Oil advice for higher mileage engines

AFQC

What was that noise?
Mar 30, 2008
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Vancouver WA
I have an 87 NA with 107K miles that I use as a daily driver and have observed over the course of the last year that my oil pressure on average (dash gauge) has been slowly getting lower. Based on what I have learned here I have been running Pennzoil Platinum 5w30 with Pureone filters for the last 15K with changes every 5K. It idles hot at what I would consider the low end of spec and just a hair shy of 40 psi hot turning 3k on the freeway. Normal traffic it seems to run around 20-35 psi. No signs of knock or extra valve noise.

In previous posts jdub has mentioned that the 7M was designed to run oil with 10-12 cst viscosity at operating temp. Is going with a higher cst rating acceptable given the larger clearances of worn bearings to maintain pressure? I was looking at using Amsoil 5w40 which has 13.6 cst at ops temp which from what I can tell is on the low side compared to the rest of the field.
 

jdub

Official SM Expert: Motor Oil, Lubricants & Fil
SM Expert
Feb 10, 2006
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Valley of the Sun
Give this a read:
http://www.supramania.com/forums/showthread.php?t=70271

Worn bearing is a very good reason to run a 5W-40 and Amsoil 5W-40 fits the bill nicely.
It sounds like your oil pressure is normal though. there are a couple other different ways to increase pressure...the biggest is to go to a full flow T-stat controlled cooler circuit.

German Castrol 0W-30 is also a thicker oil at ops temp...12.1 cst at 100 deg C and a bit thinner cold. Give it consideration.
 

gaboonviper85

Supramania Contributor
Jan 13, 2008
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Northeast Philly
jdub;1418504 said:
Give this a read:
http://www.supramania.com/forums/showthread.php?t=70271

Worn bearing is a very good reason to run a 5W-40 and Amsoil 5W-40 fits the bill nicely.
It sounds like your oil pressure is normal though. there are a couple other different ways to increase pressure...the biggest is to go to a full flow T-stat controlled cooler circuit.

German Castrol 0W-30 is also a thicker oil at ops temp...12.1 cst at 100 deg C and a bit thinner cold. Give it consideration.

N/a's don't have oil coolers jdub:-(
 

jdub

Official SM Expert: Motor Oil, Lubricants & Fil
SM Expert
Feb 10, 2006
10,730
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Valley of the Sun
Ahhh....missed that ;)

His pressures are normal, though at the low end of spec. If he has a lot of miles on this motor, it could very well be a case of worn bearings. Using a 5W-40 would squeeze a bit more life out of them...go for an oil with the lowest viscosity you can cold. Like I said, Amsoil 5W-40 fits this bill nicely. Even GC 0W-30 might help...it's a thick for a 30W at ops temp (12.1 cst).