Oil - going from 0w20 to 0w40

[Minty JL]

Ok, this going to be a highly debated thread for numerous reasons and I get it. Yes, I have always been an advocate for using what the manufacturer states. BUT it seems both Jeep and GM have screwed the pooch on this topic.

First, the 3.6 only on bank 2 the cam getting chewed up by the rockers once the Teflon coating wears away the damage begins as we know......why is this issue not an issue on the other 3 cams and rockers. Analysis would lead me to believe poor oiling or pressure.

Second case point, the recent recall on all GM vehicles equipped with the LT based 6.2 why is this relevant to Jeep and the 3.6.......both from the factory use 0w20 oil. I have watched hours of video from professional technicians and read several articles on the diagnosis procedures.

GMs diagnostic procedure to determine an issue or immenant engine failure is scanning for the Crank to Cam timing/correlation, if exceeds a specified threshold......engine replacement if it hasn't already failed. IF the values are within specification........drain engine oil, replace filter and fill with 0w40. Yes, that's the fix and is how ship now right off the assembly line.

So.......I will be a test monkey and I'm switching to 0w40 with today's oil change. Anything I can do to prolong engine life is a win with these 3.6s.......and there is currently a national back order on the cams with dealers saying 6 to 8 weeks.

Call me dumb, damn that's a good idea or state an educated or well articulated thought.

Sponsored

 

[Pismo61]

 

[DrewsJT]

Ok, this going to be a highly debated thread for numerous reasons and I get it. Yes, I have always been an advocate for using what the manufacturer states. BUT it seems both Jeep and GM have screwed the pooch on this topic.

First, the 3.6 only on bank 2 the cam getting chewed up by the rockers once the Teflon coating wears away the damage begins as we know......why is this issue not an issue on the other 3 cams and rockers. Analysis would lead me to believe poor oiling or pressure.

Second case point, the recent recall on all GM vehicles equipped with the LT based 6.2 why is this relevant to Jeep and the 3.6.......both from the factory use 0w20 oil. I have watched hours of video from professional technicians and read several articles on the diagnosis procedures.

GMs diagnostic procedure to determine an issue or immenant engine failure is scanning for the Crank to Cam timing/correlation, if exceeds a specified threshold......engine replacement if it hasn't already failed. IF the values are within specification........drain engine oil, replace filter and fill with 0w40. Yes, that's the fix and is how ship now right off the assembly line.

So.......I will be a test monkey and I'm switching to 0w40 with today's oil change. Anything I can do to prolong engine life is a win with these 3.6s.......and there is currently a national back order on the cams with dealers saying 6 to 8 weeks.

Call me dumb, damn that's a good idea or state an educated or well articulated thought.

Gm has already backtracked from this recall

 

[Maximus Gladius]

So let me state, firstly my intellectual understanding is extremely limited, simple and uneducated when it comes to science, chemistry and one could even toss in physics,…and definitely math (according to my grade 6 math teacher)…

I am however a master at critical thinking and speculating and so far this has saved my age’ed life for now so I lead with this question…

If it’s been found that the oiling ports or galleys (sorry @ShadowsPapa if I’m not calling correctly, note my disclaimer above) are miss-aligned thereby explaining to some, this is the reason for cam lobe scoring, how can the flow of thicker oil hit these oil starved locations better than the thinner oil?

A well respected oil lab owner in Calgary would travel around various mechanical shops teaching heavy industry shop mechanics about “oil film” and when giving his talks he said oil film can’t be broken. He would ask for these things of his audience standing around the meeting for 1., a steel top bench; 2, a big ass sledge hammer and; 3, some oil.

He would then take the oil and pour a small amount of oil on the table and smear it around to make a small circle and ask the biggest, toughest, bad assest, dirtiest, most tattooed mechanic there to pick up the sledge hammer and with all he has, slam that little circle of oil.

….and with all his might would crack that hammer on the oil.

The result, the oil film kept the steel hammer from making contact with the steel table.

Moral of his experiment, you can’t break through the oil film, thin thick viscosity, it doesn’t matter.

 

[Jay Gatsby]

Gm has already backtracked from this recall

source? I looked on NHTSA’s site and couldn’t find any updates related to switching oil

 

[Jay Gatsby]

So.......I will be a test monkey and I'm switching to 0w40 with today's oil change.

Just a word of caution, I don’t believe the cause for this roller/cam situation has been absolutely determined. Possibility caused by a couple different scenarios. One of which are clogged oil passages either from neglect or manufacturing. So a higher viscosity oil will only do more harm than help unless you absolutely know what’s going on in your engine.

 

[DrewsJT]

source? I looked on NHTSA’s site and couldn’t find any updates related to switching oil

https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/gm-aborting-move-to-0w-40.395438/

 

[Jrgunn5150]

Gonna do wheelies all the way to 88 mph now! Million miler coming boys!

 

[Lunentucker]

Thicker oil doesn't fix bad engineering. It may slow it down some, but it's not a fix.
My lab results indicated a spike in wear metals, and even though I had a LOT of CPO warranty left, I said goodbye to my beloved JT.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

and ask the biggest, toughest, bad assest, dirtiest, most tattooed mechanic there to pick up the sledge hammer and with all he has, slam that little circle of oil.

Well, that's just great. All these years Mama said it was the spinach and now we have some evidence it was his tattoos.
I guess my little tat didn't make any difference.

 

[Jay Gatsby]

https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/gm-aborting-move-to-0w-40.395438/

I don’t think that video says the recommendation to switch to 0W-40 as a precaution had changed. Ray said the updated recall was expanding owners vehicles instead of just dealer inventory.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

It's still just putting sawdust in that gearbox until you unload it sort of thing. It's to keep claims down, not a fix. They fucked up and instead of dealing with it all at once, they are shoving failures into the future. CYA for GM. Al If I owned one of those, I'd say fix it, don't put a bandaid on a cut artery. That shitty crank finish can still cause major issues as the other viscosity will have very different base oil and chemistry.

 

[Mister Lamb]

Thicker oil doesn't fix bad engineering. It may slow it down some, but it's not a fix.
My lab results indicated a spike in wear metals, and even though I had a LOT of CPO warranty left, I said goodbye to my beloved JT.

@ How many miles was the analysis done?

 

[Jrgunn5150]

It's still just putting sawdust in that gearbox until you unload it sort of thing. It's to keep claims down, not a fix. They fucked up and instead of dealing with it all at once, they are shoving failures into the future. CYA for GM. Al If I owned one of those, I'd say fix it, don't put a bandaid on a cut artery. That shitty crank finish can still cause major issues as the other viscosity will have very different base oil and chemistry.

Everyone just knows for certain now that their precious feelings about oil and lubrication qualify them as a Lube PHD now though.

Whatever snake oil they like, is definitely science, GM said change the weight, that proves it right there.

 

[SouthFLMojave]

I also have been one to follow what the manufacturer says, only until my Gladiator purchase, and my girlfriend recently purchasing a ‘25 Landcruiser have I had my doubts.

I am back and forth though on whether the issue with the 3.6 comes from oil viscosity or the “dry filter” idea behind the Baxter performance oil filter adaptor. Many people have gone 100k without so much as a hiccup from their 3.6, and you have others that have barely made it 30k miles starting to show signs of a problem. The most recent example is TrailRecon. He is known for having multiple vehicles, and while lately he has been posting more with the Gladiator, I wonder how much damage was done to his 3.6 if it was barely being driven when he still had his Rubicon 392. Funny thing is he sells the Baxter Performance adaptor on his website, I’m surprised he has yet to install one(if he hasn’t already).

Either way I look forward to seeing how this experiment goes for you. I have dabbled with the thought of going up to 5w30. But seeing as how I have 5700 miles on the clock, and have extended warranty, I’m a bit hesitant with taking that jump right now.

Sponsored