[Barry Allen]

I use a larger filter than the manual specifies

Isn't the filter an internal cartridge type? How do you use a larger filter?

 

[Barry Allen]

Screw on.

Ah, OK. My diesel uses a cartridge.

Back in my oil change days during college, we used to sometimes play the "bigger filter" trick on some vehicles. We had an oil filter book with all the specs, so you'd have to make sure the threads were the same AND the bypass pressure was the same AND the gasket size was the same. Even then, there was a risk with some installations because the filters screwed on horizontal instead of vertical. For a horizontal installation you want an integrated anti-drainback valve to ensure the filter stays relatively full of oil for cold starts. If not, you get a period of time where oil isn't pumping under pressure to the bearings. That, and if the oil drains out of the filter to the pan you can pull the dipstick and end up with customers saying it was over-filled even though it's the correct quantity of oil to fill both the pan and the filter.

My advice to people was to go buy QUALITY oil filters instead of the cheapest orange canister Fram filters we used. Even the next tier up (I think they are "Tough Guard") from Fram is better than their cheapest. My go-to brand at the time was Purolator. After cutting apart a bunch of filters to check inside, Purolator built good filters where Fram were cheap.

 

[Barry Allen]

Honestly, it's pretty annoying with the cruze hunting down the filters sometimes.

I drive a diesel so my experience is different. I stumbled across a price-match deal on the Walmart app, so I got about a half-dozen K&N filters for $5 each. I've been using them with the Pennzoil I also bought at Walmart because it's the only store I find that easily stocks Dexos2 oil.

When I use up my last stock next time, I'm just going back to the dealership for oil changes. It's $39.95 there and you get AC Delco full synthetic oil and their AC Delco filter. That, and for $10 more you get a tire rotation.

$50 is as cheap as it comes for both of those as long as I remind the oil change guys to recalibrate the tire pressure monitors.

 

[Barry Allen]

gonna use this stuff tomorrow car has 85k now gonna try some 91 tomorrow and some lucas injector cleaner also!

Torco SX-8 100% Synthetic Engine Oil

Torco SX-8 is a 100% synthetic motor oil designed to address Low Speed Pre-Ignition (LSPI) Best for modern high performance street car. Meets dexos1 Gen2, API SN Plus. Available in 0W20, 5W20 and 5W30.

torcousa.com

You can't just find a Wal-Mart or any auto parts store and buy regular oil? You have to purposely seek out the weirdest stuff ever found to try?

 

[Barry Allen]

has to be better than the oem gm synthetic mix they normally use at the dealer

I believe dexos1 has been updated (the "Generation 2" oils) and the spec now require full synthetic oil.

The AC Delco synthetic oils are quite good - just as good as lots of others out there on the shelf. I use the dexos2 oil for my diesel and it's AC Delco that the dealership puts in the car. It's a full synthetic oil.

 

[Barry Allen]

why is this the weirdest stuff to buy? my friend works for them and its all i use in my camaro but the race oil...its some of the best out there on the market

What will the oil do that other oils don't? What will you do with the oil?

If all you are going to do is change the engine oil at the regular intervals (is the gasoline engine a 7,500 mile interval?), it's easiest to find a good synthetic oil (Mobil 1, Pennzoil, AC Delco, etc.) at the auto parts stores or Chevy parts counters and just use that.

After looking at what it takes for me to "do my own oil changes" on my diesel Cruze, it's not worth it. I live in an apartment and I don't have a lift, so my efforts consist of finding Pennzoil at Wal-mart for about $23 and then I've got some K&N oil filters for $6 each. Then, I go to the cheapest oil change place in town and it's $20 for them to drain and fill with my own supplies. OR, I can take the car to the dealership and an oil change is $40 with AC Delco synthetic oil (which I believe is made by Mobil) and the OEM oil filter. Another $10 gets me a tire rotation, and the people doing the oil change have the tool to reset the tire pressure monitor so the pressure in the tires reads correctly on the display. I'm in and out in about 15 minutes from the dealer for $50, and they give me the 6th quart of oil to have for topping up if I need it.