doing 'testing' as part of the court proceedings. I'm thinking they have potentially added something to the oil? It used to slap like religion and now - nothing. It's still a little loud when cold driving but nothing at cold start idle which is were the problem was.

It's due for a lube service and I'm undecided on a 5/30 fully syth Dexos approved Nulon which is in there now or a semi or even a 10/30 or 10/40 as in summer it used to get a little chattery when right up at temp on a hot day.

Loud noises on cold start aren't piston slap, it's lifter noise and that's why different oils can have hydraulic effect on the lifter to eliminate rocker to valve clearance. A re-bore and new pistons set at the correct clearances is the only way to stop genuine piston slap noise. Piston slap can't be mechanically intermittent at a given temperature, it's impossible!

I haven't tried this in my LS3 engine yet, but Castrol Edge 5w30 A3 B4 (non-dexos), seems to quieten the valve train hot on my SV6 (LFX engine). On Dexos it seemed a bit tappy. Personally, I think the Dexos thing is rubbish and more to do with extended oil change intervals if at all. All GM engines need Dexos oil, yet you can spin a 500hp twin turbo BMW engine to 7500rpm on 5w30 A3 B4 along with any other manufacturer of performance and general road car engines.

 

[losh1971]

Yep the Dexos scam is just so GM can charge a fee to oil manufacturers. Nulon make a full syn that not Dexos approved yet it is exactly the same as the Dexos approved one they sell. I read up on it and Nulon themselves explain the above on one of their docs about the oil. Only diff being is the packaging. One guess which one retails for less?

 

[Immortality]

Going off this chart, someone want to try a straight 30 weight oil?

 

[vombil]

Going off this chart, someone want to try a straight 30 weight oil?

i suppose this table goes some way to highlighting the chatter when it's blistering temp in summer... the 5/30 is past it's threshold. I wanted to have a crack at 5 or 10/40. thanks for posting mate

 

[vombil]

Loud noises on cold start aren't piston slap, it's lifter noise and that's why different oils can have hydraulic effect on the lifter to eliminate rocker to valve clearance. A re-bore and new pistons set at the correct clearances is the only way to stop genuine piston slap noise. Piston slap can't be mechanically intermittent at a given temperature, it's impossible!

I haven't tried this in my LS3 engine yet, but Castrol Edge 5w30 A3 B4 (non-dexos), seems to quieten the valve train hot on my SV6 (LFX engine). On Dexos it seemed a bit tappy. Personally, I think the Dexos thing is rubbish and more to do with extended oil change intervals if at all. All GM engines need Dexos oil, yet you can spin a 500hp twin turbo BMW engine to 7500rpm on 5w30 A3 B4 along with any other manufacturer of performance and general road car engines.

Holden conceded there was a noise in the bottom end. The foreman at a large dealership was standing with me and we started the car stone cold and his take was gudgeon noise. No chance it was top end. I've heard countless engines with lifter noise. I'm not sure about noise being intermittent but it was definitely worse with colder ambient temp and yes it went away when the motor got warmer - sometimes it lasted 15 seconds and other times 30-45 seconds. An old timer was trying to convince me the oil pump was farked.... he was so sure he quoted to do the job - $1650... but wouldn't give me my money back if he was wrong and the noise persisted.

 

[vombil]

Stick with the full syn, I run Nulon full syn in my L98. I run 10/40 but mine has 200k on the clock.

my bro has a LS2 with 90kms. it's had a HUGE cam in it since about 20,000 and irregular oil changes and you can hear the cam lobes being flogged literally. it's like painfully watching a crash in slow mo. I put 5/30 in that and it thought the lifters were going to explode. it was like the thing was running with water in the belly. I went to 10/40 and it's miles better but this time round he's going to try a 10/50. Ill keep you posted thanks dude

 

[vombil]

The oil would not make it louder or quieter if it is piston to bore clearance issue. They might have played with cold start tables in the tune ?

I really hope this is the case. I'm near on anxious to change the oil! If it makes the motor noisey again i'll probably need to be taken to go into a padded cell for a whilst lols