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Thread: Best Engine oil

  1. #1

    Default Best Engine oil

    Ok, i have an 01 LB7 and i have always used Rotella oil. Would a syntheltic be better and which one is best?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Lansing ,MI
    Posts
    254

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    Everyone has there opinion but it really depends on how you drive your truck, ie how many miles do you put on it in a month? If you don't drive it all that often synthetic probably wouldn't be worth it
    1991 Chevrolet Silverado 3500, 6.2L. 125,000 miles -Sold

    2007 Chevrolet Silverado LBZ - R.I.P

    2001 Chevrolet Silverado LB7-- Sold

    2011 GMC Sierra, LML- 39,000 miles. All stock

  3. #3

    Default

    It is my opinion that Rotella 15/40 conventional oil is the Budweiser or Marlboro Lights of the diesel oil marketplace. i.e. Available everywhere, reasonably priced, performs the intended function.

    That being said, I have arrived at Mobil Delvac (black jug, non-synthetic) for the reason that it stays in the engine without loss of volume due to breakdown under near constant towing use of my trucks. Rotella? I was always adding more between changes. That didn't seem good to me.

    It still turns black immediately after the oil change in these later EGR engines (which use the oil as the medium carry soot out of the engine into a recyclable liquid, rather than venting to atmosphere) but so far I have done about forty 10K mile interval changes with Delvac over latest 5 trucks listed without a hint of ring wear or increased blowby.

    My .02 worth. I like the stuff. Kinda like Miller Genuine Draft I guess.
    2011 Chevrolet Tahoe 5.3L daily driver
    • Previous owner of two 1994 6.5L K3500s, '01, '02, and '05 6.6L K2500s, '04 C4500, '06 K3500 dually, '06 K3500 SRW, '09 K3500HD SRW, '05 Denali
    • Total GM diesel miles to date : ~950K

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2001
    Location
    Morgantown, W.Va. USA
    Posts
    1,002

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by randybailey View Post
    Ok, i have an 01 LB7 and i have always used Rotella oil. Would a syntheltic be better and which one is best?
    The one that meets the spec for your truck that is available whenever you need it, and fits your wallet.

    I'm a Rotella 15w-40 guy, and I add 10 qts every 5000 miles...along with the filter.......

    If you want to go 15,000 to 25,000 miles on an oil change then I would definitely go the synthetic route with UOAs, or if you live in a very cold climate, other than that conventional oil is my recommendation.

    And another thing, if you have an LB7 like I do, then I would save the extra money synthetic costs and use fuel additive, add a lift pump and secondary fuel filter. Injectors are a PITA!!!!
    Jeff

    "But officer, I ain't Speedin', I'm just flyin' low"

    2001 Silverado 3500 Dually LS Ext Cab, 6.6L Diesel, Banks Stinger Kit, 4" Exhaust, VR Straps, Bilstein shocks, 255/85/16 BFG KM2s
    2004 Suburban 2500 LT 6.0L 4x4, Bilstein Shocks, Federico front/rear sway bars
    1996 Caprice 5.7L LT1, B4U Suspension, KYB shocks & Hotchkis sway bars, BMR RCA - alas I miss ya.
    2013 Caprice PPV 6.0L

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    South Milwaukee, WI
    Posts
    245

    Wink oil....

    When my '01 2500HD was still under warranty, I had a dealership sponsored oil change service. At first, they were using 15W-40 Mobil, but later I was told of an oil pressure problem GM uncovered under cold weather conditions. The dealership began using Mobil 5W-40 synthetic under some GM service bulletin before my truck was 1 year old. Since then, I've been using mostly Rotella's 5W-40 (T6) synthetic. I change my Baldwin filter at 4K miles, then the oil & filter at 8K miles. I've sent multiple oil samples to the lab for analysis and each one of them have come back clean- no contaminents, no fuel or coolant in the oil and no metalic debris. I've got ~269K miles on my LB7 engine now and am getting around 25 mpg on a long distance trip (speed ~57 mph, ~1700 engine rpms and no head wind to buck). I put 600 miles on the truck weekly. Only after nearly 7K miles will I begin to see the oil starting to turn brown- never saw that with dino oil (it was always black before the 4K mile oil/filter change).

    Just my experience here; I can't argue with what the others are seeing (it is what it is). Now, if I can get just a little more life from my injectors. (Odd, just after my mileage began to increase a couple of years back, my injectors began failing. Now that I'm getting higher fuel mileage again, I'm wondering if my next set is just around the corner. Coincidence?)
    "Chessy56"
    So. Milwaukee, WI
    '01 2500HD, LB7, ~440K miles
    "Stock" engine. Dual fuel filtration system with Kennedy lift pump, BF Goodrich Commercial T/A Traction tires (sold to a dude from Texas- it's living a warmer life just fine down there now!).

    '17 2500HD, L5P (Happy Birthday/Merry Christmas to me!!!) Currently bone stock, 120K miles.

    "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance and
    the gospel of envy. Its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery."
    Winston Churchill

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    683

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    You tellin me you can actually drive 57 MPH for 600 miles? How is that possible? I tried driving 55 once way back when that was the national speed limit, I almost fell asleep. Whats the secret?
    02 2500HD LT D/A SB CC 4X4 BLACK, Westin stainless nerf bars, BW GN Hitch,Racor 60S post oem fuel filter, Oil Guard bypass engine oil Filter. All synthetic fluids. Kennedy boost valve, edge, Modified air intake,EGT & Boost digital gauge,TransferFlow combo fuel & tool box, Air Lift Suspesion Bags Rear & compressor with remote, Bilsteins front & rear, Frontier front replacement bumper.

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