if its stock and not high performance stay with just non synthetic. you'll just be wasting your money.
Tim

 

Why do you say that?

 

Huh...
Better MPG , engine life, cold weather starting, ect, ect...…
with full synthetic, everywhere, in your car...

 

I just inherited my mom's 2008 LS with 11k miles (dealer maintained as needed) and I'm going to start driving it around 70 miles a day.

My 2011 Malibu ran the 5w30 Dexos blend via the dealer for 45k troublefree miles as does the 2014 Cruze 1.4 turbo 6 speed that replaced the Malibu, only 8k on that one.

I always run synthetic in everything, regardless of when I get it and how many miles, the only time I had trouble with leaks was when I tried Mobil 1 in an 80's Chevy 4WD truck with the 4.3 and when trying 0w40 in a Passat with an Audi engine. Rear main started leaking and it only had 50k.

I typically use Rotella 5w40 since my Cummins takes 3 gallons at a time and I have a lot of it around.

With 10k on the HHR and no sign of leaks, I was thinking of either the 5w30 Dexos blend or the Rotella, probably the Rotella.

Does anyone use the Dexos blends in their HHR? I doubt anyone uses the Rotella 5w40?

TIA

Joe

 

GM states DEXOS is the only certification you should use.

DEXOS is not exactly a brand, the ingredients are certified by GM and the blends of the ingredients are certified by GM. In broad terms any DEXOS oil is equivalent to any other DEXOS, at least technically.

 

Last I remember, and admittedly it was many years ago, Rotella did not make a passenger car motor oil. They only made truck oils and were categorized as a "heavy duty" product. I don't even think they make a 5w-30, which is what your vehicle manufacturer (Chevrolet) recommends.

If it is still the same, I would not use the Rotella. It is produced for completely different use which includes oil weight, additive package quantity of additives, etc. Probably 10 years ago, you could have used it without hesitation. But in todays castings and technology innovations, I doubt it.

There is a number of name brands that offer dexos approved oils and they are reasonably priced. Search the shelves at Wally's for ideas. DEXOS must be plainly indicated on the bottle to be approved.

Your car, do what you think is best. I wouldn't.

 

Strange thing is, the same people who will put any oil in their car are the same ones that will ONLY use Rotella in their diesel.

You would think any old oil would go both ways.

 

What little reading I've done seems to say that the Rotella line of oils is not recommended for modern day passenger car gasoline engines.
Some mentioning of their additives can be damaging to these modern gasoline catalytic systems.

But, I do use Rotella 15-40 in my diesel Kubota.

 

I used Rotella 20W50 in my big block Hutter in the dirt modified by engine builder recommendation, that thing was a beast!!

 

How long ago Oldblue ? We used to sell a lot of Rotella back in the late 70's, early 80's to our passenger car customers.
I think the present day Rotella line may be a different mix or formulation. Geared more towards the diesel engines.
Or, it could be the same old stuff but just not compatible with the newer catalytic systems as I stated before.