Oil Question

[Chantz]

My 'burb is going to be making the trip to the city fully loaded down. I need to know a few things. First, I need to know: When do you check the oil????? People say after it sits overnight, while my dipstick says "operating temp", and at gas stations, I see them checking it after only being shut off for 30 seconds tops. What is the proper way? Also, is it natural for the oil pressure to drop after the vehicle gets warm and is sitting at an idle?

Also, it has just started burning oil, and someone had recommended Lucas Oil Stabilizer. Should I wait until it's warm? And should I just change the oil before putting it in instead of putting it in dirty oil?

As well, I would like to know if Pennzoil is better than Quaker State or vise versa, or if synthetic is better than traditional.

Answers are always appreciated! Thanks

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by Chantz

My 'burb is going to be making the trip to the city fully loaded down. I need to know a few things. First, I need to know: When do you check the oil????? People say after it sits overnight, while my dipstick says "operating temp", and at gas stations, I see them checking it after only being shut off for 30 seconds tops. What is the proper way? Also, is it natural for the oil pressure to drop after the vehicle gets warm and is sitting at an idle?

Also, it has just started burning oil, and someone had recommended Lucas Oil Stabilizer. Should I wait until it's warm? And should I just change the oil before putting it in instead of putting it in dirty oil?

As well, I would like to know if Pennzoil is better than Quaker State or vise versa, or if synthetic is better than traditional.

Answers are always appreciated! Thanks

checking oil level normally is 5min engine off, this is with an engine that has been properly maintained. if you have sludge in the heads it could take overnight for all the oil to drain back into the crank case.....on oil types conventional i used castrol and penziol penzoil i found best flow in the winter. do not use synthetic in your engine too late now to get any benefit..when changing oil only when hot never drain oil on a cold engine. the only additives i have used to clean up very worn engines or lifter noise is marvel mystery oil and only adding 3-4oz to oil for better cleaning and sludge removal from excessive blow by.....if you just started using oil replace PCV if this is not working properly this is sometimes a cause as most owners are unaware that it is a maintenance item that is important to proper crankcase operation.......good luck

[Chantz]

Thanks. Where is the PCV valve on the Suburban, and how much do they cost to replace? And is there any way to test if it is working or not?

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by Chantz

Thanks. Where is the PCV valve on the Suburban, and how much do they cost to replace? And is there any way to test if it is working or not?

pcv cost 5.oo they are inserted into the valve cover or intake manifold they sit in a rubber grommet. testing is not usually done as the cost is to low to be worth it. but they get plugged with sludge or the valve wears causing too much crankcase oil vapor to be injested by engine...if this valve plugs up it can damage gaskets causing oil leaks as crankcase pressures will be created......

[J-Ri]

Originally Posted by Chantz

My 'burb is going to be making the trip to the city fully loaded down. I need to know a few things. First, I need to know: When do you check the oil????? People say after it sits overnight, while my dipstick says "operating temp", and at gas stations, I see them checking it after only being shut off for 30 seconds tops. What is the proper way? Also, is it natural for the oil pressure to drop after the vehicle gets warm and is sitting at an idle?

When: every 200 miles. Temperature doesn't make much difference in oil level. I check it as soon as the engine is shut off. If it's in the fill range, I leave it. If it's more than 1 qt low, I wait 30 seconds and recheck. If still low, I'll wait a couple minutes and recheck before adding oil. A very important thing is to check it on level ground, since the dipstick enters the oil pan at the rear of the engine, a small incline can make a big difference.

How much are you talking about droping? My '86 350 runs at 35-40 PSI cold, and slowly drops to 15-20 PSI at idle once warmed up. This is with 10w30 oil. The weight will affect PSI.

Originally Posted by Chantz

Also, it has just started burning oil, and someone had recommended Lucas Oil Stabilizer. Should I wait until it's warm? And should I just change the oil before putting it in instead of putting it in dirty oil?

As well, I would like to know if Pennzoil is better than Quaker State or vise versa, or if synthetic is better than traditional.

Answers are always appreciated! Thanks

Do not add Lucas. It causes the oil to foam, which means there are small air bubbles in the oil. Where air is, oil isn't. Go to bobistheoilguy.com for a full explanation and some pictures. Replace the PCV valve as was mentioned. If that doesn't do it, you could try a cleaner such as seafoam. How much oil are you talking about burning?

Oil is oil. SuperTech (walmart) is recycled oil, I've heard some other cheap store brands are as well. Stay away from those, but any national brand is the same as any other as far as lubrication (some have additives that others don't). Not true for synthetics, but as mentioned, it's too late to start now.

[Chantz]

Thanks for the advice. And we're talking about a litre ever thousand km or so. Maybe a bit more than that. It's not drastic, but it's noticeable. Like I said, 335000 km and it's only starting to burn oil.

It's got 5W30 in it at the moment, and it runs at 200 kPa when started, and when idling at normal operating temperature, drops to about 120-135 kPa.

I picked up a PCV valve today at Bumper to Bumper for six dollars, and I'll probably install it this weekend or the weekend following. Anything special involved here, or just take the tube off and remove/unscrew from manifold? Thanks again

[Chantz]

Thanks for the heads up on the Lucas Oil. Won't being going that route.... However, I bought some SeaFoam once, and was told not to put it into the engine directly since it could clean carbon from the cylinders and other places where it would be helping to keep good seals. Any thoughts?

As far as the oil, it only burns a litre or two every thousand kms. And like I said, it only just started after having about 330000kms on it.

I picked up the PCV valve today for a few bucks. It will probably be installed this weekend or the following one. Is there anything special involved here, or just take off the hose and remove/unscrew from the manifold. Thanks again

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by Chantz

Thanks for the heads up on the Lucas Oil. Won't being going that route.... However, I bought some SeaFoam once, and was told not to put it into the engine directly since it could clean carbon from the cylinders and other places where it would be helping to keep good seals. Any thoughts?

As far as the oil, it only burns a litre or two every thousand kms. And like I said, it only just started after having about 330000kms on it.

I picked up the PCV valve today for a few bucks. It will probably be installed this weekend or the following one. Is there anything special involved here, or just take off the hose and remove/unscrew from the manifold. Thanks again

PCV just remove from hose pull other end from engine reinstall new.. 2 liters a thousand is alot of oil... better not go synthetic 5.00 plus a quart...

[J-Ri]

That is a lot of oil. My '86 burns 1/4 qt in 3,000 miles under normal conditions. Under lots of full-throttle starts it will use 3/4-1 qt in 3,000 miles.

Originally Posted by Chantz

...However, I bought some SeaFoam once, and was told not to put it into the engine directly since it could clean carbon from the cylinders and other places where it would be helping to keep good seals. Any thoughts?

I have used seafoam in the crankcase of all 3 vehicles I presently own. On my 4-cyl cars, I use half a bottle, and on my truck's 350 I used the whole bottle. I run the engine up to temperature first, add the seafoam, and then idle or drive very gently (I mean like 0-25MPH in 30 seconds)for about 5-10 minutes. The first time I did it on my truck, I used 3 bottles. I changed the oil before I left home. The first two I put in at the auto parts store. One in the gas tank and one in the crankcase. I drove home very slowly and unplugged the brake booster hose and slowly sucked 3/4 of the bottle through. After that, I fully submerge the hose, letting it suck in liquid whilch kills the engine. I figure it burns off less than if you let it run while you go to turn the key off. After about 30 minutes of letting it sit (I changed the oil again during this time. It came out BLACK after being driven 5 miles, normally after an oil change it would be still mostly golden after the first 2,000 miles), I started it up and watched the smoke pour out of the tailpipes. It smoked for a good 5 minutes. I changed the oil once more after 200 miles just to get any carbon that came off after the last change. It was noticably darker than normal. After that, it has been clean until 3,000 miles. My engine had about 140,000 miles on it the first time I used seafoam, and it started using less oil than it had before. I have since heard the same thing about it causing leaks because it removes the carbon that was sealing them. I don't believe it. A) It hasn't happened to me on 4 high-mileage vehicles I've used it in B) if carbon is forced to flex, it breaks, which makes it seem like it wouldn't really seal anything.

[j cAT]

I think the reason for concern with this product is that too much carbon is released in a short time and depending on the condition of the engine anything is possible.......good and very bad........I have experience with this , as my son picked up some clunkers , and I learned what lack of regular maintenance will do to an engine.... used vehicles are normally a bad investment unless you know the owner and his methods of maintaining equiptment.... I find your procedure to be very correct in how to properly dispose of the carbon soon and as I'm sure you know many will not change the oil/filters as you have to get the engine clean from carbon....carbon is the material that wears engine componets.....also loss of performance....oil consumption is a very very variable factor it is something that cannot be determined over the internet you have to closely examine what's going on and where is the oil being consumed....on one engine the kid had the pcv was sucking the huge amount of blow by gases being produced it was fill the gas tank add 1quart of oil......then every 3000mi i had to remove the carb clean out the intake port for pcv and back in business for another 3,ooomi. got 100,000mi out of that toilet.....I would put the drained filtered oil from my engine and put it in this toilet....the oil after an oil change flush would get very dark after 500mi....the oil change was also 5qarts of oil to flush out the engine then new oil and a new filter. every oil change....the plugs never fowled......as all the oil was being injested thru the intake pcv port....