Ok, well my reasoning for synthetic is...

Extended change intervals
Minimal viscosity breakdown at extreme temperatures
average higher oil pressure
normally less varnish buildup than with conventional oil
the list goes on...

but conventional oils are just fine, but if you're going to go with conventional, don't spend $16, just get CHEAP oil and change it often. if you're going to go with synthetic...don't go cheap, cheap synthetics are about as useful as expensive dino oil. no point.

I mean't to say it'* about $14-16 for a 5 quart container. Actually, castrol syntec was $17 for a 5 quart if memory serves me. Mobil1 was $21. humm......

Or you can get regular cheap dino oil for like $5-7....choices...choices...

Cosmic, 3800'* are VERY resistant to wear. A high-mileage oil isn't really ever necessary.

Switch to synthetic any time you like and extend your interval. These are long-lasting performance motors. They are not hard on internal parts or oil.

Don't run out and buy the Chilton'* manual #28200. It is virtually the same as Haynes. Haynes bought out Chilton'*. See this thread:

http://www.bonnevilleclub.com/forum/...ic.php?t=85433

I personally think Chilton'* 28200 is a very good manual. It'* more than 90% of the members here will ever need. It'* much more comprehensive, accurate, and detailed than Haynes or Clymer manuals.

It doesn't matter if Hillary Clinton owns it. It'* still a great manual. I personally own two of them. One for keepers, one for loaner to locals.

They are virtually the same. I bought the Haynes and was not that impressed with it, so I bought the Chilton'*. At the store where I got it, they are wrapped in plastic so you can't thumb through them and see what is inside. When I got it home, I was disappointed to see that it was virtually the same as the Haynes. Pictures were the same as were indexes and subject matter. My point is, if he has the Haynes, don't bother with the Chilton'*. It will be a waste of money. This point was well discussed in the thread I referred to, but some still seem to not believe they are virtually the same, at least for these model/year cars.

I have the FSM'* for both cars, as well as Chilton'*, Haynes, and Clymer manuals.

Chilton'* is very much NOT virtually the same as Haynes. Thumbing through is no way to judge them.

Use the Chilton'*, you'll come to appreciate it. Use the Haynes or Clymer, and you'll want to burn it. I've owned all these manuals for nearly 5 years. They each have their strong points and weak points, but of the 3 aftermarket manuals, Chilton'* is by far the best and worth every penny spent on it.

Most members here that own the chilton'* will agree with me.

Time to get back on topic though.

Delco'* aren't that great of a filter. They're the same Champion Laboratories filter that STP and Bosch sell for our cars. You can tell if the stock has been on the shelf for a while if the filter cage is still metal. New ones have the same plastic cage as the STP and Bosch filters.

The best-built filter Champ Labs does for our cars is the Mobil 1, but those are expensive. I use Wix filters myself. Same price as a Fram, but not made of cardboard and glue. And, whatever dino oil happens to be on sale. The Carquest Red and Blue filters are also made by Wix.

IS the FSM better than chiltons? If I had to choose between chiltons or FSM which should I get? I lprefer manuals which provide a decent amount of pictures and or explaination and proceduturs. Coming from a motorcycle background I used to buy the hayns, clymer & FSM just to read all 3 different procedures for maintenance then choose the best method. From past experience the clymer & FSM usually provided me with what I needed to know.