Yeah, my 2004 5.3 uses 6 quarts too. I am using the mobile 1 oil filter m1-107, its the pf46 equiv, and quaker state high performance synthetic 10w30.

 

so its safe to say that you can switch the syn say 4000 miles? I am in the same boat, time for the first oil change.

 

You get all kinds of answers to that so who knows for sure? One thing I heard from a 'guru' was to use a synthetic blend once and use full syn after that.

 

Going full sythetic your first oil change is OK. Some vehicles (vettes) come with sythetic from the factory.

=Dave

 

Interesting. You and someone else say they use 10w-30 in summer and 5w-30 in the winter.


This is not beneficial in any way. Heres why:

10w-30 or 5w-30 represents a multi viscosity oil. The lower # being the the weight of the oil at start up (cold temps) and the high # being the weight at full operating temp.

At 20*F the 5w will be 5 weight and the 10w will be 10 weight. Making the 5w lighter and more fluid, so it would make sense to use the 5w in the winter.
But in the summer when it is 90*F ( these temps are for example only) and your engine and oil is already 85*F your 10w will be more like 15w at this time and so will the 5w oil. So it is easy to see there is no benfit from 10w in the summer at start up.

Now for the 30 part. 30 means 30 weight. It is the maximum weight your oil can reach under full operating temperature. And since 5w-30 and 10w-30 both max out at the same weight it would make more sense to run 5w-30 all the time because you will have broarder protection year round.

If anything you could run a 10w-40 in the summer for a little extra protection, but I don't think it is neccesary and the manufacture does not recommend it.


=Dave

 

Or you could just use the weight thats listed on your fill cap. And when filling the oil to make sure you get the right amount just check the dipstick, thats usually the safest way to tell how much more to add. When you get to the full mark start the truck let it run for a few seconds then shut it off wait and then check it again. Then you know for sure. Or do what I do and take the oil and filter to the dealer where your father inlaw in service manager and let them do it so if it gets messed up someone else can pay for the F*** up. Either way just use what you think is best because what I use you may not like and vice versa.

 

the problem with that theory is the wider the spread on the multi viscosity oil, the sooner and easier it is to get it to break down. this is the reason 10w40 is so unpopular. 5w30 is considerably more likely to break down than 10w30.

 

I think this was true on the motor oil of yesterday. The technology and chemistry used today eliminates that problem. So much so, that they have even wider viscosity oils like 0w-30.

=Dave

 

I've been using Mobil 1 5w30 since about 700 mi. Used to switch to 10w30 in the summer, but now just stick with 5w30 year round.

 

I did my first oil change at about 4500 miles. The truck runs hard for stock, and doesn't use a bit of oil. Mobil 1, is what I use now.

Bruce