Best Motor Oil For '06 Lucerne 3.8V6?

[Rodster]

On the oil cap, there's no mention of Dexos requirement. The vehicle currently has 75K miles and drives strong. Would you guys recommend sticking with conventional oil, or switch to a HM syn-blend or go full synthetic? A friend of mine put full synthetic oil in his 2002 Impala and he began to notice oil leaks and he also claims it began to burn thru oil much quicker. Maybe it was all a coincidence but I just wanted to ask the experts.

 

[MelsRegal]

Brand name synthetic with the viscosity listed on cap.

 

[BuickGirlFromMars]

On the oil cap, there's no mention of Dexos requirement. The vehicle currently has 75K miles and drives strong. Would you guys recommend sticking with conventional oil, or switch to a HM syn-blend or go full synthetic? A friend of mine put full synthetic oil in his 2002 Impala and he began to notice oil leaks and he also claims it began to burn thru oil much quicker. Maybe it was all a coincidence but I just wanted to ask the experts.

what is your ambient weather like? if it gets cold in winter, im talking below 0, 0w-30 synthetic could be used safely till spring. but depending on how often you change your oil you may want to decide differently. if you will be taking this oil change till next summer, 5w-30. if you live where its above 32 all year round, 10w30. Etc.

 

[2007LucerneCXL]

5W-30, regular oil, blend or full synthetic all will work but it's the oil filter that is important, which is usually omitted every time this question comes up lol. If known what has been used stick with that, no mention of estimated yearly mileage which may be something to consider.

On the 3.8L S3 the GM tolerance for oil consumption is 1qt per 3000 miles, which if going for the 5000 mileage synthetic oil change and not checking it regularly prior to 5K things may not work out to well.

 

[silvex]

I have a 2007 lucerne 3.8 V6 with 210k (engine rebuilt). I have been using HM Mobil full synthetic 5w-30 with ACdelcor filter. no issuers.

 

[Will Black]

I don't mean to be a Debbie downer but oil filters only go 2000 miles. I know that this is about oil but any quality oil will do because you should change your oil every 2000 miles. There is not one oil filter that goes any farther and it's been that way since the canister filter was invented. I know this because I sold oil filters(Hastings filters).So pick a good quality oil whether or not it's synthetic or not change every 2000 miles and you can get three hundred thousand miles like I have. The 3.8 is a bulletproof motor at least as far as I'm concerned lol

 

[silvex]

I don't mean to be a Debbie downer but oil filters only go 2000 miles. I know that this is about oil but any quality oil will do because you should change your oil every 2000 miles. There is not one oil filter that goes any farther and it's been that way since the canister filter was invented. I know this because I sold oil filters(Hastings filters).So pick a good quality oil whether or not it's synthetic or not change every 2000 miles and you can get three hundred thousand miles like I have. The 3.8 is a bulletproof motor at least as far as I'm concerned lol

So you change oil filter every 2k miles? In newer cars 10k-15k oil change interval you do 5-7 oil filter changes? I've never heard of this 2k miles oil filter limit.

 

[BuickGirlFromMars]

So you change oil filter every 2k miles? In newer cars 10k-15k oil change interval you do 5-7 oil filter changes? I've never heard of this 2k miles oil filter limit.

you drain the oil out into a clean pan, change the filter, and pour the oil back in!!

 

[MelsRegal]

you drain the oil out into a clean pan, change the filter, and pour the oil back in!!

Are you saying you change the filter on your car's at 2k? Have worked on car's since 68 and never came across anybody, even with conventional oil, changing filters at 2k.

 

[2007LucerneCXL]

Says the guy who used to sell oil filters. Hopefully no former ACDELCO spark plug sales people post or the plugs will be charged every 10K.

 

[Will Black]

you drain the oil out into a clean pan, change the filter, and pour the oil back in!!

I knew I going to start something but what the oil filters problem is surface area and in a 3 inch can you can only put so much. Most people spend their money on the high end oil filter and not the most important filter the air filter by the end of 2000 miles the oil filter will have been saturated and if it doesn't collapse the bypass will open. I know that you don't believe me but cut an oil filter open after 3000 miles you will find that the bypass will have open. At idle the filter might work but at higher RPM's not so much. And yes Hastings has done lots of research on this. So people opt to put in high mileage synthetic oil but change the filter every 2000 miles. Always remember the air filter is the most important the cleaner the air the longer the oil will be clean. Yes I do change my oil and filters both oil and air every 2000 miles. From my 68 Riv to my 07 Lucerne and if you check the 68 Riviera's owners manual it will tell you to change your oil every 2000 miles.... Not every 3000 miles like every one else did. Yes I've been retired from Hastings for twenty years but it's still physics there's only so much space inside that can.... sorry I didn't mean to get everyone up in arms with me.😁

 

[BuickGirlFromMars]

I knew I going to start something but what the oil filters problem is surface area and in a 3 inch can you can only put so much. Most people spend their money on the high end oil filter and not the most important filter the air filter by the end of 2000 miles the oil filter will have been saturated and if it doesn't collapse the bypass will open. I know that you don't believe me but cut an oil filter open after 3000 miles you will find that the bypass will have open. At idle the filter might work but at higher RPM's not so much. And yes Hastings has done lots of research on this. So people opt to put in high mileage synthetic oil but change the filter every 2000 miles. Always remember the air filter is the most important the cleaner the air the longer the oil will be clean. It's just physics

okay but you can put a nice oil filter on, and you can change your oil regularly, and you can replace your air filter when you should and you will do only good things. All three things done will mean your oil filter does more of its job. If a lucerne can fit a longer filter(I wouldnt know) its worth putting one on. @2007LucerneCXL do you know if it can on a 3800 series 3 on a lucerne?

Also, even a clean filter will never run all the oil through it. it just cant keep that volume up, its designed that way. i wouldnt recommend going more than 5-7k on a 3800 oil change and me personally I never go more than 3000-5000 miles. Full synthetic and a good filter, change the filter everytime you do oil change. Ignore GM in the owners manual suggesting you do the filter every other oil change, thats just moronic.

 

[2007LucerneCXL]

I don't think there is a clearance problem on a taller filter as the S2 and S3 are the same, but never really measured. Tossing on a couple of oil filter magnets or running twin remote oil filters are options but just using a quality filter and changing it with the oil has been working forever.

 

[WalmartTech21]

okay but you can put a nice oil filter on, and you can change your oil regularly, and you can replace your air filter when you should and you will do only good things. All three things done will mean your oil filter does more of its job. If a lucerne can fit a longer filter(I wouldnt know) its worth putting one on. @2007LucerneCXL do you know if it can on a 3800 series 3 on a lucerne?

Also, even a clean filter will never run all the oil through it. it just cant keep that volume up, its designed that way. i wouldnt recommend going more than 5-7k on a 3800 oil change and me personally I never go more than 3000-5000 miles. Full synthetic and a good filter, change the filter everytime you do oil change. Ignore GM in the owners manual suggesting you do the filter every other oil change, thats just moronic.

At work, I recommend the 5K-7K oil changes on everything because of how nearly every oil you can buy today is a synthetic blend. the only ones I recommend that they stick to the old 3k/3 month interval are the engines that don't tolerate any sort of neglect (basically the LY7 and LLT High Feature V6s in the 2008-2017 Enclave, 2005-2011 LaCrosse, and 2004-2007 Rendezvous)

 

[BuickGirlFromMars]

At work, I recommend the 5K-7K oil changes on everything because of how nearly every oil you can buy today is a synthetic blend. the only ones I recommend that they stick to the old 3k/3 month interval are the engines that don't tolerate any sort of neglect (basically the LY7 and LLT High Feature V6s in the 2008-2017 Enclave, 2005-2011 LaCrosse, and 2004-2007 Rendezvous)

yes, those cars if i rememeber right had a TSB for changing the oil life monitors to recommend more frequent oil changes

 

[G-975183]

So you change oil filter every 2k miles? In newer cars 10k-15k oil change interval you do 5-7 oil filter changes? I've never heard of this 2k miles oil filter limit.

Holy crap i would never wait 15k for an oil change, thats car suicide, 3k is what i stick to. 5k max then it gets risky. At 15k the oil is able to start to gel up and turn to jello, which is mostly unrelated to the filter. ever seen a video of an engine that looks like gelatin mixed with the oil? Like where it gets bouncy, thats because the owner hadnt been doing their routine oil changes.
And if you are gonna change the filter then why not change the oil as well? Ive never heard the 2k limit on the filter but I guess it depends on how long you want your engine to last? ya should just do your oil change and filter every 2-5k miles imo