STOP Following OEM Oil Advice (GM Recall Proves Why)

youtube ^ | 3 May, 2025 | The Motor Oil Geek

[MtnClimber]

724,753 views May 3, 2025 #motoroil #chevy #viscosity GM recently issued a recall that impacts Chevy, GMC and Cadillac trucks and SUV’s that feature the 6.2 L87 V8, and even if you don’t have one of these vehicles, it reveals important information. Let’s break down the recall and how it actually busts the internet motor oil myth that you can’t use an oil thicker than what the OEM recommended.

Here is the proper framework for making decisions regarding oil.

Step 1 - Utilize the OEM recommended oil and do two early oil changes during the break-in process (500 to 1,000 miles and again between 3,000 and 4,000 miles). If the engine is already broken-in, skip to step 3.

Step 2 - Take used oil samples at each oil change to establish the trend analysis.

Step 3 - Go 5,000 miles on the third oil change and take a used oil sample. If the wear rate per 1,000 miles is below 5 ppm, you are good. If the wear rate is between 5 ppm and 10 ppm per 1,000 miles, go another 5,000 miles on the OEM recommended oil and resample. If the wear rate is still greater than 5 ppm per 1,000 miles, then move to step 4.

Step 4 - Review the used oil analysis data to see if the OEM recommended oil is falling short in any aspect (low viscosity, additive depletion, higher wear rate). If it is falling short, try a different oil of the same viscosity that meets the OEM spec. Go 3,000 to 4,000 miles on that oil and then refill with that same oil and go another 5,000 miles before taking another sample. See if the change in brand drops the wear rate per 1,000 miles below 5 ppm. If it does, you are good. If it does not, then move to Step 5.

Step 5 - Since the change in brand did not get the wear rate per 1,000 miles below 5 ppm, use next higher viscosity grade of whichever oil had the lowest wear rate per 1,000 miles. If it was the non-OEM brand, resample at 5,000 miles to check the wear rate per 1,000 miles. If it was the OEM brand, you will need to use it for 3,000 to 4,000 miles to flush the non-OEM oil out of the system before going 5,000 miles on the higher viscosity OEM oil to take another sample. If either higher viscosity oil brings the wear rate down, then stay with that viscosity grade. If the wear rate per 1,000 miles is still above 5 ppm, go back to Step 4 and repeat. If the wear rate per 1,000 miles is below 5 ppm, you are good. You can then use the oil analysis results to fine tune the oil change interval.

For more about Oil Analysis, check out: https://www.speediagnostix.com

Here are links to information related to the recall: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2025...

https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/u...

https://gmauthority.com/blog/2014/11/...

Here are the links to the other videos mentioned in this video.

For more on motor oil Viscosity, check out this video: • The "W" DOESN'T Stand For WEIGHT! A C...

For more on the 3 stages of lubrication, check out this video: • Water Skiing Explains LUBRICATION - T...

For more on motor oil wear protection, check out this video: • FAKE Oil Claims: The “Lubricity” Test...

For a deeper dive into the science of lubrication, check out my good friend Rafe Britton's channel ‪@LubricationExplained‬

To learn more about my dad, check out his interview with Dale Earnhardt Jr: • How Lake Speed's Journey Went From Ka...

Who is the ‪@themotoroilgeek‬? I'm a Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers Certified Lubrication Specialist and Oil Monitoring Analyst (I've maintained both of those for over a decade). I also worked for Joe Gibbs Racing for 12 years as their lubricant specialist. During that time, we worked with Wix Filters (one of our sponsors) to test and develop filters for our race engines. We also worked with Lubrizol and Chevron-Phillips Chemical to test and develop oils for our race cars. Following that, I was the head of R&D for Driven Racing Oil. During that time, I formulated and tested over 50 products. We also worked with Cummins, Comp Cams, Oak Ridge National Labs and General Motors on various R&D products. Those efforts are recorded in peer reviewed white papers published by SAE International and ACS Sustainable Chemistry journals. Today, I provide Tribology consulting and used oil analysis via SPEEDiagnostix.

[Lockbox]

The MFGs have been going thinner oil for efficiency requirements. Now it has bit GM in the engine. Some of Toyota’s V6 issue may also be related. Lucky Biden is gone. His group would force GM to use the oil weight used to certify the car.

I did not read a lot of this posting, but yes run the car for a few hundred miles and get the oil out of the engine. That is the “break in” oil. Engines have to wear to get the moving parts set for long life. Remember that oil and filters are cheap! Cheaper to get any wear material out of the engine via oil and filter changes.

[wjcsux]

I use 5W-30 Mobil 1 in my 04 F-150 and have used it since day one. It currently has 250k miles on it with no problems whatsoever. I make it a point to change the oil 4x a year. I use Wix, Baldwin or Hastings oil filters in all my vehicles, the rest of them are crap. Motocraft and AC Delco filters are made by Wix. Here in the southwest U.S., you want the higher viscosity oil, specially in the summer months when temperatures are over 100 degrees F

[Tijeras_Slim]

I live on a street in the NM mountains with 11 houses. There are a total of 8 Toyota pickups. 1984 to 2023, Top mileage is 400K.

[enduserindy]

Actually this is an even bigger, separate issue than the AFM.

[MtnClimber]

The problem with these engines is the Multi-cylinder delete system that GM deployed to satisfy the insane commie CAFE standards imposed by Odinga and Biteme.

I believe it. The rod bearings on the active cylinders would have more force and the crank would have a different vibration pattern/mode. My brother bought a SW package for his laptop computer to modify vehicle SW settings. It ties in over the internet to a big database that tracks the different SW version for a large number of vehicles. I got him to turn off Start/Stop on my Ford F150. I also have a Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing with the LT4 6.2L supercharged V8. It has cylinder deactivation, but I never drive it in a way that it goes into that mode. I am pretty sure I can turn that off too.

[enduserindy]

08 Tahoe same story as yours, 280k. I expect I have been lucky on the AFM but my factory lower end is solid.

[Laslo Fripp]

Do any of the states still have Lemon Laws?

I purchased a Chevrolet with that engine in January of this year. That seems like a lot of hoops to jump through to fix the problem in two or three tries.

[anton]

That failure will be crushing to the enormous numbers of people who will lose use of their trucks since the L87 will never be produced in enough volume to keep up with the failures. And, of course, it may kill GM. And, in the best light, that $80,000 truck becomes a boat anchor at 150,000 miles when the warranty is up.

[anton]

If I had an L87 rig right now I would park it on I71 with the keys in it and call AAA to tow it and give them a nice mile marker on I75 and when it is stolen take the check and never buy another new truck. It may take 5 years to shake out the bugs but then you have a dependable rig.

[DesertRhino]

“I’m a Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers Certified Lubrication Specialist”

I’m NOT going to say that would be a great line for when a mercenary barfly asks what you do. Nope.... I’m not gonna be indecent, not gonna say it.

[Big Red Badger]

Obama Osama Returns....⁴

[onona]

That’s not the problem with these engines and GM knows it. The problem with these engines is the Multi-cylinder delete system that GM deployed to satisfy the insane commie CAFE standards imposed by Odinga and Biteme. Now GM is trying to stave off Armageddon with smoke and mirrors.

This, in a nutshell.

if you have a chevy with the 6.2, woe unto you.

[DesertRhino]

So any idea why they are pushing lower viscosity oils in the first place? I suspect the green agenda somehow...

[wjcsux]

“For a guy who want premium protection, but has a simple mind, is there a sure fire way to achieve long engine life without all the analysis recommended?”
Yes, I change my oil 4x a year in my daily drivers which averages about 3500 miles between oil changes. I change the oil in my 65 Buick Riviera every two years because it doesn’t get any more than 1000 miles per year. I use Wix, Baldwin or Hastings filters, the rest are crap. Wix makes most of the OEM filters. Mobil 1, Castrol, Valvoline or Kendall are the oils that I will use, Pennzoil is crap. I have owned vehicles that have gone way over 250k miles using this methodology.

[DesertRhino]

2003 Tundra... same here.

[RightOnTheBorder]

Autos have sacrificed a great deal of reliability to chase cafe standards. Low viscosity oils, sensors out the wazoo that break and impair the engine, complicated cylinder management, engine shutoffs at stoplights. None of these would exist if it were not for the federal gov.

[Mogger]

For a guy who want premium protection, but has a simple mind, is there a sure fire way to achieve long engine life without all the analysis recommended?

Yes, but I still recommend the oil analysis.

It's around $40 per sample.

First, for under $30, a pump with tubing to suck a sample from the dipstick tube and a kit for the sample, under $40.

Amsoil.com Oil Analysis

Then you suck out the sample and mail it in, it's quite easy.

Or you can skip it, change to Amsoil Signature Series, which you would normally change at 25,000 mile intervals, as I have since 1977.

In these GM engines, if not doing oil analysis, I'd change it a LOT sooner, maybe every 5,000 or 10,000 miles.

I'd do the first change at 3,000 miles or sooner to clean whatever crud is in the engine out, and personally, I'd use Amsoil Engine Flush at the time of the first change.

Amsoil.com Oil

[mabarker1]

Thanks for the info !!!🤪

[Lurker]

I won’t buy either.

So I’m covered.

L

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Toyota. Just remember to ignore the 10,000 miles between a change and do not go beyond 5000, even with synthetic.