V6 Discussion and questions about the base carbureted or MPFI V6's and the rare SFI Turbo V6.

Another Oil Change Question

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 11-24-2004, 04:07 AM
  #1  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
TAMAY's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Manhattan, NYC
Posts: 79
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 1990 Firebird V6
Engine: 3.1L
Transmission: Auto
Another Oil Change Question

Getting ready to do an oil change on the Bird I just bought.

V6 3.1L It has 173,000 miles runs great, no oil leaks notice.

Castrol or Mobile?
Syn or not?
Grade? 10w30 or 20?
Attached Thumbnails Another Oil Change Question-3rdgen.jpg  
Old 11-24-2004, 04:38 AM
  #2  
Supreme Member

 
rx7speed's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Caldwell,ID
Posts: 5,388
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Car: 2005 BMW 545i
Engine: 4.4L N62B44
Transmission: 6spd auto
Axle/Gears: Rotating
myself if I had the money would go mobil 1
actually I have been using that as of late and switched at around 200k miles or so
since then I have gone through a few oil changes and still works fine


some thing I would like to say though is with the synthetic oil you might notice you will start leaking a little. not to say you will but MIGHT, and that is partly due to just cleaning out the gunk that might have been near the seals. sometimes that gunk will form a seal of it's own that prevents leakage.

as far as weight I'm a little wierd.
my car (rx7) recomends 10w30 and I generally use that but if I am going synthetic I use 5w30.winter time I generally switch to a 5w20 or so


more or less the option is yours to switch to synthetic or not.
I enjoy it though just because of peace of mind
don't expect big power increase or massive fuel savings.
they are little.
fuel savings I think for me was up from 22mpg avg to around 23 maybe 24mpg avg and again that is maybe

power.... didn't really notice a difference to be honest


but again if you have the money and want the peace of mind synthetic

if you want to be cheap and yet still buy good oil castrol GTX
Old 11-24-2004, 06:41 AM
  #3  
Senior Member
 
camaro350man's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Belchertown MA
Posts: 920
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 1988 Pontiac Firebird
Engine: 2.8 Lt
Transmission: 5 Spd
I liek Vavoline High Milage oil. I use 10w-30. I think its better for the engine.
Old 11-24-2004, 07:42 AM
  #4  
Supreme Member

iTrader: (3)
 
drdave88's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Waterford, MI
Posts: 2,470
Received 6 Likes on 6 Posts
Car: 1998 Camaro Z28
Engine: 6.0L
Transmission: 4L60E
Axle/Gears: 3.73
ive always felt that you should use what it calls for (5w30) unless there is some reason to use a thicker oil. as far as synthetic or not, depends on if you can afford it. it would be a good idea if you do a lot of intown driving or stop and go. a lot of highway and its not as necessary. i have always run valvoline durablend or maxlife if the engine has a lot of miles on it.
Old 11-24-2004, 08:08 AM
  #5  
Supreme Member

 
Gumby's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: NWOhioToledoArea
Posts: 8,113
Likes: 0
Received 5 Likes on 5 Posts
Car: 86-FireBird
Engine: -MPFI
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 3:42
The best you can afford all the time. You should use the same oil and stick to it. should.

I run 20/50 in everything. Thicker oil can eat HP but I like the pace of mind when I am racing hard n the hi Rs. I can deal with some start up wear, but not hi R wear.
Old 11-28-2004, 10:35 PM
  #6  
Member
TGO - 10 Year Member
 
oldschool's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: USA
Posts: 208
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 1985 Pontiac Firebird
Engine: 2.8 LB8 HO
Transmission: 700R4 with OD
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt 7.625 open-factory 3.42
Mobil 1 synthetic 5W-30.
Old 11-29-2004, 12:08 AM
  #7  
Banned
 
vsixtoy's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Orange, Calif
Posts: 1,340
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: '87 Cam RS V6
Engine: Top Secret
Transmission: DYT700R4 custom inerts and conv.
Mobil 1 15w50 full synthetic. Everyone keep in mind that the Synthetic oils flow easier than the conventional oil so you need to slightly increase the weight to maintain the oil pressure. When a synthetic gets hot, it flows very easily with less restriction.
Old 11-29-2004, 04:28 AM
  #8  
Supreme Member

 
rx7speed's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Caldwell,ID
Posts: 5,388
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Car: 2005 BMW 545i
Engine: 4.4L N62B44
Transmission: 6spd auto
Axle/Gears: Rotating
haven't had any problems with loss of pressure with the oil I used and that was switching from 20w50 dino to 5w-20 synthetic

also as far as weights go they should be fairly similar when going from a dino juice to a synthetic.
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Navy8125
Engine/Drivetrain/Suspension Parts for Sale
4
08-21-2015 09:32 AM
redmaroz
LTX and LSX
7
08-16-2015 11:40 PM
eightsixseven
Tech / General Engine
1
08-14-2015 03:09 PM
Zachattack0925
Tech / General Engine
2
08-12-2015 09:54 PM
Zachattack0925
Transmissions and Drivetrain
4
08-12-2015 09:52 PM



Quick Reply: Another Oil Change Question



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:20 AM.