VE SS-V GEN4 Engine OIL- Which is best?!

[Blown 454 AWD]

Just ripped my LS2 engine apart. Only ever used castrol edge 0W40. Never had valvetrain noise, start up issues or oil consumption issues.
Clean as a whistle after 150 000km.
Bores are as smooth as a baby's bottom and valve train perfect....no deposits anywhere in the engine

Along with all the forums in the US 0W40 seems the way to go and that's my experience.

LS1s might like 10W60 but not the LS2.

0W40,0W40,0W40,0W40,0W40,0W40,0W40,0W40.

Don't get sucked into to higher oil pressure being a good thing, it just means the the oils too thick and it requires more pressure to move it around.

Full synthetic gives u optimum film strength at the right thickness at operating temperature, hence the 40 in 0W40 and the 0 in the 0W40 means that the oil doesn't thick up when it cools which means better protection at cold start up.

After all the hours and days and weeks of trying to work it out. I am glad I got it right. And I have the proof. AND by no means has the car been babied but after street use and abuse the bottom end is pristine.

CASTROL EDGE 0W40 FULL SYNTHETIC....PERIOD

Great feedback and its good to see the range of Edge performing well in this application.

Two questions must be asked ....

How do you know LS2's don't like 10w60, I have many happy one's with no dramas.

How do you know that 10w60 wouldn't protect your engine even more, providing even less wear than you received with the 0W40

Just thoughts that popped out when reading your post.

Cheers

Steve

[Roonstain]

The thing that got my attention from that was comparing US data and experience to Australia. What weather conditions are common in the areas the 0w40 data came from?
Need to compare apples with apples - if you live somewhere where frost is non existent etc, the thickening when really cold is a non issue

[Blown 454 AWD]

The thing that got my attention from that was comparing US data and experience to Australia. What weather conditions are common in the areas the 0w40 data came from?
Need to compare apples with apples - if you live somewhere where frost is non existent etc, the thickening when really cold is a non issue

+1 Good point Roonstain

Cheers

[chocco]

Thanks for all the great input.

So this is what I am going to go with.

1) 10,000 km Oil Change Mobil 1 5W 30, with a Mobil 1 EP Oil Filter and FilterMag.

2) 15,000 km Oil Change Edge 10W 60, with a Mobil 1 EP Oil Filter and FilterMag.

3) I will cut open the oil filter at both 15,000 and then 20,000km and take happy snaps of what the FilterMag has trapped. Considering the car does only 10,000km a year, I won't know the results for 12 months, so stay tuned !!

[vitob2006]

Great feedback and its good to see the range of Edge performing well in this application.

Two questions must be asked ....

How do you know LS2's don't like 10w60, I have many happy one's with no dramas.

How do you know that 10w60 wouldn't protect your engine even more, providing even less wear than you received with the 0W40

Just thoughts that popped out when reading your post.

Cheers

Steve

Hi steve,

On both your questions, I dont.
However after seeing the way mine has responded to that oil spec which is consistent with massive amount of info on the forums from the LS2 C6 to the GTOs, there is a general consensus.
As you can appreciate the only evidence that an oil has performed well is when an engine is dissembled and inspected. After 150 000km of meticulous maintenance the engine was pristine. Bores showed no sign of wear, nor did the camshaft, lifters, and valve train. Sump was perfectly clean.
This gives not only information of the oil's performance at operating temperature but also at cold start when 70-80% of engine wear occurs...of course we are talking about a daily driven car not one which is exposed to the extremes of racing applications.
During my engine rebuild I had the assistance of my mechanic who has over 10 years experience in engine building and a mechanical engineer (my neighbor) with 40 years experience in engine design and fault finding, and both have said that quote, 'this engine looks as though it had just been built.'

Is this a surprise....NO WAY....0W40 gave me the best protection based on correct viscosity, thickness and film strength at both cold and operating temperatures.
After all this, my point being, my findings are consistent with all the information and oil debates for the LS2 engines especially from engine builders in the USA..0W40 full synthetic is the best oil for the LS2.

On a side note my routine was:
Oil change every 8000-10000km
engine flush 20 mins
oil filter K & N with magnet
Castrol Edge 0W40

Hope this qualifies my previous post.

[One tonner]

I asked my dealer this question today on our VE 2 SSV, as I intend to change the oil every 7K

Responce was:

The oils that we use is Castrol.

You have three choices of oils that is

Magnatec 10W30

Castrol Edge 0W40, This is the preferred oil, ( I dont know why sorry guys)

Castrol Edge Sport 5W30

Just to drag this thread back up.

I had another chat to the dealer today and asked why Castrol Edge 0W40 there prefered oil. The responce was that the L77 AFM 6lt motor fitted in the series two VE has higher tolerances in the engine even compaired to the series one 6lt.

I asked him about 10W60 Castrol Edge Sport, he thought it would be a bit thick for the L77 AFM motor.

After re-reading this whole thread, I would like Steve to give his take on the L77 AFM business, from what I have read here 10W60 Castrol would still be suitable for the L77 motor.

[Roonstain]

Mate, your dealer is bullsh!tting you or is on the crack pipe.......

The tolerances in your motor are no different to an L98, L76, LS2, LS3 etc etc. He was just saying that to justify his dealership oil choice.

If you don't intend on giving your car a hard time, then you will be like most holden buyers and the 0w30, 5w30, 0w40 etc will be ok - if you intend on some mods and giving it a little bit more of a hard time (going to the track, running a bigger cam etc etc) then I personally think you would be stupid not to get some 10w60.

[HYMEY]

I used to use 10w60 a lot, I live in warmer climate and have switched to valvoline xld! No shit! It is the best stuff I have used in them, quieter on cold start/hot start, fuel economy is great, is very cheap and change it every 5000kms or less.

[BLACKVE]

I used to use 10w60 a lot, I live in warmer climate and have switched to valvoline xld! No shit! It is the best stuff I have used in them, quieter on cold start/hot start, fuel economy is great, is very cheap and change it every 5000kms or less.

Joel what rating is that??? I love the edge 10w60 in my VE an used it in my VY (55000km's)but the vy rattles abit more(valve train noise) much better on magnatec 10w40 DAD always used castrol and i'm staying the same.

Adelaide is interesting weather wise can be zero degress in winter mornings and mid 40's in summer

[chevypower]

I use Royal Purple, and don't think I will switch to any other brand now.

[tomholzy]

yeah I just put royal purple 10w40 in

[One tonner]

Mate, your dealer is bullsh!tting you or is on the crack pipe.......

The tolerances in your motor are no different to an L98, L76, LS2, LS3 etc etc. He was just saying that to justify his dealership oil choice.

If you don't intend on giving your car a hard time, then you will be like most holden buyers and the 0w30, 5w30, 0w40 etc will be ok - if you intend on some mods and giving it a little bit more of a hard time (going to the track, running a bigger cam etc etc) then I personally think you would be stupid not to get some 10w60.

Lol Roonstain, I would agree.

Well put some 10W60 Castrol edge in the wagon today. God knows what that "donkeys blood" is from the factory but its like bloody water and black "as" only after 5000Ks, so glad I changed it.

Donk was never noisy but I am sure she is happier with the Castrol in her, thanks for the advice guys.

[EfiJy]

I used to use 10w60 a lot, I live in warmer climate and have switched to valvoline xld! No shit! It is the best stuff I have used in them, quieter on cold start/hot start, fuel economy is great, is very cheap and change it every 5000kms or less.

Isn't the Valvaline XLD a slightly thicker oil on startup?

I've used Penrite and Castrol edge 10W oils and so far i get the valvetrain piston slap noise on startup.

I'd like to know what the original owner used because I distinctly remember firing the car up for the first time in the morning and it didn't make any noise. This was before the deal was done.

[swifty2happy]

Isn't the Valvaline XLD a slightly thicker oil on startup?

I've used Penrite and Castrol edge 10W oils and so far i get the valvetrain piston slap noise on startup.

I'd like to know what the original owner used because I distinctly remember firing the car up for the first time in the morning and it didn't make any noise. This was before the deal was done.

like wise iv got a VE SS ute running castrol 10w60 (just recently added) and on start up i get valvetrain piston slap noise on startup.

going to try castrol 0w40 or penrite 5w40

[swifty2happy]

running castrol 0w40 now alot smoother in the mornings on startup, live in canberra temps are getting very cold in the mornings and at night when i leave work. will move to 10w60 in the summer.

just my 2 cents