YACT: Supercharger maintenance question

[Heisenberg]

I've got a Grand Prix GTP that's coming up on the scheduled 30,000 mile maintenance for the supercharger. In the manual it just says to check the sc oil level and fill if necessary. However, after browsing through some forums, a lot, if not most people recommend changing the oil entirely. So is changing the oil actually beneficial? I'm kind of leaning toward just changing while I've got the thing apart, as fresh oil certainly won't hurt.

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[Zim Hosein]

To be safe, I'd change the oil Heisenberg

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Pics of cars?

 

[Eli]

Damn... 30k+ with no oil change?

I'd probably change mine every 10k just to be safe.

 

[Heisenberg]

Originally posted by: Eli
Damn... 30k+ with no oil change?

I'd probably change mine every 10k just to be safe.

What's a "normal" interval for an oil change on a SC? This is the first SC car I've had so I'm not real familiar with SC maintenance.

And bump for pics.

 

[The Stigenator]

PM Notfred.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: Heisenberg

Originally posted by: Eli
Damn... 30k+ with no oil change?

I'd probably change mine every 10k just to be safe.

What's a "normal" interval for an oil change on a SC? This is the first SC car I've had so I'm not real familiar with SC maintenance.

And bump for pics.

Me either.. I really don't know.

So do SC's use an oil supply seperate from the engine oil? I guess a 30k+ interval would make more sense, if they aren't seeing terribly high heat etc like a TC does..

But still... I would want to err on the safe side, like most people do with the 3,000 mile oil change.

 

[PCMarine]

Wow, that's a sharp looking car.

Black car + Dark Window Tint + Supercharger =

I've always liked pontiacs agressive exterior styling, but their interiors I hear aren't so hot...

 

[Heisenberg]

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: Heisenberg

Originally posted by: Eli
Damn... 30k+ with no oil change?

I'd probably change mine every 10k just to be safe.

What's a "normal" interval for an oil change on a SC? This is the first SC car I've had so I'm not real familiar with SC maintenance.

And bump for pics.

Me either.. I really don't know.

So do SC's use an oil supply seperate from the engine oil? I guess a 30k+ interval would make more sense, if they aren't seeing terribly high heat etc like a TC does..

But still... I would want to err on the safe side, like most people do with the 3,000 mile oil change.

Yeah, it's totally separate. You have to get the oil from the dealership and it's like $8 or $9 a bottle. It takes two bottles to fill it back up from what I've read. The only hard part is that you have to suction it out somehow as there's no "drain" plug, just an allen screw you take out to fill it. I'll just go ahead and change it. It's cheap insurance against the thing blowing up in the future.

 

[IshmaelLeaver]

Originally posted by: PCMarine
Wow, that's a sharp looking car.

Black car + Dark Window Tint + Supercharger =

I've always liked pontiacs agressive exterior styling, but their interiors I hear aren't so hot...

I always thought Pontiac's styling philosophy was "let's put as many horizontal lines on the car as possible".

Your blacked-out GTP looks pretty nice.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: Heisenberg

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: Heisenberg

Originally posted by: Eli
Damn... 30k+ with no oil change?

I'd probably change mine every 10k just to be safe.

What's a "normal" interval for an oil change on a SC? This is the first SC car I've had so I'm not real familiar with SC maintenance.

And bump for pics.

Me either.. I really don't know.

So do SC's use an oil supply seperate from the engine oil? I guess a 30k+ interval would make more sense, if they aren't seeing terribly high heat etc like a TC does..

But still... I would want to err on the safe side, like most people do with the 3,000 mile oil change.

Yeah, it's totally separate. You have to get the oil from the dealership and it's like $8 or $9 a bottle. It takes two bottles to fill it back up from what I've read. The only hard part is that you have to suction it out somehow as there's no "drain" plug, just an allen screw you take out to fill it. I'll just go ahead and change it. It's cheap insurance against the thing blowing up in the future.

Yeah, sounds like a good idea.

Hmm... Makes me wonder if the dealership SC oil is the best. Surely there must be 3rd party SC oil out there? Maybe some nice synthetic stuff?

 

[Heisenberg]

Originally posted by: Eli
Hmm... Makes me wonder if the dealership SC oil is the best. Surely there must be 3rd party SC oil out there? Maybe some nice synthetic stuff?

I don't know of any 3rd party oil. And, AFAIK, the GM oil is a synthetic anyway. That's what this site says anyway.

 

[Heisenberg]

Originally posted by: PCMarine
Wow, that's a sharp looking car.

Black car + Dark Window Tint + Supercharger =

I've always liked pontiacs agressive exterior styling, but their interiors I hear aren't so hot...

Thanks.

I've always liked pontiac interior's myself. The car has just about every option (leather, Bose stereo, heated seats, etc.) so it's pretty comfy.

 

[PowerMac4Ever]

My sc my Toyota truck is an Eaton roots like yours. From what I've read, it seems like all the Grand Prix guys as well as the Toyota guys like to change the SC oil at 30,000 miles. And yeah, you have to find a way to suction out all of the oil, it won't just drain unfrotunately. But yeah, it's not even that much, I know my sc only uses 4oz or so.

 

[Jeff7181]

I think it probably doesn't say to change it because the oil in the super charger isn't subject to contaminants like engine oil is. And the oil itself won't break down under normal conditions... about the only reason to change it would be to get contaminants out like small metal particles from normal wear between parts. Kinda like gear oil in a differential... sometimes it doesn't get changed for 100,000 miles and it still does it's job as long as it hasn't been contaminated by a leaking seal or whatever.

 

[jjyiz28]

Originally posted by: PCMarine
Wow, that's a sharp looking car.

Black car + Dark Window Tint + Supercharger =

I've always liked pontiacs agressive exterior styling, but their interiors I hear aren't so hot...

i'd rather have a sweet ass exterior styling, crap interior.. rather than a crap styling exterior, sweet ass interior. interior don't matter much to meh

 

[mAdD INDIAN]

Beautiful car!

Looks very sharp! Must be a pain to keep it clean eh?

 

[Heisenberg]

Originally posted by: mAdD INDIAN
Beautiful car!

Looks very sharp! Must be a pain to keep it clean eh?

Yeah. Black shows dirt pretty easily and it's pretty dusty where I live so I end up washing it about every two weeks. I originally got it as a daily driver because I wanted to keep my Firebird in good shape. Now I don't want to drive the GP every day either to keep it from getting banged up.

 

[LAUST]

Self contained superchargers do not get contaminated with things like carbon and other gunk so thats why it's so long.

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

Originally posted by: Jeff7181
I think it probably doesn't say to change it because the oil in the super charger isn't subject to contaminants like engine oil is. And the oil itself won't break down under normal conditions... about the only reason to change it would be to get contaminants out like small metal particles from normal wear between parts. Kinda like gear oil in a differential... sometimes it doesn't get changed for 100,000 miles and it still does it's job as long as it hasn't been contaminated by a leaking seal or whatever.

What he says is true. I have o/hauled 30+ Detroit diesel blowers and installed many more.
They are lube w/engine oil. Bearings then the seals go bad.

The only negative thing that comes to mind about changing oil, is the fresh detergents might raise contaminates in the bottom of the gear case. Since there probably is no filtration of this oil, there might be a small magnet in a nook somewhere to hold any metal bits. This is all a guess and yes I know your set-up does not use engine oil.

I would not use anything but OEM lube. The seals my not be compatible with something else.......:sun:

 

[KokomoGST]

Seems like an el cheapo siphon pump will do the trick... I wonder what kinda oil they use? I can't be TOO different from engine oil... most turbos use engine oil.

gyank does bring up a good pt though... even the oil suspends dirty crap in it as it's siphoned out, there still will be some gunk left.

Black car... ouch... it does look hot though!

 

[alkemyst]

I am sure there may be a magnetized syphon if needed out there. If not, I'd make one .

I have been researching turbos as I am getting ready to do a build up with one. You have to change oil religiously at 2-3k if you want longevity and real *boost*. Of course, with turbos you are sharing the engine oil. What I have found surprising is the bitchfest of the idiots that think an arguable extra $10 of maintence is sooooo expensive.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: alkemyst
I am sure there may be a magnetized syphon if needed out there. If not, I'd make one .

I have been researching turbos as I am getting ready to do a build up with one. You have to change oil religiously at 2-3k if you want longevity and real *boost*. Of course, with turbos you are sharing the engine oil. What I have found surprising is the bitchfest of the idiots that think an arguable extra $10 of maintence is sooooo expensive.

Synthetics are definately mandatory in any turbo boosted car.

At least, if you've got half a brain and know anything about automobiles.

 

[Quixfire]

Originally posted by: Heisenberg

Originally posted by: Eli
Damn... 30k+ with no oil change?

I'd probably change mine every 10k just to be safe.

What's a "normal" interval for an oil change on a SC? This is the first SC car I've had so I'm not real familiar with SC maintenance.

The Ford Supercharged V6 didn't have a oil change, only inspection and fill. I have never seen one go bad, even after running low on oil for an unknown amount of time. Almost every 90-120K service I did have low oil level.