If 1/3 of your engine is more worn than the other?

[TechnoLoGs]

Was giving this some thought...

Say, you have, a 6-cylinder engine. I have the GM 4.3 V6, same as OVERKILL made post about in M/M forum.

And, say, that two of these pistons are now un-stuck from their cylinder walls, having been freed with a PB/seafoam mix, and 3lbs hammers.

So, basically, two cylinders (which two I do not know?) are more worn than the other 4. Probably will have less compression, and will have more wear.

I am conflicted. My oil pressure gauge usually shows one line on that funky digital gauge at full hot idle, and I can imagine the oil temp is around 100C, though I suspect higher. The 5W-30 is normal cheap conventional. And the engine does run fine, I see about 30PSI or 40PSI when revving and cruising, it only drops down at idle.

Should I bump up the oil weight wo a 10W40, or 20W-50? Those two cylinders being more abused give me concern, though she still purrs smooth...

Yes, it would be Supertech (cheapest stuff.) And they have everything from 5W-20 to 20W-50. Might try different oils in time, to quiet it down. Typewriter noise sometimes, could be the oil filter.

?

 

[gfh77665]

Originally Posted By: TechnoLoGs
And the engine does run fine,...she still purrs smooth...


You just answered your own question. Run the mfg. recommended weight. Too much over thinking going on here.

 

[Shannow]

The engines won't wear evenly...

When I was playing with carburetted inline 6s, the front cylinder, bathed in cold(er) water, always had a far greater ring ridge than the back. When I started playing V-8s, more cylinders percentage wise had bigger ring ridges.

Coolant flow paths, and mixture distribution made wears uneven...

Oil pressure has squat to do with cylinder wear, and if you've got adequate pressure, then pressure is not the reason to go thicker.

Thicker may reduce some piston slap, as the squeeze film effect may dampen the flat surfaces slapping...do you have that ?

 

[TechnoLoGs]

Originally Posted By: Shannow

Thicker may reduce some piston slap, as the squeeze film effect may dampen the flat surfaces slapping...do you have that ?



I will have to reevaluate if I have that or not, I know the engine sounded better on one oil filter than it did on another, the PureOne made it sound great the ACDelco had me thinking it had what you describe.

So that one bar of pressure at hot idle is fine?

 

[eljefino]

How many segments does the oil pressure gauge have? If it's twenty I'd be a little worried.

FTR, there's actually a measurement of pressure called the "Bar" which is around 15 PSI and would be a good idle. Don't let this thread get derailed with confusion.

 

[TechnoLoGs]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
How many segments does the oil pressure gauge have? If it's twenty I'd be a little worried.

FTR, there's actually a measurement of pressure called the "Bar" which is around 15 PSI and would be a good idle. Don't let this thread get derailed with confusion.

Yes, I recall the "bar" measurement. But how does that relate to one measurement of "atmosphere?" Don't want to not be thorough

eljefino, at hot idle, there is one LINE of oil pressure.

I am in my F-150 now, but IIRC in the 4.3 there are 16 lines for oil pressure.

When I rev up the engine from a light, it usually goes to about or 6 lines or so, indicating perhaps between 20 and 30PSi. This on regular 5W-30.

I have come to view moving up a grade as something you should almost never do, if not go down a grade..

 

[SLCraig]

Originally Posted By: gfh77665
Originally Posted By: TechnoLoGs
And the engine does run fine,...she still purrs smooth...


You just answered your own question. Run the mfg. recommended weight. Too much over thinking going on here.


Can't help but agree..
My old Saturns burned some oil, as well as my 2002 Maxima, but they ran great and smooth and I never worried about it further.