jwd JW part of the issues are emissions, gas mileage and getting every last hp out of the motor. One #1 sales rule for high performance cars, I have more HP than anyone else. GM pays when the goal is not made. Any of the LS motors are a great design and run very well. The newer ones need
oil squirters to help lube the piston pins because of not enough
oil splash. Going to dry sump also effect this. We have new cars and cars with 20k miles on them. You start them up after sitting for a couple of days and everything makes noise. piston slap, lifters and rocker noises until the
oil pressure is built up. This is with Mobil one in the motor, 5-30w Bottom end is still primary for oiling. Rest has to wait. During this time, ( the first 5-10 seconds) there is no oil going to the rockers. We have had covers off motors to see this first hand. I can't show you how many Service bulletins we get on oil and motor issues for noise. The same final line is said. GM has test this and the engineers say it's normal. NO REPLACEMENT of any parts at this time.
If Mobil1 works for you and you are happy with it, that's fine. I know Nascar runs 0w oils for 600 miles without any failures. After that, this motor is pulled apart and either rebuilt or trashed. I don't think you are going to drive your car for 5-10k miles and rebuild the motor. Racing and Street driving are 2 different things. Some of the guys here that race are rebuilding their motors 1-3 times over the summer. Me I want to go 5-10 years before a rebuild.
I just watch a car get towwed out of the shop to the junk yard, saleman owned it. 243,000 miles on the orginial motor. I have seen the history on the car. Oil changes at every 5,000 miles. Mobil1 for 5 quarts and adds 1-2 quarts during this time between changes. Car had the normal seepage from seals. Car was on the 2nd trans and 1 timing chain done at 140k miles. Average 3-4K miles per week. 90% highway 10% local. He had a bad knock in the bottom end and the oil light was on at idle. Manual Gauge show 5 psi at idle and 26 at 2,000 rpms. Pulled pan, #5 & #6 rod bearings and crank gone. Oil pan was clean except for metal shavings. He said Mobil is getting him about 1-2 mpg over non sythesis oil. Maintainance cost was about the same. His Last 3 cars have all gone 200K. This one was tired. Mobil work for this guy.
I look at this this way, when ALL cars have full sythesis oil in them from the factory, then I may have to switch. Until then, Quarker State high Mileage with additive is working just fine.
JW there is one problem that mobil doesn't have, less oil coking over time in the motor. I an not a big fan of
Amsoil but this is also one of the better oils on the market. Have no tests on Royal Purple at this time.
Again JW it's just choice, but there have been some changes to breaking in motors with solid lifters in cobra motors. Some of the Best FE builders have had failures over the last 2-3 years. I have been lucky with the last 8 motors. All different motors with the same basic breakin way. Peroil, remove valve springs( dampeners ) 2,000 rpm max. 1 extra quart of oil in the crank case. 30 minutes of run time. 1 bottle of old stock EOS. 1 bottle of Lucas oil suppliment with the oil change. This is poured in when the motor is run again and the oil is at operating temp of 140f and added slow over a 5-10 minute time. I'm done and getting off my soap box. JW hope you have had a good holiday season and looking forward to a great driving summer this year. Rick L.
Hybrid Mode
