Engine oil selection for 2002 Tahoe 5.3

[Dmitriy]

Hello,

 

I am new to this forum and unfortunately I was unable to find the answer for my issue, so I decided to open a new topic.

I live in a region where air get as hot as 45C degrees (113F) in summer and rarely gets below -10C (14F) in winter.

I drive 2002 Tahoe 5.3LT with 168000 miles on it. And aI am concerned about the engine oil to be used.

I obtained it a year ago from the owner who used 10w40 synthetic oil. I switched to 5w30 as per oil cap and specs.

Though as far as I know 5w30 is only suitable for usage in environments up to 30C degrees the engine sounds and feels smoother...(I may be mistaken)

I think about switching to more suitable oil for hot weather conditions, especially after I saw notes about high mileage engines must be lubricated with more viscose oil..(10w40, or 15w50 or any other)

 

Could you please recommend the right oil to use?

I am looking forward to keep up the engine in the best shape - so price does not matter

 

Thanks in advance!

 

[diyer2]

5W30 winter.

10W40 summer.

Or what ever you fell comfortable with. The main thing is to change the oil and filter.

[Dmitriy]

5W30 winter.

10W40 summer.

Or what ever you fell comfortable with. The main thing is to change the oil and filter.

 

Thanks!

[ChevroletTough]

I run 0w40 all the time.

[Dmitriy]

I run 0w40 all the time.

 

Does not such a wide temp range mean that there is a lot of additives in it? I am not sure about positive side of additives for the engine.

[ChevroletTough]

 

Does not such a wide temp range mean that there is a lot of additives in it? I am not sure about positive side of additives for the engine.

That I can't confirm. I've never had any issues with it, from 100* days to -30* days.

[Dmitriy]

That I can't confirm. I've never had any issues with it, from 100* days to -30* days.

 

Thanks for the reply!

[Black02Silverado]

5w-30 synthetic will serve you well. My 2002 Silverado has 165k on it and I'm running AMSOIL's Signature Series 0w-30 in it year round. We see temps in the upper 90's with heat index of 105°F in the summer and as low as 15° F in the winter.

 

The main thing to look for is an oil with a low NOACK Volatility % weight loss. Like the oil above it has a NOACK of 7.5 AMSOIL's Signature Series 10w-30 has a NOACK of 5.3 so it would be even a better choice.

[Colossus]

Just run regular 5W30 Synthetic, a good quality filter, and don't worry anymore. If you have some leaking going on and it bothers you, go to a 5W30 regular dyno high millage. You'll be juuuuuuuust fine.

[Dmitriy]

So, As far as I see there is no such a necessity to use ...W40 oil due to hot weather?

[white1500]

I live in Phoenix and use 5W30 year round as of a few years ago.

 

She used to run 10W30 and the change wasn't really noticeable at first, until winter when cold start ups where much quieter and smoother.

 

Castrol gtx magnatec with an ac delco filter.

 

Sent from my SM-G550T using Tapatalk

[Dmitriy]

Just run regular 5W30 Synthetic, a good quality filter, and don't worry anymore. If you have some leaking going on and it bothers you, go to a 5W30 regular dyno high millage. You'll be juuuuuuuust fine.

I noticed some oil traces around the oil plug coming from above. I am going to clean it up and check if the oil is leaking and if oil grade is the cause. Thanks for the advice!

[Colossus]

Ok good deal. let us know.

[Nanotech Environmental]

Been running Mobil 1 5w30 since new on my 06 w/5.3. I change it and the filter when the OLM tells me to, which is usually around 7500-9000 miles.

 

About 180k miles on it now. Pretty much no oil usage between changes in summer, and a bit is used sometimes between changes in winter.

 

GM does their hot weather testing in the US Southwest which has temperatures similar to what the OP posted. I'd use what the manual says.

[Cowpie]

 

Does not such a wide temp range mean that there is a lot of additives in it? I am not sure about positive side of additives for the engine.

 

 

All oil has considerable additives in them. Usually up to 20% (and sometimes more) of any motor oil is additives. Base oil is clear like water. The color you see when you pour fresh motor oil is additives. Additives control friction, provide extreme pressure modification, control acids, emulsify ethanol, provide detergents for engine cleaning, provide suspension for particulates, control oxidation, and the list goes on. Run a base oil with no additives, even a top end full synthetic base oil, and you will grenade a engine in a short time.

 

But what is indeed higher is viscosity modifiers. A 0w40 uses quite a bit of them. It is VM that can shear under pressure and break down. And the NOACK, or burn off vaporization rate, is higher in oils that need more VM. The base oil itself doesn't. I never felt the need for a 0wXX oil, even when I was living in the interior of Alaska for 10 years. When things got that kind of cold, we were sensible enough to use block heaters, oil pan heaters, battery warmers, auto trans pan warmers, and winter grill fronts on our vehicles. Only an ignorant person would have an vehicle sitting overnight at -45F and not use preventative measures like that. When one does the right thing, a engine can start at -55F like it is a warm summer day, and do it on a conventional 5w30, which is what I used all those years in Alaska. Never had one engine problem or oil related issue.

 

The less spread between the cold flow rating (the number before the "w") and the oil viscosity (the number after the "w), the fewer viscosity modifiers are needed. Yes, even full synthetics need some viscosity modifiers except some of the Group IV PAO oils of the 10w30 variety.

 

I live in central Iowa, and I have no problem using 10w30 in just about everything I own, year round. From my smaller stuff, on thru my personal vehicles, on up thru my commercial trucks. I have various reasons for doing so that I am comfortable with. And my Silverado and Cadillac sit in a heated garage when at home. For most folks, i would just tell them to stick with the OEM recommended viscosity and call it a day. Unless one is having a major problem they are trying to address, there is no real need to go to extremes in what oil they are using.