Just got my car out of the shop and i got some questions......

[Murder after M]

Get that crap out and put in some Valvoline Racing VR-1 oil and a quality filter like a Wix, and your oil pressure will be normal.

If you are not in freezing temperatures, I would use 20W-50 with that mileage on the engine.

u think that is the issue?

 

[Murder after M]

My preference in a 160K mile engine would be 30W "illegal street" as it contains less detergent and more ZDDP.

ALso what brand of 20w-50 would you recommend? Is the pens performax filter ok to use?

 

[Bescurred]

What shop? I work across the street from a shop that had a 87 ttop GN in it today. I kinda just shook my head. Looked like a decent car...

 

[Steve V]

ALso what brand of 20w-50 would you recommend? Is the pens performax filter ok to use?

I believe he said Valvoline VR1 Racing oil and a WIX filter.

 

[Nick Micale]

u think that is the issue?

I very seldom post to entertain myself, but usually to give my experiences of what I have found works well with turbo Buicks.

With your situation I have dealt with many times on GN's using synthetic oil, especially the grade you are using, and it will drop oil pressure up to 10 psi at idle.

In 25+ years no one has provided me with a valid reason to use synthetic oil vs. regular oil in a 50 year old engine design, especially when it is turbocharged?

Of course the people that write the ads and the tech line from the oil company will tell you it is the "best"?

 

[Murder after M]

I very seldom post to entertain myself, but usually to give my experiences of what I have found works well with turbo Buicks.

With your situation I have dealt with many times on GN's using synthetic oil, especially the grade you are using, and it will drop oil pressure up to 10 psi at idle.

In 25+ years no one has provided me with a valid reason to use synthetic oil vs. regular oil in a 50 year old engine design, especially when it is turbocharged?

Of course the people that write the ads and the tech line from the oil company will tell you it is the "best"?

Wasn't trying to be a smart alec......Thanks I appreciate the info. It helps alot

 

[Murder after M]

I very seldom post to entertain myself, but usually to give my experiences of what I have found works well with turbo Buicks.

With your situation I have dealt with many times on GN's using synthetic oil, especially the grade you are using, and it will drop oil pressure up to 10 psi at idle.

In 25+ years no one has provided me with a valid reason to use synthetic oil vs. regular oil in a 50 year old engine design, especially when it is turbocharged?

Of course the people that write the ads and the tech line from the oil company will tell you it is the "best"?

Is there any other brand of filter you would recommend if I can't find the Wix?

 

[Ttype6]

Is there any other brand of filter you would recommend if I can't find the Wix?

You can find one easily. On line,if nothing else.

 

[Murder after M]

You can find one easily. On line,if nothing else.

thanks

 

[Rafs-T-Type]

Is there any other brand of filter you would recommend if I can't find the Wix?

Napa Gold us the same thing with a different label.

 

[GNRick]

I very seldom post to entertain myself, but usually to give my experiences of what I have found works well with turbo Buicks.

With your situation I have dealt with many times on GN's using synthetic oil, especially the grade you are using, and it will drop oil pressure up to 10 psi at idle.

In 25+ years no one has provided me with a valid reason to use synthetic oil vs. regular oil in a 50 year old engine design, especially when it is turbocharged?

Of course the people that write the ads and the tech line from the oil company will tell you it is the "best"?

Nick- I picked up a bunch of Valvoline synthetic VR1 quarts 20W-50 (black bottles) because O'reilly's marked them down to $4.99. Also not being a smart alec but would that be a valid reason to use synthetic? thanks!

 

[earlbrown]

If you have 10PSI at idle and 10 more per 1000RPMs you're fine. Get a biggie filter kit from RJC and you'll pick up a few more idle PSIs.


Personally I like the extra gas mileage from running synthetic and have been running Mobil1 for decades.

 

[Amelio]

I use to use mobile one sythetic and there was always a debate on to use it or not......it has been said (no data to prove it ) that the synthetic stuff is so slick that if an engine sits for a while and does not run the oil can actually slip off the surfaces and not stick to well. Again I dont know how true that is but it kinda makes sense...... when I had my flat tappet cam my car got hit and totaled.....I pulled my drive train and transferred it to another car it however sat for a while before it ran.......I did prime it before I started it......it ran for a month or so and then wiped multiple cam lobes. I still have no idea why that happened....after that I rebuilt went to a roller and run nothing but Valvoline VR-1 20w-50

I do also run the VR1 straight 50w in my small block vett with a flat tappet cam and it has been together and running for 10 years no problems.

 

[earlbrown]

If something is so frictionless that oil doesn't stick to it, then it doesn't need oil!

 

[Joeld]

Interesting comment earl. I spoke to an elevator repair guy and he said that the metals are so well matched in electric elevator motors that they can go a 100 years without a rebuild of the bearing surfaces.

Like formula one motors that don't use gaskets, they are milled with such precision, they don't need gaskets.

 

[Rich Gio]

Not to beat a dead horse (But I will anyways), I used Mobil1 synthetic oil for the first ten years I owned the car and recently switched back to conventional "Dino" oil (VR1). Oil press was lower at idle with the syn oil, but the main reason was that it seemed to leak a lot less with the conventional oils.

Also, the booster plate worked great. Highly recommended.

 

[Ttype6]

Not to beat a dead horse (But I will anyways), I used Mobil1 synthetic oil for the first ten years I owned the car and recently switched back to conventional "Dino" oil (VR1). Oil press was lower at idle with the syn oil, but the main reason was that it seemed to leak a lot less with the conventional oils.

Also, the booster plate worked great. Highly recommended.

What plate did you use?

 

[Rich Gio]

What plate did you use?

I used Kenne Bells plate from back in the day. I'm sure they are all similar

 

[Ttype6]

I used Kenne Bells plate from back in the day. I'm sure they are all similar

They are not all similar. This is the only plate that we can call a booster plate. I just wanted to make sure this is what you have. You're good.

 

[Murder after M]

I very seldom post to entertain myself, but usually to give my experiences of what I have found works well with turbo Buicks.

With your situation I have dealt with many times on GN's using synthetic oil, especially the grade you are using, and it will drop oil pressure up to 10 psi at idle.

In 25+ years no one has provided me with a valid reason to use synthetic oil vs. regular oil in a 50 year old engine design, especially when it is turbocharged?

Of course the people that write the ads and the tech line from the oil company will tell you it is the "best"?

You Sir are a genius. After changing oil to the VR1 20W-50 and using a napa gold filter and driving around all day friday, the oil pressure is way up, hovering close to twenty at idle. Thanks alot again man. This site has been a god send I remember awhile back when i thought my trans was acting up and after asking here i was informed of it possibly being a faulty tcc selnoid and that turned out to be the issue.................you guys have saved me a ton of money.