Oil pressure questions for a GE

[phoenix6]

That could be because your oil pump pick-up is too high in the pan
You might want to run a quart over full.

Also, read post #10 again...I thought I explained it pretty well.
But...what do I know :icon_conf

No you've been a huge help man. Would it make a diff that I changed over and used an oil pan from a GTE? I thought they were the same but maybe Im wrong? Ill add in 6qts today in a few mins when I change the oils. I usually do 5 but lets try 6! haha

 

[jdub]

No...I think the GTE pan is shaped different due to the differences in cross members iirc...could be wrong on this one.

Did you use a NA oil pump? The pick-up and gearing are different between a NA and turbo.

When you fill with oil, check the dipstick as you do. When it hits the full mark, add another quart...that should put it almost to the top of the metal where you read the oil.

 

[phoenix6]

Yeah, NA Oil pump, all NA, the oil pump I had extra was off a GTE, looked IDENTICLE to me haha, but yeah. Ill just add another qt and see where that takes me. I dont think it can hurt haha.

The car itself is an NA, and I told that to the parts guy at the dealer, it said for 7m-GE on the box, hope it was right, looked the same.

Thanks again Jdub, ur a huge help to me alot.

 

[phoenix6]

Ok First off, only aftyer 1500 miles that oil was BLLLLLLLACK haha. Well I put in 6 qts, and an oil plug gasket. At cold idle is 35 - 40 and running at 3000 its 55 - 60!!

At temp idle is 18 - 21psi and 3000 rpms is 38 - 40 psi. So much better feeling, and I mean actually feeling while I drive and idle, car feels better. Not buring any that I can tell, and not leaking anything that I can tell anymore. Thanks JDub, Ill keep it updated.

 

[jdub]

You're welcome
Those are good pressures....a little high at idle cold, but better than what you had.

Never, ever be tempted again to use Lucas or Marvel...lol :runaway:

What brand oil did you use? The Pennzoil 10W-40 non-syn?
Where is the oil level showing on the stick?

 

[phoenix6]

I used Castrol High Mileage 10W-40. I didnt have money for Mob1 Plat...

I didnt look at the stick sorry, my friends GF was waitng on us and getting...bored...

 

[jdub]

That oil will be fine man...most modern oils are
Just go easy on her until she's warmed up and keep the oil level a quart high per what I said before.

I completely understand about the $$$, but the Pennzoil Platinum 5W-40 would be a better choice for your NA and help lower your cold idle pressures a bit. And you won't have to change it until you hit 5000 miles...especially if you are using a Mobil 1 filter.
Something to consider next time

 

[jetjock]

Mobile? That's in Bama ain't it? 50 lashes

 

[johnathan1]

Are the 7M-GE's oil pressure specs be any different than the GTE's?

 

[Nick M]

Yes and no. 4.3 psi or higher at idle. When your rpm has increased, the volume of oil trying to be stuffed through the clearance goes up, so the pressure goes up. Then the relief on the oil cooler opens. The GE does not have the oil cooler.

 

[jdub]

Mobile? That's in Bama ain't it? 50 lashes

LOL...must have been a Freudian slip :icon_bigg

 

[suprageezer]

After reading what pressure's folks run with the viscosity they run my pressure is about right then since I run Chevron Delo 20-50 during winter and 40 during summer.

 

[jdub]

That's backwards isn't it?
Did you mean 40W in the winter and 50W in the summer?

BTW - since you brought it up...your pressure is high, especially at idle. That heavy weight oil is doing your motor no favors by restricting flow at cold idle. Something to consider...heavy oil is not good for the 7M in the majority of the cases.

Read the threads in post #18

 

[suprageezer]

I should have put 20w/50w during the winter and 40w during summer. It's a combination of viscosity’s I've chosen after much research and experience with my driving style and so cal weather. The key to any viscosity is proper warm up. I always let my cars warm up before driving off and never get on an engine that has yet reached the temperature the thermostat controls it at. I do most folks will start up a car and be driving off within before the engine has even turned 1000 revolutions. So you are right saying its thick, but at operating temps I feel the thinker oil gives more protection for longevity. If for instance you had an engine with hydraulic lifters and you used the thinner viscosity’s you would find that after you drove it hard, turned off the engine. Then the next morning listened to the lifter’s you would find the thinner oil most of it had drained out of all the lifters and also the bearings. If you did the same thing using 40w here in socal you would find that there was more oil still left in the lifters after sitting all night proving better protection during that cold startup. Thicker oil simply does not drain off surfaces at the same rate thin oil will. I know many respectable folks on here disagree and I simply agree to disagree with the thin oil choice. Now if I lived somewhere cold I would have a different opinion. On the Internet you can find just as many pro thick oil sites as pro thin oil sites. Also I believe if you look at the Supra owners manual and look at the chart for oil viscosity’s you'll fine the warmer the climate the thicker the viscosity it will recommend. This same chart on any vehicle will show the same recommendations. Oil warms up very quickly during a cold start up from friction alone. I have no doubt that once that engine starts the oil is reaching All the places thin oil would due to the enormous pressure of the pump. That doesn’t mean I throw it into gear and drive off, I let it idled for the first min then take to 1500 rpm for another min or so before I take off. I am not in a hurry to damage my to take at any time. Again my choice isn't scientific, just experience with many different kinds of engines.

An example of the thicker oil being the best for my temperature range is show on this site. It basically shows if you operate your engine in temps of 68F-105F then 40w is recommended. If you operate in temps from 14F-86F, which I believe is a good temp range for a socal winter, then 20W50 is recommended. As you know in socal the summer is closer to constant average of 80 or above, and many times folks drive their Supra’s in temps above 104F such as a nice trip to Phoenix or Palm Springs during a heat wave. So I believe my viscosity is proper with my warm up style.

http://www.carbibles.com/engineoil_bible.html

 

[jdub]

Do as you want, but the "thicker is better" is an old school myth from the '50s. Oil flow is what you want at start-up...your bearings need the flow to maintain the oil film in the clearances and to remove heat.

Tell ya what, take a bottle of the 20W-50 and pour some in a pan at room temp, then put it in the freezer for an hour and pour some in the pan. Note the differences in flow from the bottle...that's what your oil pump is dealing with. But, as you did, you can rationalize almost anything...never mind it doesn't have any basis in fact.

Concerning the recommended oil in the manual...20W-50 is an option, not a recommendation...as are the rest of the grades shown (based on oil info almost 20 years old). In addition, the 20W-50 is shown in the manual at the top of the temperature scale (80-100 deg F), 10W-40 is shown at mid-scale (40-70 deg F), and it shows a 5W-30 for temps below 45 deg F. In this case, using a 20W-50 in the winter is just flat wrong.

 

[jetjock]

You're way below DH here Dub, especially with this guy....give it up and go missed.

Geezer: Yeah, Heaven forbid anyone do something based on science. That's just crazy. I gotta tell ya, you're fascinating guy. You either have bigger balls than most or are totally oblivious to how you come across. I'm still trying to figure out which.

 

[johnathan1]

The Toyota dealer put 5W-30 in my car, the last time I had the oil changed...is that too thin for Southern California? My oil pressure seems to be within spec, but it is a little low at warm idle, especially right after a warm start...It just sits barely above the 0 mark sometimes...until i rev the engine, I'll try to get a video of it....

 

[jdub]

Yeah...couldn't let the "generic recommendation" on the site he posted pass...the chart he referenced even shows thinner oil grades for cold weather. Not to mention, there's not a manual out there that recommends 20W-50 during cold weather...this kind of disinformation is what confuses the young guys here. But you're right JJ...JDub's on the missed...looking for a vector back to reality

Jonathan - The oil is only too thin if you are below TRSM pressure spec. At idle hot, that is 4.3 psi...it barely shows on the gauge. More important is the psi at cold idle and the psi at 3000 rpm hot. What do you show at those points?

 

[jetjock]

Yeah, that site has a lot of misinformation on it. Written by another guy who learned only enough to be dangerous. At least he admits it. Not all is bad though.

Johnathan, there's no load on the engine at idle so I wouldn't be concerned. Fwiw I'm currently running a 5-20 and idle pressure is the same it's always been, which is almost on the bottom. Even with a 30W I never see more than the second mark at 3000 rpm hot. What is that? 20? Could be my gage is inaccurate too but knowing how they work I'm not gonna be quick to condemn it.

At any rate the engine has run like that for years without problem and I don't lose any sleep. It has only 40K on it since rebuild though. Iirc yours has a lot more. From here I'm gonna say the 5-30 should be fine but you can always go to a heavy 30W like GC. I wouldn't go beyond a 10 on the lower end though, even in Socal.

 

[suprageezer]

Jet Jock you’re pretty smart person to be lowering yourself to insulting people you don't agree with. In my post I stated there are many scientific reports on the internet showing scientific data showing both opinions. Now I am the first to admit I have never participated in any of these studies and I would like to know which of them you have participated in, I'd feel more confident if you were right that way. If you haven't participated then you are doing the same as I am, you read something, you educate yourself, and you experience things in life that you gain knowledge from. There's allot out there and to believe that you know the way and everyone else is oblivious kind of says something doesn't it? Have you ever had someone come back to you and say hey dude you’re right sorry about that, AFTER you have insulted them? NO you haven't. I don’t come on here to be the all mighty and have folks follow me and comment how great I am. I'm here to learn, and pass on some knowledge. You’ve given some great tips, everyone knows that, no one is perfect; nobody knows everything so please just comment on the original post and leave the playground stuff offline. Also on the oil chart the 20w50 is what it shows on my Supra chart for temps I live in, In the post I did state I lived in so cal right? Around here I would say my average winter temps are anywhere from 60F-90F, we don’t get many really cold days here a year here, especially with all the global warming. So since most of my family either lives in the heat zones of the IE and PS I'd say it's close enough. I choose to run Chevron Delo 20w-50.

Here's an interesting link to Greddy, they sell oil now
http://www.greddy.com/home/?id=200