"Check oil level" warning light when off roading and oil recommendations

Often times when off roading the "check oil level" light comes on when going down steep hills and/or off camber situations. Would using
Castrol GTX MAGNATEC 0W-20 Full Synthetic Motor Oil

help any? I'm worried my main and rod bearing would take a shit before I even hit 50k miles.

 

Have you check your oil level?

That light should only come on when the pressure falls below threshold meaning at a steep angle you're starving your pickup tube of oil meaning you probably need to add a quart.

I would check your oil level first.

And I wouldn't run an oil not specified in your owner manual for your climate, especially not a thinner oil.

 

If the incline is so steep that the oil light is coming on, the incline is too steep to be driving on. Changing to another oil won't make any difference. And I'm assuming you're full of oil.

 

Is your oil level showing on the stick AT THE FULL MARK or just within the safe range? There is a difference.

I take my truck on >30 degree slopes, both on pitch and roll axis’ all the time and have never seen the low oil warning. The truck physically won’t do more than about 37-38 on the roll axis (and I’ve had it about there) as have many others in my group and never once saw the light so I doubt that’s the cause on its own.



Also just curious, nothing to do with your original question but what surfaces are the trails (I assume) which you take your truck at these high angles?

 

The first time it happened it was on a desert trail in cali where you descent into a dry river bed and then go up a really steep hill to get out. Another time was on Holcomb creek trail near Big Bear CA which is lots of boulders and rock gardens

 

I was thinking the magnetic oil will stick to the inside of the engine more and not get starved as easily.

 

0w20 is what is specified for here so thats what I have been using. My question more pertains to if the magnetic oil will be more beneficial for trucks that off road.

 

Magnetic oil?

Sounds like marketing wank.

Just run good oil, Amsoil, Mobil 1, Royal Purple, and make sure it's topped off on the dip stick.

Me personally I wouldn't put anything "magnetic" in my engine oil.

 

Your engine is aluminum; no magnetic forces there. Pretty sure the Magnatec gimmic is about trapping/attracting contaminants and not sticking to (even magnetic) engine parts. If it comes on momentarily or only on incline then as others said, probably tad too low and/or too steep.

 

I think he believes the name of the Castro Magnatec oil is a reference to being magnetic.
To the OP, no, that Castro oil will not stick any more than other motor oils because it is not magnetic. You haven't answered if you have checked that the oil level is at the proper fill level. I’ve gone on some steep hills and my oil light has never gone off. Maybe, your hills have been steeper.

 

• "Intelligent molecules that cling to critical parts to provide an added layer of protection"

 

Back in my day we just called that oil film and that was kind of the whole purpose of oil.

 

They all add anti-friction ingredients like phosphorus to their motor oil. Back to the OP’s question is this formulation special and better than any other quality motor oil. Not in my current slightly drunken opinion. If your check oil level light keeps coming on there is another situation that should be investigated.

 

Yes I check the oil level often and it has never been low. The first time it happened the truck was still new with its factory oil in it.

 

I

I run Amsoil 100% synthetic

 

Then them hills are very steep, or the low-oil sensor is faulty, or a 3rd gen endearing feature.

 

It usually happens on nose up or down steep inclines for me.
It’s because of where the sensor is on the pan.
As a heads up. If your doing that often get the JLT or whomever catch can. Quite a few have flooded the engine of oil via the PCV system while at extreme angles.

 

Yes I'll look into it before the summer! Thats what happened to Warfab truck right?

 

Yup and quite a few others.
I can run hells revenge in Moab and have to empty the can just from that simple trail.

 

This^