Hi, I've recently rebuilt my engine in my 1995 cavalier and I am wondering what brand and type of oil would be best to use to maintain my power and longavity of my engine.

on an older motor my suggestion would be full synthetic. doesnt need to be a specific brand but i prefer Valvoline Max Life.

Dale JR wrote:Hi, I've recently rebuilt my engine in my 1995 cavalier and I am wondering what brand and type of oil would be best to use to maintain my power and longavity of my engine.

what all did you rebuild? Full motor? head? rebuilt short block? if fully rebuilt. break in with high zinc oil. then go to a full synthetic.

Really guys? Full synthetic for a 1995 cavalier that I would assume is bone stock?

Put what GM wants in it (API SM 5w30 non-synth) and change it at severe service intervals... you wont waste your money and the motor will be just fine.



Buildin' n' Boostin for 08' - Alex Richards

rebuilt motor, why not run a synthetic in it... look how many bone stock cars come from the factory with mobil 1 or some sort of synthetic. I run synthetic in my bone stock 08 silverado.

BuiltNBoosted wrote:rebuilt motor, why not run a synthetic in it... look how many bone stock cars come from the factory with mobil 1 or some sort of synthetic. I run synthetic in my bone stock 08 silverado.

That's fine, its personal preference... but synthetic has no benefits over conventional when your not talking a higher heat or longer service interval enviroment. The only reason I run it is because there is less breakdown over time with the kind of oil temps I run with the turbo. No other reason. Otherwise that bitch would be getting conventional.

So unless he's towing with the damn thing its useless.

Keep in mind the 2.2 was designed LONG before synthetics became a common street car oil.

why spend the money? Maybe spend the extra cash on changing the oil at the recommended intervals instead of worrying how you'll stomach the $30-40 oil change every couple of months for a car thats already almost 20 years old.



Buildin' n' Boostin for 08' - Alex Richards

Alex Richards wrote:

BuiltNBoosted wrote:rebuilt motor, why not run a synthetic in it... look how many bone stock cars come from the factory with mobil 1 or some sort of synthetic. I run synthetic in my bone stock 08 silverado.

That's fine, its personal preference... but synthetic has no benefits over conventional when your not talking a higher heat or longer service interval enviroment. The only reason I run it is because there is less breakdown over time with the kind of oil temps I run with the turbo. No other reason. Otherwise that bitch would be getting conventional.

So unless he's towing with the damn thing its useless.

Keep in mind the 2.2 was designed LONG before synthetics became a common street car oil.

why spend the money? Maybe spend the extra cash on changing the oil at the recommended intervals instead of worrying how you'll stomach the $30-40 oil change every couple of months for a car thats already almost 20 years old.

plus until he responds, this is posted in the racing section, could be an auto x car, dirt track, oval car, auto x car....

I'm going to assume its a circle track car since almost all the posts in the racing section are about that. I would just run mobile 1, am I'm trying this new Enous oil from kronos later this week so we'll see how that goes.

But for the break in I would run the AMSOIL Z-max, that has the highest zinc content that I can think of.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edited Monday, August 01, 2011 12:20 PM

1994 Saturn SL2 Home Coming Edition: backup car
2002 Chevy Cavalier LS Sport Coupe: In a Junk Yard
1995 Mazda Miata R-package Class=STR
Sponsored by: Kronos Performance

WPI Class of '12 Mechanical Engineering
WPI SAE Risk and Sustainability Management Officer

OR rotella... Rotella has over 1600ppm zinc... more than enough... to be honest high zinc content does not do much for a roller cam engine anyway though.. Its more for solid lifter flat tappets...

Even if it is circle track.. unless he is seeing oil temps north of 250 I would not worry about synthetic... just run a 10w-40 or 15w-40 and be done with it.



Buildin' n' Boostin for 08' - Alex Richards

I can see most people dont read the forums before they post. It is a circle track car, and everything was rebuilt in the engine. If i wanted to blow the engine up than I'd run 5w30. I was looking for to see what other circle track 2.2 drivers were using for oil. So for the circle track guys that answered thank you.

Dale JR wrote:I can see most people dont read the forums before they post. It is a circle track car, and everything was rebuilt in the engine. If i wanted to blow the engine up than I'd run 5w30. I was looking for to see what other circle track 2.2 drivers were using for oil. So for the circle track guys that answered thank you.

you didnt post many details... all you said was, i rebuilt my motor, what should i use? Could have said, hey i rebuilt the motor in my circle track car, what shoudl i use.

Bingo Vince!

Sorry OP but my world does not revolve around you and your forum life...



Buildin' n' Boostin for 08' - Alex Richards

Learn to post properly if you would like proper advice that has anything to do with what you are dealing with

Synthetic all the way baby!!!! even in the Lawmower!!!


Cause I sucked at hockey

I use 20W-50 VR1 Valvoline Racing Oil and a K&N filter...

i put in mine castrol gtx 10- 40 i change my oil bout every 4 races i do

What is the logic behind using the 10w etc over the recommended 5w-30? Is that a change made only for built engine or race applications?

I use synthetic in all 3 vehicles. Oil gets changed in the 98 & 05 once a year. So not really a big cost issue. The vibe gets an oil change about every 3 months cuz it sees about 80% of my travelings

JZ wrote:What is the logic behind using the 10w etc over the recommended 5w-30? Is that a change made only for built engine or race applications?

For racing its not so much the move to 10w its the move to 40 or 50. Thats done to keep normal oil viscositys during the hard life of oil in a race car.


1994 Saturn SL2 Home Coming Edition: backup car
2002 Chevy Cavalier LS Sport Coupe: In a Junk Yard
1995 Mazda Miata R-package Class=STR
Sponsored by: Kronos Performance

WPI Class of '12 Mechanical Engineering
WPI SAE Risk and Sustainability Management Officer