2G Options for low oil pressure

[wmrcs]

My 2g has 130k miles on it and as long as I've had it (since March 2013) I remember the stock oil pressure gauge being in the pit at warm idle. I knew the thing wasn't trustworthy and it went up when I drove so I kind of forgot about it. About a month ago I got a new oil pressure gauge and it is still reading 0 psi at a warm idle. My idle is rather low, about 550 RPM. Oil pressure at 2500 RPM is ~51 psi.

What are my options to get oil pressure at idle back up? I'm in college, getting married next summer and don't have funds for a full rebuild. Is there anything I can do as a temporary fix or at least something to raise the pressure a bit? Any parts I can swap? I don't know if it'd help with the pressure but I've looked into getting the 3g lifters.

I'm open to anything, besides a rebuild at this point. I'll rebuild it maybe in a year or two, I just need it to last as my DD.

Currently running Shell Rotella T6 5w-40 oil.

 

[motomattx]

OP, most turbo Dsm owners run 20w-50 oil and dont have the oil pressure problems, you do what you want though, your car. Check your owners manual it says you can run 20w-40 above 32* (freezing) and below that you would run 5w oil.

 

[wmrcs]

Bet main connecting rod bearings are tired letting oil pressure flow past the bearings with that many miles on the motor, and this will easily cause low pressure.

I'd say it's time for bearing replacement, but have to check the crank for even wear, for if not, the crank has to be turned so the new bearings can seat flush with the crank journals.

10w30 is the better which has better flow - in which these motors really need instead of the pressure.

20w50 is too thick for that temp range and flows much slower.

20w50 weight is okey for extreme conditions-like rally and drag, but not for DD usage.

OP, most turbo Dsm owners run 20w-50 oil and dont have the oil pressure problems, you do what you want though, your car. Check your owners manual it says you can run 20w-40 above 32* (freezing) and below that you would run 5w oil.

I feel like 20w-50 is too thick for my daily.

 

[motomattx]

And why do you feel that? what would be the syptoms of too thick oil on your daily?

 

[DSM1G90]

I tried 20/50 for my DD and can really tell the slightly less response with having "molasses" in the crankcase - motor felt so bogged somewhat in working with the heavier oil.

Gave that stuff up and went back to 10/30synth and no problems with the stuff what so ever.

Yet, 5/30 would be a bit too thin for our 6bolt motors due to the more loose tolerances, yet works great with the 420A motors since they're built with tighter tolerances.

Maybe with the inception of the 7 bolt is the raised requirement of the slightly heavier oil.

Also, 1G manuals do state using 10/30, 20/20 or 20/40 weigh oils at a certain temp range..and 5/30 in colder climates. I just want the protection of a good oil flow through my motor and with the many years that I've been driving and working on vehicles of all sorts, I can tell what the motor loves to use the best for lubrication.

-DSM

 

[Spades]

My idle is rather low, about 550 RPM.

Did everyone miss this part? Idle speed is supposed to be 750rpm, that should raise your idle psi a little bit.. And i always set mine to about ~825rpm

 

[wmrcs]

Did everyone miss this part? Idle speed is supposed to be 750rpm, that should raise your idle psi a little bit.. And i always set mine to about ~825rpm

Yea, I haven't had time to do another BLT and check my idle again. Engineering takes up my life. I would like my idle to be around 850 or so. I do that with the BISS screw after I fix any boost leaks, right? Also, as I asked earlier, would my idle PSI go up if I switched back to 10w-30? I thought the last number was the hot viscosity so wouldn't 40 be thicker than 30 meaning I'd have better pressure?

 

[DSM1G90]

True, get the idle up to 750 and that should raise the oil pressure readings a bit.

low number with the "W" means winter - the viscosity at cold. This is the important number at startup so you reduce the metal to metal contact with the connecting rod bearings and crank journal with the higher number.....why 5w is too thin for 4G motors, yet fine with the 420A motors.

Oil thickens up to the upper number when hot.

You'd have better pressure with thicker oil, but less flow to get oil from sump, through the pump, to the contact surfaces and back to the sump.

It's a tradeoff of sorts: Higher pressure, or more flow and you can't have both. (Now, if you had the tools to enlarge oil passages in the block, crank, connecting rods and head, then you could have both since you increased the diameter of the passageways to allow more flow with the thicker oil.......)
It's how you want to play the game.

-DSM

 

[wmrcs]

True, get the idle up to 750 and that should raise the oil pressure readings a bit.

low number with the "W" means winter - the viscosity at cold. This is the important number at startup so you reduce the metal to metal contact with the connecting rod bearings and crank journal with the higher number.....why 5w is too thin for 4G motors, yet fine with the 420A motors.

Oil thickens up to the upper number when hot.

You'd have better pressure with thicker oil, but less flow to get oil from sump, through the pump, to the contact surfaces and back to the sump.

It's a tradeoff of sorts: Higher pressure, or more flow and you can't have both. (Now, if you had the tools to enlarge oil passages in the block, crank, connecting rods and head, then you could have both since you increased the diameter of the passageways to allow more flow with the thicker oil.......)
It's how you want to play the game.

-DSM

So if I went back to 10w-30 I'd have lower oil pressure but more flow?

 

[DSM1G90]

Maybe a few PSI of difference, but the 20/50 stuff is for the serious modders who continually redline their motors and put a lot of work on the motor, but for mild turbo blips and DD, one can easily do the 10/30.

Now, if your motor has oil consumption issues, then the thicker oil . like a 15/40 weight could help out some.

 

[wmrcs]

Maybe a few PSI of difference, but the 20/50 stuff is for the serious modders who continually redline their motors and put a lot of work on the motor, but for mild turbo blips and DD, one can easily do the 10/30.

Now, if your motor has oil consumption issues, then the thicker oil . like a 15/40 weight could help out some.

Okay I guess I'll just stay with 5w-40 then. I haven't turned my idle up yet, but while sitting in traffic today I made some observations. If I held my idle at about 850 RPM or so, I had about 8-10 psi of oil pressure.

Also, I haven't spent much time researching yet, but the few minutes I did research for I actually saw someone change their main bearings without pulling the engine. Is that possible on our cars?

 

[Jaybow6]

what oil are you using? I had the light flickering on mine at idle with 10w30 so I switched to 15w50 and I haven't had any problems since.

 

[wmrcs]

what oil are you using? I had the light flickering on mine at idle with 10w30 so I switched to 15w50 and I haven't had any problems since.

I've said it like 4 times in this thread haha. Shell Rotella T6 5w-40.

 

[motomattx]

what oil are you using? I had the light flickering on mine at idle with 10w30 so I switched to 15w50 and I haven't had any problems since.

Exactly^^^ gee I wonder why? because it added oil pressure to a engine that was built loose from the factory and didnt get any tighter with miles.

 

[dsmaddict123]

I was having this same problem but with a 800 idle, I switch to valvoline vr1 20-50 and fixed that right away

 

[wmrcs]

I'm convinced that putting thicker oil in it isn't the proper solution. How much MPG decrease could I expect from going thicker? That's an important factor for me.

 

[Mischif]

You wont even notice a mpg difference. I've ran 20w50 in all my dsms. I would never run a 5w anything in any dsm ever, thats just asking for trouble. 10w30 is fine for a low mileage motor, and move up into 10w40 once its finally got a good amount of miles, and 20w50 for high mileage. With 20w50, right after initial break in, your motor is going to last alot longer then running with a lower weight. Even as a dd, these are still performance engines that require a nice thick oil. Also even in cold weather, your oil is only going to be cold for like a minute or so before it starts to heat up quickly. Even after the engine has been sitting for a long while there is still a nice coat of oil on the bearings.

 

[wmrcs]

You wont even notice a mpg difference. I've ran 20w50 in all my dsms. I would never run a 5w anything in any dsm ever, thats just asking for trouble. 10w30 is fine for a low mileage motor, and move up into 10w40 once its finally got a good amount of miles, and 20w50 for high mileage. With 20w50, right after initial break in, your motor is going to last alot longer then running with a lower weight. Even as a dd, these are still performance engines that require a nice thick oil. Also even in cold weather, your oil is only going to be cold for like a minute or so before it starts to heat up quickly. Even after the engine has been sitting for a long while there is still a nice coat of oil on the bearings.

Welp, I guess I'll give it a shot. I'm due for an oil change anyhow. I'll report back with new psi readings in a week or two.