PsychoticX

So I got a low oil pressure warning light once or twice when I put my stock 97 z28 LT1 in reverse or while I'm sitting at a light. I had been using Mobil 1 5w-30 since I got the car with 47k miles. It's got 97k miles now. Talked with a mechanic I know and he said use 10w-40 or even 15w-40 with Lucas.

Are there any drawbacks to using that thick of an oil solution vs 5w-30? Should a high mileage non-garage queen car like mine care? I just don't want the engine to explode so if anyone could chime in I'd appreciate it.

93M6Formula

I never ever! run anything less than 10W30 in my vehicles especially my Formula because it gets ran hard. And honestly I think 5W30 is way to thin to run in any vehicle reguardless of what the owners manual says.

And also my uncle uses Mobil in his vehicles and I just dont like it cuz its looks like water going in and when you change it and just seems like it doesnt protect anything.

I'd try Castrol 10W30, thats what ive always used and I have 100K miles of hard racing on my LT1 and she still runs 50 PSI

PsychoticX

This might be a newbie question but aren't 5w-30 and 10w-30 the same thickness when hot?

93M6Formula

No, there is a difference in viscosity(thickness), and with the 10W30, it will stick to your bearings better and that extra thickness helps out especially when your motor is running warmer. and all that B.S. about losing power with thicker oil is dumb, unless your running straight 30W oil you will not tell the difference.

fleetmgr

Yes, in summer temps any Xw-30 is the same viscosity as any other, as in 30 weight. The W designates winter. Don't put Lucas anything in your oil, or anybody else's oil additive either. You don't know how it will dovetail with the additive package that's already manufactured into your oil. For that matter, you don't even know what's in it. As a class, oil additives do nothing but relieve you of your money.

Things to do:
1. Get a real oil pressure gauge on your car to see if you really have a problem or not. It could be as simple as a flakey sending unit.

2. If a real gauge confirms low oil pressure at idle, then all using a heavier oil will do is partially mask what the problem is...namely, worn bearings. The real cure is an overhaul if this is the case.

3. Get a different mechanic. He's not doing you any favors.

wrd1972

iTrader: (12)

I was getting occasional low oil pressure lights a while back. The pickup fell off the pump. Bang on the bottom of the pan with a rubber mallet and listen for the pickup bouncing. You can rulle that in or out very quickly doing this test.

kinglt-1

iTrader: (26)

Take notes from fleetmgr, he is spot on!

93M6Formula

Everyone has their own opinions but I'm still learning new things everyday so Touche' LOL

fleetmgr

And I'm saying things based on extensive lubrication training...not hearsay, ad hype, opinions or internet forums.

noice

When raw lube oil and even gasoline is shipped straight from the refinery it is missing its additive package, I've shipped the same shipment of lube oil/gasoline to different oil companies that put their own additives and coloring. I'm sure that you'll be able to get away with putting an oil additive into your oil, but there is such a thing as a compatibility test with two different oils. It is rare, but sometimes two different oils, more so with fuel oils, are not compatible and will form waxes and other solids that are a pain to deal with. This is for mineral oils mainly.

For a gasoline engine with regular oil changes there is not really a point of oil additives.

TXZ28LS1

iTrader: (5)

why does it always seem like people who have oil consumption issues or low oil pressure are always with Mobil 1?

miller456

iTrader: (36)

i had low oil pressure issue using penzoil platinum....just saying

fleetmgr

All the oil companies do this. None of it comes out of the ground or the refinery with additives. Even non-detergent oil has SOME additives in it (can you even get it anymore?).

Only true up to a point. There have been additives on the market (IDK if they still are or not) that made their "incredible" claims seem real by adding chlorine. Chlorine has some interesting properties, one of which is superb shear strength. If you've ever seen the demo where a salesman has a ball bearing spun by an electric motor, and the bearing has an arm about 2 feet long riding on it so you can really bear down? His wonderful additive allows the bearing to keep turning no matter how much pressure you put on the lever...and you can do the same thing with a bottle of Clorox instead of his additive. Use a regular oil and the bearing will seize in seconds.
Not true at all with either mineral or synthetic. Assuming that any oil you put in your engine has an API seal, it will be compatible. Funny, I can't recall ever seeing an API seal on an aftermarket additive.
However, it's particularly true with the oils that are in greases (grease is 70-90% oil). Mix the wrong types of grease, and it all runs out as liquid. In fact, grease incompatibility is what nearly caused Firestone Tires to go out of business, and lost them a 70 year old contract as Fords OEM tire. Someone used the wrong grease on the tire molds, the hinge that was being greased developed some play (only .030" or so) as a result. This caused imperfect vulcanization on the new tires...so a lot of Ford Explorers rolled over with the blowouts.

Absolutely true. In fact, I'll go a step further and say that there is NO point to aftermarket oil additives outside of relieving someone of their money. They are, universally, snake oil. Some just have more snake than others.

TXZ28LS1

iTrader: (5)

Yeah im sure there are a few who have had oil issues with other brands. but it seems like a good majority of people with oil issues are all the ones with Mobil 1.

noice

I have tested diesel fuels for compatibility but I was sure I had seen compatibility tests for lube oil before.

Nice info man.

miller456

iTrader: (36)

i dont believe mine had anything to do with brand per say, just using to thin of weight and synthetic. It just happened to be that when i went with a thicker oil i also switched brands and back to a conventional oil. I just wanted to give ya ****.

ta-stanger

iTrader: (6)

I wonder how come the two good performance shops within 100 miles of me both really believe in Lucas additive with syn. oils? I figure that if a guy who knows his **** and can build and tune a great car puts it in his car it must be ok!

fleetmgr

The problem with your logic is that they have a vested interest in selling stuff, regardless of the benefit or lack of any.

They also have exactly zero training in lubrication or lubricants. How do I know this? Because unless you get it from an oil company, it's not available. They don't teach it in any college class, not even for tribologists...they don't get the application training until going to work after school.

noice

I work in an industry that uses LOTS of lubricants for applications that far exceeds anything an automotive car will ever see with change intervals way longer than an automotive engine would see. We don't put ANY additives in anything, not hydraulics, not grease, not turbine oil, reduction gear oil, and not diesel engine lubricating oil. Running engines are tested weekly for basic quality and every three months samples are sent to a lab.

Trust me if you are using additives then you didn't put the right oil into your engine in the first place.

ta-stanger

iTrader: (6)

Good info!! Thanks! cuz I'm sure I can find some place else to put that extra $10 bucks.