How often should i chg sc oil?

[LEGTP03]

How often and is there a better oil than the GM oil? Something synthetic?

Thanks

[Scottydoggs]

every 30,000 should do it for ya, and stick with the gm s/c oil, some state its 4 dollars a bottle and some its 20 like here in jersey, you need 2, 4 oz bottles.

yeah i got raped by the dealer

[LEGTP03]

Thanks Scott, I'll let ya know how much it is in MA...

[RegalGS98s]

Be warned, it smells really bad after it's been used, lol. And usually you just need to check the level of the fluid every 30,000 miles or so. A complete fluid change shouldn't be needed unless you're changing the coupler. The allen key fill hole is known to strip, so put some penetrating oil on it and let it soak in first. And if you're going to change all the fluid, I used a vac pump used for brake bleeding with a canister to suck as much liquid out as I could before separating the nose when I changed the coupler.

[Zef_66]

I change mine every 30k miles.

And yes, stick with the GM oil. If you can't get it locally for cheap, you can get it from ZZP, or ebay (which might be ZZP still).

Here are two for about $12/bottle shipped.

Genuine GM 12345982 Supercharger Oil NEW! | eBay

GM Performance Supercharger Oil 12345982 | eBay

[blueguy]

Mobil 1 0W-30.

Like 4 bucks for a quart of it...and should last the lifetime of your car to be honest...or at least as long as you keep it.

I will never buy GM S/C Oil again for a few reasons...

1) Price.
2) Smell after use.
3) Mobil 0W-30 keeps the snout temps AT LEAST 20-30 degrees cooler.

Some people like the idea...others don't. It's your call. I've been using it since my motor build last year...and have about 12k on it now. Other's have been using it since it hit shelves a few years ago still with no issues.

[fubar569]

Mobil 1 0W-30.

Like 4 bucks for a quart of it...and should last the lifetime of your car to be honest...or at least as long as you keep it.

I will never buy GM S/C Oil again for a few reasons...

1) Price.
2) Smell after use.
3) Mobil 0W-30 keeps the snout temps AT LEAST 20-30 degrees cooler.

Some people like the idea...others don't. It's your call. I've been using it since my motor build last year...and have about 12k on it now. Other's have been using it since it hit shelves a few years ago still with no issues.

temp drops are good. is this really true?

[Zef_66]

Mobil 1 0W-30.

Like 4 bucks for a quart of it...and should last the lifetime of your car to be honest...or at least as long as you keep it.

I will never buy GM S/C Oil again for a few reasons...

1) Price.
2) Smell after use.
3) Mobil 0W-30 keeps the snout temps AT LEAST 20-30 degrees cooler.

Some people like the idea...others don't. It's your call. I've been using it since my motor build last year...and have about 12k on it now. Other's have been using it since it hit shelves a few years ago still with no issues.

For me, I would never use synthetic motor oil. It is not made for our superchargers. The oil that our SCs use has very specific properties and is recommended for a reason. Motor oil has never been recommended by GM or even Eaton for the Gen III or the Gen V supercharger. They only recommend the GM oil.

And some people will spend hundreds of dollars modding their car and making it look nice, but want to go the cheap way out and save $10 on supercharger fluid? Makes no sense to me. Stick with what is recommended by the manufacture.

So what tests have you done to confirm that the temp drops 20-30°?

[blueguy]

I haven't done them...Synthetic Shield (Scotty) did. Who is a AMSOil Tech. You can notice the temp drop by even touching it. Normally it scorches your hand if you grab onto it...now I can hold onto it. Like I said, some people like the idea...some people don't. Just because it costs more doesn't always mean it is the best route to take. ALSO, when GM ran out of S/C oil at dealerships, the recommened replacement is Mobil1 Synthetic. TLSheff even has pictures of the bulletin he took and posted here...which wasn't for public eyes, dealer employees only.

Dexcool is recommened by GM, you saw where that one went with the huge lawsuit.

[cliffdawg]

hmmm i might try that one time

[blueguy]

I'm not trying to steer people away, just giving them options.

$12 for 8oz. of fluid from GM

OR

$4~ for a QUART from your local Auto Parts Store/Walmart.

[Zef_66]

I haven't done them...Synthetic Shield (Scotty) did. Who is a AMSOil Tech. You can notice the temp drop by even touching it. Normally it scorches your hand if you grab onto it...now I can hold onto it. Like I said, some people like the idea...some people don't. Just because it costs more doesn't always mean it is the best route to take. ALSO, when GM ran out of S/C oil at dealerships, the recommened replacement is Mobil1 Synthetic. TLSheff even has pictures of the bulletin he took and posted here...which wasn't for public eyes, dealer employees only.

Dexcool is recommened by GM, you saw where that one went with the huge lawsuit.

I have seen the TSB from 1998 and recommended for the series I 3800 engines which had a totally different supercharger, an M62. If there has been a service bulletin for out M90 Gen III, then I have never seen. As far as I know, the GM oil is still the recommended fill.

Also, if I remember correctly, along with telling the GM dealers to use synthetic motor oil back in 1998, they also recommended to change the fluid more often. So now you are changing the oil every 10k miles because it is just synthetic motor oil? Is it really a savings?

But the issues with using another fluid is quite deep. We have discussed this in detail before on here. But the GM supercharger fluid was specifically designed for the snout and the conditions it sees. Motor oil is designed to be used in an engine.

If you want I can go into further detail on the differences.

Dexcool is recommened by GM, you saw where that one went with the huge lawsuit.

I agree. But in this case, the oil is recommended by Eaton who makes the blowers. GM is just providing the fluid to Eaton's specs.

[matt5112]

I am now officially curious what ford s/c fluid costs....

[blueguy]

Well...if it ever comes down to it...if it is this price on the internet...god help Ford owners at the dealership...also FWIW, it is listed as Synthetic.

Mustangs Unlimited - The Premier Source for Mustang, Shelby and Cougar Parts and Accessories

[QUICKSILVER462]

I agree with Bluegtp91, the reason is because when I did my coupler on my sueprcharger, I used the oil ZZP sent me, and it had to have been synth. motor
oil because, that was what it looked like. It was not the nasty oil that GM
uses. The coupler was changed at 140k an now it has 160k on it, still running great,
although I don't think I filled it all the way either, I just used all that was sent to me
from ZZP.

[Zef_66]

I agree with Bluegtp91, the reason is because when I did my coupler on my sueprcharger, I used the oil ZZP sent me, and it had to have been synth. motor
oil because, that was what it looked like. It was not the nasty oil that GM
uses. The coupler was changed at 140k an now it has 160k on it, still running great,
although I don't think I filled it all the way either, I just used all that was sent to me
from ZZP.

The SC oil that ZZP sells is the same spec as the GM oil. I don't know if it is 100% the same. But it meets the same requirements as the GM oil an is not by any means motor oil.

I guarantee if you leave that ZZP oil in there for 140k, it will smell the same.

Well...if it ever comes down to it...if it is this price on the internet...god help Ford owners at the dealership...also FWIW, it is listed as Synthetic.

I don't know if the GM oil is synthetic or not. Sometimes there is a fine line there based on the base oil it is from or whatever. I'm not 100% up on my oil terminology. But I am sure it meets the same specs that Eaton specifies for these blowers.

[blueguy]

Which is why I'm saying...since Eaton still makes the blowers for Ferd...and they are running Synthetic blended oil...why can't we do the same?

[Zef_66]

Which is why I'm saying...since Eaton still makes the blowers for Ferd...and they are running Synthetic blended oil...why can't we do the same?

Motor oil is not the same as supercharger oil. They have completely different properties. They are made for 2 completely different applications. Why not run synthetic power steering fluid in the supercharger? Why not synthetic gear oil? They are all synthetic oils?

All these oils have different properties to hold up and lubricate under vastly different situations. An engine needs to lubricate two bearing surfaces in your rod and main bearings. Those are the most critical. RPMs don't hardly get over 6k. And with the crank flying around, the oil is made not to foam or cavitate. Our superchargers have two gears in them that need lubricated. And these gears are spinning at 10-12k RPMs. Almost twice what the engine turns at. Supercharger fluid is made to vaporize and "mist" to help lubricate at high RPMs. Motor oil does not do this.

[Explicit_Spade]

I've been considering this option for a while. What I gathered from the above is that it's going to break down more often than GM S/C oil, so change it more frequently, for the price I would change it every oil change.

[blueguy]

Ok, so running regular Synthetic blend oil in Rotary engines would be a bad idea then?

Since they rev to 9,000+ RPM's.

Which also...get VERY hot...probably well hotter than an internal combustion engine/roots supercharger.

So then...it wouldn't be ideal since the properties would break down in it quicker? Correct?

Then if we're going that route...

$12 for 8oz. of S/C oil to last 30k...

$4...for 32oz. of Synthetic Motor Oil that might last what...5k (JUST AN EDUCATED GUESS OF HOW LONG IT WOULD LAST) miles going off my estimation there...which means what...about $1 a S/C Oil change if your filling it with the correct 8oz of fluid. (IF ITS OK TO RUN)...then keep reading.

So based on my superficial intense calculations of mathimatical situations...

GM Oil costs what, $.004 a mile to operate...and the Conventional Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy Synthetic Blend 0W-30 oil...is still just $.0005 per mile. So, if it does work...It is cost effective. Even if you have to change it more often, I'd use it. Especially if it doesn't stink like GM Oil after using it...and that it is readily available...and you don't have to hunt it down...

If you pour them side by side...GM S/C Oil is about the viscosity of what...your typical dino oil 5W-30. The tests Scotty did were with Mobil 1 0W-30 like I had stated before. And for the 2nd time as well...my car...I'll do what I want with it. If it goes bad...then so be it. I've had this 0W-30 in the blower for about what...12k now. Should I change it now? Probably so...based on typical motor oil breakdown ratings. Should have changed it twice now. I haven't...because I'm lazy. It still works...still rapes...and I, nor Scotty, nor Abrasive (who's wife dailty drives the car and has been for about 2 years now with that stuff in the snout)...have had no issues. Blower is sealed with your typical Anerobic sealant as well. No leaks either. If you want to stick to what Eaton recommends...then so be it, I'm not going to stop you, nor try to steer you the wrong direction...or anyone here. I just know, that from personal experience it works. And that's enough to do it for me. It doesn't mean there can't be something BETTER out there.