Ever since i started hearing a very mild case of lifter tick I have noticed that my car's oil pressure dropped about 2-3 PSI at idle. It used to idle at around 18-19 when it was warmed up and now it idles at around 15-16. When driving it around its normal, around 39-40 PSI and when its cold Idling it's around 42-50 PSI and around 55 PSI when driving around.

Should I just switch oil's? I'm running Mobile 1 Synthetic 10w-30... maybe I should step it up to a 20w-40 or something? Do they make Synthetic oils in a heavier weight? I know that would increase pressure and probably get rid of my very mild case of lifter tick.

Other than this, the car still drives like a bat out of hell, scares me at least twice a day.

Thanks.

 

Someone else could chime in, but 10 winter is not really advised for our cars. heavier oil requires more work out of the stock oil pump which could cause premature failure. Plus the fact that you can lose power (1-3Horse) and the oil will take longer to circulate thru your motor. 5W-30 is a decent oil to run especially in cool climates, otherwise go with like I do...Mobil-1 tri-synthetic. I did a test last year and ran 10w-30 then 10w-40 and noticed a nice higher oil pressure, but wasted gas and longer warmup time.

 

Well seeing as the f-body and the b-body share the same bottom end and the b-body manual says 10w30 is good over 0F I am going to have to say you are wrong on the 10w being bad.

M1s 30wts. run thin, almost 20wts. and analysis has proven that the LT1 likes a thicker oil, more like a thin 40wt. or very thick 30wt.. Not that M1 5w30 is a bad oil just the wrong oil for this motor. If you want to keep using M1 look for 0w40 or 5w40, another proven choice is 0w30 Castrol Syntec, but only get the stuff that says made in Germany on the back. That German Castrol might just be the one oil that is perfect for this motor, I know everyone thinks M1 5w30 is that but it is not. Seems to me the common thread in all the low oil pressure threads I have read here is M1 5w30.

 

I run 10w-30 all year round, But for the winter my car is in the garage unless there's a nice week during the winter with clean roads, then I'll sneak it out for a wild drive and put her back

I've never had a problem with the 10w-30 though ...

 

there is more to oil wts. than just the numbers on the bottle, those numbers just mean it falls into a certain range of viscosity, M1s 30wts. tend to be at the very bottom of the range, whereas GC or Amsoil's 30wts. tend to be at the very top end.

 

I'm sceptical, only because if GM say's in their manual "use 5W-30" and the new vettes strictly use Mobil-1 Synthetic 5W-30, I would imagine that they test ran the motors with each given viscosity and brand and came to the conclusion that it was better
Also if the guy's working on your vette could prove you did not use it, they void your warranty. Why is that Obviously not all motors are the same, but if your motor is 10.1 CR, runs a hydraulic roller, and is driven in warm weather, why would you want to use a thicker oil? To mask a problem? (Don't start a flame)
I have always used what was recommended from the factory only because they tested and tested it and found one better then the other. I would love to use royal purple or Amsoil all the time, but it's too rich for my blood and it's only a camaro not a viper or C5

 

The Vette needed a synthetic due to temps, GM used a 5w30 due to CAFE, the Mobil choice was due to one being the biggest true synthetic producer at the time(and probably still so) and a whole bunch of marketing and corporate politics.

If you do research you will find that the LT1 has lower wear metal numbers with oils that are thicker than M1s 30wts, they can still be 30wts. and thicker. This is hard evidence not a marketting or fuel economy ploy pulled by a massive corporation, if you look at overseas oil recommenadtions for the same motors used here they usually call for thicker oils than we use, this is because with CAFE every fraction of a mpg for every model a company sells counts. Motors will still last a good long time with the thin oils under most conditions so they go ahead and recommend them, calculated risk and besides by the time any symtoms begin they are way out of warranty anyway.

 

Now I'm confused, the LT1 SS's had M1-synthetic put in them as well

 

To me SS means Impala but I will guess you mean Camaro and I will have to take your word for it. The oil temp thing may not apply so that leaves marketting, tell the new car buyer they are getting such a "special" engine it needs special oil. The masses are very car ignorant and would eat that stuff up.

Now I am asking an honest question here and it is mostly to get you thinking but really what is the difference between a Z28 and an SS, I know there are differences but can you name one that would cause it to need different oil? I believe some got LT4s(shouldn't be much different form the oil standpoint) but in the LT1 ones like you said what is the difference?

 

number one difference would be power output meaning more RPM's meaning thinner oil to reach the bearings much quicker as well as the valvetrain right?

 

I thought that power came from intake and exhaust and the motor was the same and operated in the same rpm range. As far as oil "reaching" areas faster that is startup only and that is why the 0, 5, 10w ratings and that is fine where it needs to be thicker is once warm the 30wt. part and at that point to oil is alread continuously circulating so "reaching" anything is always being done already. As for more power meaning needing a thinner oil , no more power if anything means needing a thicker(within reason) oil to provide more of a cushion between metal surfaces.

I don't want to offend you but do you really understand the inner working of an engine?

 

Not really just from what I have personally done and what oil(s) I use(d) when drag racing and autocross, also from being in my dad's shop for about 20 years

 

i probably wouldnt worry about a 2psi drop in oil pressure anywho...lord knows how good our factory gauges are

 

That is a very good point.

 

Yeah, that thought has crossed my mind more than once. But for the mild lifter tick, I'm going to go ahead and put some thicker oil in there. Anyone reccomend a good choice?