GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

Most of you now see the starburst symbol on oil. Do you know what it really means? Fact is all "motor oils" are API rated for gasoline engines. In fact one without a starburst may be better. Because diesels are harder on an oil when it comes ot the shear pounding the main bearings take. Gas engines just run hotter. The starbust simply means the oil causes less drag, which promotes gas mileage and easier to meet emission standards. Usually all of 1 to 3% increase in mileage. The car companies had to go with this to conserve natural resources, aka anything to improve gas mileage. You will not see this symbol on 10w40 or higher...hydraulic drag is the only reason. If you have been told anything else...like you MUST use the starburst stuff. It is simply brainwashing by The MAN. As long as the weight matches the conditions, you are fine. So a 10w40 or 5w40 or even a 5w50 in the hot summer is fine. This symbol has not been around for long. Don't be fooled. A little hydraulic drag won't hurt a thing. I am old enough to know better. Now You are too.

Quote, originally posted by jasonvibe » The starbust simply means the oil causes less drag, which promotes gas mileage and easier to meet emission standards. Usually all of 1 to 3% increase in mileage. 1 to 3% increase in gas mileage may not seem like much to each individual consumer,in a vibe that's on the order of three to ten more miles per tank, but the US alone burned nine million barrels of gasoline each day as a motor fuel in 2004 (source)9 million barrels per day is 138 Billion gallons of gas per year. So if people using this scam of efficient motor oil only saves a meaningless one to three percent, that's still 1.4 to 4.1 Billion gallons of gasoline saved per year.sounds like a good thing to me, what's the scam? Sign me up for double. I'll do my part.

Nothing wrong with a 40 wt in the summer but I'd run what's recommended while in warranty. In these tight motors a 30wt is probably optimum unless your racing or towing. 40 wts can feel sluggish though it is actually the recommended oil in other countries. You could probably also run a 20 wt in most applications without more wear. Heck lots of us dino users end up close to a 20 wt by the time we drain the oil. 5w30 dinos shear a lot. 5w20 don't. All the good 40wts are synth unless you want a 15w40 and that's a bit thick for cold starts.

Quote, originally posted by jasonvibe »s long as the weight matches the conditions, you are fine. So a 10w40 or 5w40 or even a 5w50 in the hot summer is fine. This symbol has not been around for long. Don't be fooled. A little hydraulic drag won't hurt a thing. I am old enough to know better. Now You are too. Yowsa, a 50w oil? I seriously haven't fed a vehicle anything higher than 30w in 15 years. I understand the gimicks and labels on oil can be a joke, but I'm all for saving a few gallons of fuel. The less effort my engine needs to pump oil through itself - the longer I feel it's going to last. If I lived in shoe-sizzlin' Texas I may consider a heavier than recommended oil... but I'd need some heavy duty proof in the form of an accurate oil pressure gauge.

I see some may not understand what the #'s mean. the first # is simply the flow characteristic @ 32F. The second # is how the oil flows and protects @ 200F. So anything 5w** in it is fine. So 5w40 in the summer is fine for start up. Also how thick do you think your oil is at 0 degrees F? Probably thicker than any 10w40 in the summer. Do you pop a seal when starting @ 0 F ? No! Also the idea that these engines are "tighter" made than 20 years ago is not true. My last Toyota 20 years ago never burned any oil in 180k...but the floor rusted out. Lastly the starburst also means there is LESS zinc additive in the oil. Max allowed is 1000ppm. If you have a very worn engine , blow-by with high zinc oil is claimed to damage cad.cnvtrs. But has never been proven. Zinc additive is a critical component in engine protection....did you know that? So now all these oils offer less protection. UNLESS you get a 5w40 or heavier. Havoline used to have a 5w40 with the starburst. But I can't find it.

Quote, originally posted by jasonvibe »In fact one without a starburst may be better. Agreed....butQuote, originally posted by jasonvibe »If you have been told anything else...like you MUST use the starburst stuff. It is simply brainwashing by The MAN. The Vibe's manual stipulate pretty unequivacolly (sp?) that one must use 0/5/10W-30 starburst oil. And I quote: "Use only engine oil identified as meeting GM Standard GM6094M and showing the American Petroleum Institute Certified For Gasoline Enginesstarburst symbol". I can only imagine how the GM of today might respond to engine problems claimed under warranty for a customer who has done oil changes with a non starburst oil such as 5W-50.

Jason's right about the # before the W but almost anything is fine at 32*. If you look at the viscosity curve of a 5w30 and a 5w50, you'll find that the 5w50 is always significantly thicker below 0* even though they're similar at 32* so they're not exactly the same at low temps. The larger the spread between the #s on either side of the W, the more viscosity polymers in the mix. These don't lubricate as well and break down faster than oil so that the #s on either side of the W get closer over time. If you want an oil with a wide spread, buy a synth since there's a larger natural spread. That's why many dino 5W30s get close to 20wt in a few thousand miles.

Thank you goodvibe. You obviously know the technical stuff. I like to say sometimes, "polymers are my life". Some of you have been scared into the "warranty corner" when it comes to oils. The GM spec is simply to play nice with the EPA, etc. If they don't make the recommendation. They are "bad". The EPA is to keep "US" clean and save fossil fuels. My manual says, 5w30 covers "most" all working temeratures and conditions and use a synthetic in extreme cold temps. ALL motor oils are rated for gasoline engines. Motorcycles have gasoline engines. But the startburst oils have so much lesser protection, the 'cycle manufacturers recommend NOT to use them. Even BMW cycles, which are built like cars with seperate trannys. Don't want starburst oils. Do what you will. Just thought you all should know it's the weight that matters, not the starburst.

Quote, originally posted by jasonvibe »TDon't want starburst oils. Do what you will. Just thought you all should know it's the weight that matters, not the starburst.That may well be all true but as I wrote above, while the car is under the GM manufacturer warranty, one is obligated to abide by their rules...and the rules are documented in the owner's manual. I am just saying that IF 'push came to shove' GM could deny a claim on an engine failure of some sort due to the fact that the owner used a non starburst oil.

GM is abiding by the EPA rules AND many have been sucked in. DO you think your engines will last longer using only a 5w30...? ans. NO.... Maybe I am using a 5w40 in the summer. Prove that I am not using a 5w30. No one can. Don't be afraid to do what's best for your engine. I did not use the 5w30 in the summers with my last car. It still ran like new @ 120k, look again at my posts above.

Quote, originally posted by jasonvibe »Maybe I am using a 5w40 in the summer. Prove that I am not using a 5w30. No one can.Of course we are talking in the hypothetical; in the extreme. But I bet that a true receipt for a DIY oil change would require the date, mileage and a receipt of the actual oil purchased which would necessarily document the viscosity of the oil used.Quote, originally posted by jasonvibe »Don't be afraid to do what's best for your engine. Im not. I use 0W-30. But I also know that this non starburst oil is not permitted by the manufacturer. Where that could go...I dont know.

The starburst was an EPA directive for oils that had less drag. Thus promoting gas mileage... However so slight. Thus a 10w40 cannot qualify. I buy so much oil and change it often enough. I will have enough receipts that say 5w30 with filter(for the winter) to float a boat. I buy in bulk. You do not have to have your car serviced or documented by anyone but yourself. It is illegal to require you to go "somewhere" for basic service. That is why in the back of the owner's manual there are places for recording just such things. My '05 manual only recommends 5w30 for most conditions. Same as my last car. The starburst has only been around for 10 years or so. But 10w30 which qualifies for startburst has been around much longer. But there was no starburst way back. What did we do before that??? Watch our engines blow up using 10w40? Also, all the 0w30 around here has the starbust. Like I said, I am old enough to know. Many are not. If you are towing or in very hot weather on long trips. The "heavier" oils are better...believe it or not. "If you follow without question, you are destined to be disappointed." EPA, EPA...EPA...some may just not get it. Just trying to inform. You decide...do the research.