Post your latest oil change.

[Ubiquity]

Castrol Edge & ACDELCO PF63

Protection for Too many Miles to count 

None added

 

Latest:

19 October 2025 Odometer: 74,502 (2,095 mi.)

[Total 2,268.9 (82 hrs)]

[Remaining 68%] (21.9 mpg) 

 

Previous

28 April 2025  Odometer: 72,407 (4,789 Interval)  [Total 2,186.9 Hrs]

[Remaining 31%] (21.5 mpg) 

[Black02Silverado]

On 9/22/2025 at 1:00 PM, PunchT37 said:

Here’s mine. 
 

Interesting.  3k miles and it sheered down? Fuel dilution test from Blackstone isn't very reliable.  Oil Analyzers would be a better choice and to my knowledge less in cost, especially if you are a Preferred Customer.  Every consider using them?

[PunchT37]

3 hours ago, Black02Silverado said:

Interesting.  3k miles and it sheered down? Fuel dilution test from Blackstone isn't very reliable.  Oil Analyzers would be a better choice and to my knowledge less in cost, especially if you are a Preferred Customer.  Every consider using them?

Yeah. That got me thinking. Lab QC not there? I do a water lab so, there can be errors in lab work. I have stayed so far as to watch the copper trends without changing labs.

 

New 5.3 with fuel dilution? Hmm. I`m not buying that viscosity report. So, how bout the rest? Hmm. Copper should have come down by now. External oil cooler or not.

[Grumpy Bear]

45 minutes ago, PunchT37 said:

Yeah. That got me thinking. Lab QC not there? I do a water lab so, there can be errors in lab work. I have stayed so far as to watch the copper trends without changing labs.

 

New 5.3 with fuel dilution? Hmm. I`m not buying that viscosity report. So, how bout the rest? Hmm. Copper should have come down by now. External oil cooler or not.

 

Pretty rare for any GDI motor to not display some fuel dilution. Has to do with the fact that cold it doesn't vaporize the fuel, it atomizes it and the silly practice of over rich cold starts with really late ignition timing. A practice used to get the cats up to temperature quicker. Burning fuel in them.  If you lab used GC instead of a 'crackle test' I'd expect you would see  a percent or so. 

 

Copper in Ecotec3 motors is not uncommon. Platform specific. Hemi's do this too. Pepper at 165K still showed about the same amount she did at 80K. I don't worry about it. She's nearing 200K and runs like top. Should have latest results some time this week. 

 

I don't know what oil you are using but shear down of the VM is absolutely possible in that short of time. What we considered a flaw a few decades ago in VM chemistry is now advertised as a 'Feature". One used to get enough viscosity driven fuel economy improvement into the 20 and 30 grade oils. ILSAC GF-6 and API SP requirements. It's the main reason I don't use them and vis up one grade when I am forced to.  

 

IMO using a better lab would be helpful. Ask Nick. @Black02Silverado. I use his lab and get good service. 

[PunchT37]

5 minutes ago, Grumpy Bear said:

 

Pretty rare for any GDI motor to not display some fuel dilution. Has to do with the fact that cold it doesn't vaporize the fuel, it atomizes it and the silly practice of over rich cold starts with really late ignition timing. A practice used to get the cats up to temperature quicker. Burning fuel in them.  If you lab used GC instead of a 'crackle test' I'd expect you would see  a percent or so. 

 

Copper in Ecotec3 motors is not uncommon. Platform specific. Hemi's do this too. Pepper at 165K still showed about the same amount she did at 80K. I don't worry about it. She's nearing 200K and runs like top. Should have latest results some time this week. 

 

I don't know what oil you are using but shear down of the VM is absolutely possible in that short of time. What we considered a flaw a few decades ago in VM chemistry is now advertised as a 'Feature". One used to get enough viscosity driven fuel economy improvement into the 20 and 30 grade oils. ILSAC GF-6 and API SP requirements. It's the main reason I don't use them and vis up one grade when I am forced to.  

 

IMO using a better lab would be helpful. Ask Nick. @Black02Silverado. I use his lab and get good service. 

Where the hell is this copper coming from? These engines ain`t all that complex.

[Grumpy Bear]

3 hours ago, PunchT37 said:

Where the hell is this copper coming from? These engines ain`t all that complex.

 

I honestly don't know. But I do know a fella that has Lake Speed looking into it for his Hemi. Lake didn't know either but is investigating it. 

[customboss]

Worked with Evan who is younger than me but @Grumpy Bear watch this because you are a data guy. 

[OnTheReel]

On 10/20/2025 at 5:12 AM, Black02Silverado said:

Interesting.  3k miles and it sheered down? Fuel dilution test from Blackstone isn't very reliable.  Oil Analyzers would be a better choice and to my knowledge less in cost, especially if you are a Preferred Customer.  Every consider using them?

I don’t doubt it sheared. Look at the factory fill result and then imagine someone running that out the full interval as most people do. Stuff can get real ugly in a hurry running with what amounts to an SAE 16 in a full sized truck! 
 

That said, Blackstone tends to undershoot viscosity too so perhaps things aren’t quite as bad as they appear. I used to appreciate that lab making analysis more accessible to people who otherwise wouldn’t bother. But they really gotta clean things up there. They are charging more than ever and making people wait a month or more. All just to receive bad advice and inaccurate data. Imagine if this was done in the medical field. “Well your liver is failing but our lab doesn’t really see the issue, so just keep drinking”…

[customboss]

On 10/20/2025 at 7:31 AM, PunchT37 said:

Yeah. That got me thinking. Lab QC not there? I do a water lab so, there can be errors in lab work. I have stayed so far as to watch the copper trends without changing labs.

 

New 5.3 with fuel dilution? Hmm. I`m not buying that viscosity report. So, how bout the rest? Hmm. Copper should have come down by now. External oil cooler or not.

Do you add octane booster to this engine? Manganese is incredibly elevated. Remind me what engine and oil and viscosity? 

[PunchT37]

1 hour ago, customboss said:

Do you add octane booster to this engine? Manganese is incredibly elevated. Remind me what engine and oil and viscosity? 

No octane booster. L84 with Valvoline Advanced 5w30. 7800 miles on it now. A year old tomorrow. Didn`t even get my free oil change from the dealer.

[customboss]

7 minutes ago, PunchT37 said:

No octane booster. L84 with Valvoline Advanced 5w30. 7800 miles on it now. A year old tomorrow. Didn`t even get my free oil change from the dealer.

Then the manganese is a valve alloy leachate. 
Valvoline runs a bit less viscous than other lubes brands. So 9 cSt is just fine @100C. 
 

GM uses a sintered bearing bushing and the copper leaches off that a long time. 
 

I still cant figure out the copper on the 6.4 MOPAR. 

[PunchT37]

4 minutes ago, customboss said:

Then the manganese is a valve alloy leachate. 
Valvoline runs a bit less viscous than other lubes brands. So 9 cSt is just fine @100C. 
 

GM uses a sintered bearing bushing and the copper leaches off that a long time. 
 

I still cant figure out the copper on the 6.4 MOPAR. 

Bearing bushing? My brain might be shot but, I can`t picture this thing. Front of the cam area? Cam phaser?

[customboss]

1 hour ago, PunchT37 said:

Bearing bushing? My brain might be shot but, I can`t picture this thing. Front of the cam area? Cam phaser?

Main bearing caps alloy I think. 

[PunchT37]

Or, the mains?

 

Wonder what this coating is made of? The stop/start engines have these. Not the L83/L86.

 

[customboss]

2 minutes ago, PunchT37 said:

Or, the mains?

 

Wonder what this coating is made of? The stop/start engines have these. Not the L83/L86.

 

The bearings in the GM 5.3L L84 engine commonly use copper-based alloys for strength, wear resistance, and durability. Specifically, the main and rod bearings typically feature:
•    Copper-Lead Alloy: A traditional bearing material combining copper with lead, offering excellent load-carrying capacity and fatigue resistance.
•    Copper-Tin Alloy: An alloy that enhances strength and wear properties, often used in engine bearings to handle the stresses of internal combustion.
•    Layers or Coatings: These bearings often have layered constructions, with a steel backing for support, a copper or copper alloy intermediate layer for strength, and a soft overlay (like babbitt or a tin alloy) on the surface to provide conformability and embed debris.
In modern GM engines like the L84, the use of copper-based alloy bearings reflects a balance of durability, friction reduction, and compatibility with the engine’s lubrication system, which includes specific synthetic oils recommended for the engine. These alloys help withstand the high loads and temperatures inside the engine while providing good resistance to fatigue and seizure.
Overall, copper is a crucial base metal in these bearing alloys, enabling long-lasting engine performance in the L84 5.3L V8.