jsmith309

Use a thicker weight oil. I use 15-40 mobile 1 and my pressure went from about 25ish when warm to about 40-50 ish. As long as it stays pretty consistent while warm and doesnt spike below 20 you'll be ok. piston slap is what you hear on a cold motor. mine does it at 137K and i still run 13.7s stock.

jsmith309

Ls_ motors are notorious for piston slap. like 2nd gen elipses are notorious for crankwalk. lol

Wesmanw02

iTrader: (4)

I'm sure they have, the new filters are 99% multi-pass efficient, and also have an integrated bypass valve.

I wasn't using Mobil 1 filters 7 years ago (I barely had a drivers license 7 years ago lol), but its very possible that the earlier design had issues, especially since you say you heard other people with the same complaints.

I wouldn't hesitate to give them a try again though, I haven't heard of any issues with them within the past few years, and like I said I've been using them on both my cars without any issues.

jimbo98z

iTrader: (3)

+1 to that. I run Mobil 5w30 or 0w40 depending on the temperature with the Mobil filter (usually get a package deal). I noticed really low pressure like you're talking about (barely climbed over 40 when I gunned it) when I had some of the German Castrol 0w30 and a PureOne filter. Changed it out and everything went back to normal.

SOMbitch

iTrader: (8)

That's weird... M1 seems to thin out when it gets hot in my car and I get 2-3 more PSI out of GC.

blackz28x07

mine does the same thing. When i start it up(cold engine) it will hold 50 psi, but when it's fully warmed up it will be right around 23 psi, but it does climb with the rpms. I use valvoline full synthetic high mileage 5w30

SOMbitch

iTrader: (8)

If it drops at first throttle before the rpm makes it go up you know you have a problem.

blackz28x07

never drops when i push on the throttle, just sits at 23 psi. right when i start to accelerate the psi goes up. Only thing which really worries me is the needle jumps a little. Don't know if this could be the sending unit or not since it only does it when fully warmed up at an idle. At throttle or after i'm going at a steady speed the needle is solid still. It's been like this ever since i got it about 8 1/2 months ago. it doesn't run rough and there's no noise coming from the engine, except when started cold.

tex1994

mine is the same way except i hear a little tap after its warmed up but when the car is moving i dont hear it im just gonna have the oil pump replaced and see how things go with that

blackz28x07

mine doesn't tap when it's warmed up, just right when i turn it on and the engine is completely cold. The twitching oil pressure needle is confusing me though, only does it when the car is fully warmed up at idle.

wht01ws6ta

iTrader: (45)

If the reading is erratic and jumps around independantly of RPM it's a sign that the sending unit is going bad...

From what I understand the earlier years had more QC issues on the oil pumps themselves. New cams and new oil pumps get along great!

boola1341

iTrader: (1)

What's a price for an oil pump install? Is it worth just doing that alone or wait till heads and cam?

LS1Silverado05

iTrader: (41)

How fast can you save for a cam?

...if it turns out that your current pump is on the way out....it would certainly be worth it even without a cam swap...

At minimum I would do the oil pump and an LS2 timing chain as cheap insurance...

Its an easy job...

chadaclysm

I'm running mobil 1 synthetic 10w30 with the mobil 1 filter, a little over 91k on the car, and my pressure is never below 40.

transam996spd

hey need help..... my oil pressure runs good on a cold start.. after i warms up its still good but if i step on it full throttle it goes up so far then drops alittle below 40 .... anyone know... is it my oil pump going bad.....?

tex1994

well i put some lucas oil in my car and i really dont hear the noise anymore and my oil pressure has gone up a bit kinda weird but im still a little worried so im just gonna watch the oil pressure and see how everything goes and this weekend im buying headers, exhaust, cam, and oil pump so i can get it all installed at the same time

Ice78Transam

iTrader: (1)

Mine rarely (if ever) goes below 40. Only AC Delco filters for my car. And 5-30 PenzPlat synthetic. Exactly as the factory recommends, save the better quality oil. Mines so consistent I would bet on it.

When you start experimenting with viscosities and heavy duty filter media then the pressure can fluctuate.

I wouldn't worry about it unless its real low or very erratic

LS1Formula01

iTrader: (1)

I run a Melling high volume unit, and my oil pressure sits at 60-70 cold start and then settles out at 50 warm, and climbs with rpm as it should. But of course oil pump/oil/filter are the cheaper and more common things to look at. Or you could be lucky and it only be the pressure sending unit. In most cases, Always start at the cheapest replaceable culprit and work your way up.

Mr Incredible

Castrol Syntec 5w-30 is one of the two most accessible and least viscous 5w-30s. The other is Havoline Deposit Shield 5w-30. At least some of your lower oil pressure could be attributed to the use of the Castrol. I had very good numbers on a used oil analysis with the DS. Don't be too impressed with the big pressure numbers from the guys using a 40w anything, as when pressure goes up the flow goes down. I'd take flow over pressure anytime, given a healthy motor to start with.

Still, your numbers seem a bit low. Fram filters have been known to collapse, though not commonly. The quickest and easiest first fix action is to only change your oil filter. I like the Purolators myselft, but also have used M1, any of the Wix family, AC Delco, and Motorcraft. Try one of those first, and please don't go back to Fram. All the other filters are better and cost the same or less than Frams.

Any other oil in a 5w-30 would also bring up your numbers. Don't worry so much about pressures at startup, but start looking at them when your engine is fully warmed up. On mine, using GC, warm/hot idle is about 25 lbs and at 2k rmp its around 40. It doesn't vary much when I go to a thinner oil, but the pressures are lower.

The variability of oil pressure senders is a point worth considering. If you have some spare change and some time to wrench you might consider getting a new one and see if that makes any difference.

Finally, knocking at startup is known item with LS1s. It's called piston slap. It should go away after the engine warms a little. LS1s are also known for a little sewing machine noise. Again, nothing to worry about.

Lopoetve

iTrader: (1)

ah, so that's piston slap I hear? Explains why it all fades when the engine warms up a bit on mine