20W-50 Works well

[PalmHarborBlkv6]

On second engine...second engine was from a wreck and it was a rebuilt engine when car crashed. Had chronic problems with low oil pressure...during summer...goes into red
zone. Living in hot Florida...temp rarely below 60 degrees.
Changed to Valvoline MaxLife 20W-50 synthetic blend (for high mileage cars) car itself
has about 130k miles...God knows how many miles on the engine.
Oil pressure is up...idles fine....engine strong...best thing I have done.
I recommend it.

[Mogobs30th]

Re: 20W-50 Works well

Just stop......

[PalmHarborBlkv6]

Re: 20W-50 Works well

Thanks for your responsive reply. I will drain out the oil immediately and await your next demand about my car. Thanks for your consideration.

[nwilson44]

Re: 20W-50 Works well

On second engine...second engine was from a wreck and it was a rebuilt engine when car crashed. Had chronic problems with low oil pressure...during summer...goes into red
zone. Living in hot Florida...temp rarely below 60 degrees.
Changed to Valvoline MaxLife 20W-50 synthetic blend (for high mileage cars) car itself
has about 130k miles...God knows how many miles on the engine.
Oil pressure is up...idles fine....engine strong...best thing I have done.
I recommend it.

I live in the Houston Area, so I know what you mean about the Heat. I run 10w-30 Royal purple with Zinc additive and my oil pressure (according to my gauge) runs around 60. A little above when cold and a little under when hot. Not sure why your oil pressure was low. I know it would be obvious but is the bottom end still in tact? That's the only time I saw low pressure, was when I spun a main bearing couple months back.

Now my engine may be different, but I experimented with the oil and put some 20w-50 castrol Syntec in it and I didnt like how high the oil pressure was. I was curious because that was what I ran in my BMW. Glad a viscosity change helped you out, but if it has low pressure with the recommended viscosity, something isnt right. I'd just have it checked to be sure. Take care.

[nwilson44]

Re: 20W-50 Works well

Yeah yours is a 1995. Im not educated enough about these cars to know the differences. Mine is an 2001. There are some educated people on here that could point you in the right direction.

[PalmHarborBlkv6]

Re: 20W-50 Works well

With this engine, the pressure NEVER gets as high as 60. Now its about 45-50. My first engine ran at 60 but this engine never did...but the oil pressure always goes down
after a trip of 10+ miles and sometimes at idle it gets damn close to the red zone
and with 10-30 last summer, the red light went on.
I think this 10W-50 will prevent those low numbers now and when we go into summer weather next month.

[nwilson44]

Re: 20W-50 Works well

Sounds like your oil pickup or something is loose. Thicker oil will just cover up the issue not fix it. Good oil pressure is pretty important as you know. I don't know all the culprits for your issue, but I'd definitely check it out so you don't have to do another engine. Maybe someone else could give you some things to check. I just do not know so I don't want to say anything false.

[PalmHarborBlkv6]

Re: 20W-50 Works well

I drive about 4 days a week or less and ten miles or less...I baby it as this is going to be my last car....the oil is doing what I want and do not feel its going to do any harm.

[nwilson44]

Re: 20W-50 Works well

I drive about 4 days a week or less and ten miles or less...I baby it as this is going to be my last car....the oil is doing what I want and do not feel its going to do any harm.

Well I hope your right man. My expertise may not be in V6 F-Bodies, but I know enough about motors and cars to say definitively that something isn't right in your oiling system. Hope it stays running for you.

[PalmHarborBlkv6]

Re: 20W-50 Works well

This is an old engine, it is worn...worn engines do not have the same oil pressure as younger engines. I think its that simple. There is most likely well over 100K miles
on this engine...maybe 200K.

[WarShrike]

Re: 20W-50 Works well

You said it was "rebuilt" It might be that way if they reused the bearings or wrong thickness. A 200K mile motor with properly spec'd and clearanced bearings will maintain excellent oil pressure when paired with skilled reassembly and proper torque specs and sequences. Mine is 155K miles and I do not have low oil pressure issues period. I installed all new bearings at 130K miles, properly spec'd, torqued, etc.

I run 10W-30 synthetic full time, the only noise I have is the sewing machine sound of my Yella Terra roller rockers. I live in the Texas panhandle, sometimes close to 0°F in the "harsher" winters in the mornings and up to 110° in the summer. I don't do anything different to it through the seasons, and it fires right up the first time.

Also, if you're using a thicker weight oil, you can run the risk of the engine popping the oil filter bypass valve. Sure, it'll be quiet for now. But after time goes by, the mains will get destroyed from being washed with unfiltered oil. That's what primarily destroys these 3800's is a weak bypass or oil sludge packing it open.

[LETZRIDE]

Re: 20W-50 Works well

ya there should be no reason to ever run a 20w50 oil in these motors...if running that oil gave you proper oil pressure there is something seriously wrong with your engine and you're about to loose it if you don't figure out what it is.

Running a different thickness oil doesn't magically fix problems, but it can magically create them very quickly

[FIREBIRDV6RAGE]

Re: 20W-50 Works well

i believe thats way too thick to run on that engine i have the 3.8 engine that came from a trashed camaro and was swapped into my bird and it had at least 130 140k on it i run 10-w30 royal purple and after my car heats up to normal operating tempetures the psi is at 60 and i agree with warshrike

[LETZRIDE]

Re: 20W-50 Works well

first off, our oil gauges are known to not be accurate. So first step is setting up an oil gauge to see what your true oil pressure is really at. Then you need to diagnose why it is dropping

[Mogobs30th]

Re: 20W-50 Works well

Thanks for your responsive reply. I will drain out the oil immediately and await your next demand about my car. Thanks for your consideration.

My firebird itself dips below 30 psi itself. But these engines can actually run safely at almost 7 psi, and not have any issues so long as it stays there. What you're doing is putting a bandaid on a problem, and getting lippy because I believe it to be utterly stupid. Its a roundabout halfassed way of dealing with a major issue instead of actually fixing the issue. Whats worse is you're posting it on here as if its something revolutionary you've figured out. Its bad advice, and Im going to call you out for it.