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 Post subject: Oil Weights in an L27
PostPosted: Wed Apr 26, 2017 10:04 pm 
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Location: Las Cruces, NM
Year and Trim: 1993 Buick Park Avenue
1994 Buick Regal Custom
Today brought a bit of a rude awakening today if I'm honest, one that I am not sure I am happy about.

Thanks to a computer system upgrade at my favorite oil change place, I have now come to realize that their bulk oil that they have been putting in my car for years has been 5w-20.

Admittedly, this has me a bit irked, because at no point did anyone mention this. I would have never allowed it to happen, knowing how explicit the owners manual is with oil weight.

I haven't had any blatantly apparent signs of low oil pressure, but I have noticed that lately the car doesn't like to get out of its own way when its hot, and there has been some unexplained KR on scans while rolling down the highway.

How bad is it really?

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1993 Buick Park Avenue - 197k - Some odds and ends done - Simply won't die
1994 Buick Regal - 78k - Bone stock - Always ready for a good kicking
1990 Oldsmobile 88 - Gone to a better place


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 26, 2017 10:44 pm 
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I'm sure no harm was done.

All it means is that at 210*, the 20 flows faster/easier through the engine that 30 at 210*. You might see slightly lower oil pressure because of it. 20 and 30 are so close that it's almost irrelevant.

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Retired Bonneville Owner and former GM Tech:
2004 Pontiac Bonneville GXP: Black/Ebony *SOLD*

Summer Toys: Combined 827 RWHP / 877lb/ft RWTQ
2004 Pontiac GTO: Impulse Blue Metallic/Black/M6: lots 'o mods, 415 RWHP / 405lb/ft RWTQ!
2006 Cadillac STS-V: Light Platinum Metallic/Light Gray/A6 - Spectre CAI, Magnaflow exhaust, Speed Inc. tune, 412 RWHP / 472lb/ft RWTQ

Daily Drivers:
2019 Chrysler Pacifica Limited: Mommy's new RGC
2015 Chrysler Town & Country Limited Platinum: Kids new RGC
2007 Chrysler Town & Country Limited: Sold to neighbor
2009 Pontiac G8 GT: L76, Sport Red Metallic
2003 Chevrolet Suburban 2500: Doeskin Tan - 8.1L Big Block... new plow truck
1999 Chevrolet Suburban: Sunset Gold Metallic - Daddy's winter beater and plow truck


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 27, 2017 7:09 am 
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Year and Trim: 2003 SSEi
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I agree. I'd say non issue. I pay more attention to the first number. I own 2 L67s. 5W in the winter car, 10W in the summer car


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 27, 2017 10:04 am 
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Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2008 12:51 am
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Location: Missouri
Year and Trim: 95 SSEi
05 GXP
I'm seeing that 5w20 more and more at stores. My business sells oil
quarts and sometimes they incorrectly send us cases of 5w20 when we
ordered 5w30.

My Traverse, which has specific oil recommendations because of the infamous
GM 3.6 engine that had timing chain issues due to oil, and oil consumption
issues in previous years still recommends the new DEXOS 5w30.
In extreme cold the manual says use 0w30.

Is there an application that calls for 5w20???? :dontknow:

Edited: Don't get me started on oil change places. I will hijack
the thread and rant for an hour about those incompetent, unethical bastards.

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PostPosted: Thu Apr 27, 2017 10:44 am 
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Because being a 20 viscosity, it flows easier than a 30 viscosity which is supposedly to help fuel economy. Whether it does or not, I've not done scientific data to back up any claim.

Both ford and Chrysler love 5W-20. That is what is recommended by Chrysler and is in both of my mini-vans.

You can just see the oil cap on my '07;
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Retired Bonneville Owner and former GM Tech:
2004 Pontiac Bonneville GXP: Black/Ebony *SOLD*

Summer Toys: Combined 827 RWHP / 877lb/ft RWTQ
2004 Pontiac GTO: Impulse Blue Metallic/Black/M6: lots 'o mods, 415 RWHP / 405lb/ft RWTQ!
2006 Cadillac STS-V: Light Platinum Metallic/Light Gray/A6 - Spectre CAI, Magnaflow exhaust, Speed Inc. tune, 412 RWHP / 472lb/ft RWTQ

Daily Drivers:
2019 Chrysler Pacifica Limited: Mommy's new RGC
2015 Chrysler Town & Country Limited Platinum: Kids new RGC
2007 Chrysler Town & Country Limited: Sold to neighbor
2009 Pontiac G8 GT: L76, Sport Red Metallic
2003 Chevrolet Suburban 2500: Doeskin Tan - 8.1L Big Block... new plow truck
1999 Chevrolet Suburban: Sunset Gold Metallic - Daddy's winter beater and plow truck


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 27, 2017 11:02 am 
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Location: Las Cruces, NM
Year and Trim: 1993 Buick Park Avenue
1994 Buick Regal Custom
Thanks for the info so far. One good thing has come of this however, it made me start looking around. I then spotted the 5 quart jug of syntech full synthetic 10w-30 at wally world for under $20. Given that they already charge $10 for the bulk oil, an extra $10 for a full synthetic proper weight oil seems like a better choice, especially with the heat that we get in these parts.

I think I am gonna roll with it for a while, administer a crankcase seafoam treatment, and shortchange the oil.

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~Randall~
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1993 Buick Park Avenue - 197k - Some odds and ends done - Simply won't die
1994 Buick Regal - 78k - Bone stock - Always ready for a good kicking
1990 Oldsmobile 88 - Gone to a better place


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 27, 2017 11:18 am 
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You guys don't have Meijer's down there, do you? It is a midwest based chain (Grand Rapids, MI I believe), but usually the 5 quart jugs of anything are cheaper than anywhere else all day long. No sales, no "If you buy this oil filter with it, this costs...."

Mobil 1 5 quart "jugs" (I like that word), was $24.99 last time I stopped in. Valvoline SynPower was $20.99 I believe.

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Retired Bonneville Owner and former GM Tech:
2004 Pontiac Bonneville GXP: Black/Ebony *SOLD*

Summer Toys: Combined 827 RWHP / 877lb/ft RWTQ
2004 Pontiac GTO: Impulse Blue Metallic/Black/M6: lots 'o mods, 415 RWHP / 405lb/ft RWTQ!
2006 Cadillac STS-V: Light Platinum Metallic/Light Gray/A6 - Spectre CAI, Magnaflow exhaust, Speed Inc. tune, 412 RWHP / 472lb/ft RWTQ

Daily Drivers:
2019 Chrysler Pacifica Limited: Mommy's new RGC
2015 Chrysler Town & Country Limited Platinum: Kids new RGC
2007 Chrysler Town & Country Limited: Sold to neighbor
2009 Pontiac G8 GT: L76, Sport Red Metallic
2003 Chevrolet Suburban 2500: Doeskin Tan - 8.1L Big Block... new plow truck
1999 Chevrolet Suburban: Sunset Gold Metallic - Daddy's winter beater and plow truck


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 27, 2017 11:22 am 
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Location: Las Cruces, NM
Year and Trim: 1993 Buick Park Avenue
1994 Buick Regal Custom
Nope, no Mejirs. We only recently got an Advance Auto, at the expense of a carquest oddly enough.

_________________
~Randall~
ImageImage

1993 Buick Park Avenue - 197k - Some odds and ends done - Simply won't die
1994 Buick Regal - 78k - Bone stock - Always ready for a good kicking
1990 Oldsmobile 88 - Gone to a better place


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 27, 2017 11:41 am 
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Year and Trim: '17 Silverado 1500
Advance bought CarQuest and is closing them all.

I don't think any damage was done, especially if you didn't notice low oil pressure.

I got Pennzoil Platinum 6 packs for $0.99/qt a few weeks ago at a local Farm and Fleet store, after rebate...

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RIP sandrock
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Think about it. You’re tooling down the road in your Prius, knowing full-well that this thing being green is as big a sham as federally mandated ethanol-enriched gas, Russia pulling out of Ukraine, and Obamacare.


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PostPosted: Thu Apr 27, 2017 12:05 pm 
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Joined: Wed May 13, 2009 10:45 pm
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Location: CHICAGO
Year and Trim: 2006 STS-V, 2004 GTO, 2009 G8 GT
Our Farm & Fleet is too spotty on inventory.

They have a great sale, but don't have what I want either brand or grades.

_________________
Image

Retired Bonneville Owner and former GM Tech:
2004 Pontiac Bonneville GXP: Black/Ebony *SOLD*

Summer Toys: Combined 827 RWHP / 877lb/ft RWTQ
2004 Pontiac GTO: Impulse Blue Metallic/Black/M6: lots 'o mods, 415 RWHP / 405lb/ft RWTQ!
2006 Cadillac STS-V: Light Platinum Metallic/Light Gray/A6 - Spectre CAI, Magnaflow exhaust, Speed Inc. tune, 412 RWHP / 472lb/ft RWTQ

Daily Drivers:
2019 Chrysler Pacifica Limited: Mommy's new RGC
2015 Chrysler Town & Country Limited Platinum: Kids new RGC
2007 Chrysler Town & Country Limited: Sold to neighbor
2009 Pontiac G8 GT: L76, Sport Red Metallic
2003 Chevrolet Suburban 2500: Doeskin Tan - 8.1L Big Block... new plow truck
1999 Chevrolet Suburban: Sunset Gold Metallic - Daddy's winter beater and plow truck


Top
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 28, 2017 4:13 pm 
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Location: MN/IA
Year and Trim: '17 Silverado 1500
Yeah, there just happened to be a stack for $2.99/qt, and I grabbed 3 cases, then at checkout the computer told the cashier to tell me there was a rebate. The rebate is $2/qt. Score!

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Bye Bye:
Image
RIP sandrock
Sirius wrote:
Think about it. You’re tooling down the road in your Prius, knowing full-well that this thing being green is as big a sham as federally mandated ethanol-enriched gas, Russia pulling out of Ukraine, and Obamacare.


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