Maybe I should of asked this BEFORE I changed it but oh well lol... Motor has 237k miles, burnt valves and rings, and running on 5 cylinders and no telling what else... I was thinking with the condition the motor is in that a thicker oil would be better, and then with winter coming. Will it be fine or should I use a different oil the next time?

 

20/50 will be fine...I use it all the time. It's my oil of choice even tho I have no motor issues.

 

I dont know if i would use anything that thick unless its in really hot climate.

Only reason to use a thicker oil is to gain oil pressure from worn out bearings. If oil pressure is fine with 10w30 use it, its easier on anything else that may not be badly worn.

 

I've seen plenty of high HP engine builders call for that.


By the sounds of that engine I'd be more worried about being stranded some place. It might help it a little. What was your oil pressure with the old oil vs now?

 

a half dead 3.1 isnt exactly a high HP engine

 

500+ hp SBC's, BBC's, LSx's ect. 3.1 is not even a good anchor.

 

Well I don't drive far when I drive this car. Today was the first time I drove it in 2 days and that was just up the street to get the oil. When I do drive it I always take a cell phone.

I want to say 60 with 10w30, but I'm not 100% sure because I always forget things. I couldn't even tell you how much gas is in my car. Tomorrow I will start it up and let it idle for about a minute and then drive it to see what the pressure is with this oil.

 

Actually in the truck on the last oil change (6,000 miles on the 383) I used M1 20W 50. Funny thing is it takes the exact same time for oil pressure to come up in the colder weather as it did in the warmer months with 10W 30 break in dino juice. The clickety clatter that usually is associated with the thicker oil on startup isnt present either.

 

Well I was wrong, no way was my oil pressure 60 with the old oil... With this oil it's about 45.

 

45 cold then the heavy oil is good for your engine. What does it drop down to when warmed up? Say 20 minutes of driving.

 

About 30

I also found out that my car is burning oil. I had to put a half of a quart in there 4 days after changing my oil.

 

Putting thicker oil will solve your oil burning problem. However that preassure that you are talking about is actually good. The burning is another thing. My motor has 140k on it and I use the 7500 mobil 1 10W30 and its perfect after 4000 miles. Its darker but the preassure is about 45-50 at start up and when i gun it and its about 30 or just under 30 when its ideling.
I could recomend the engine restorer (snake oil) which I used on my motor before I did the overhaul, and it did wonders. It stoped the smoking and it seriously felt like a lot firmer engine. So, I know most people are not found of the snake oil, but my experience with it is amazing.
Now you should be really getting a new motor, and I don;t think it would be much of a problem if you used the restorer.

My 2 cents (and my car is crapping out on me(fuel problem) so take it or leave it from a guy who does not know everything about these cars ))
although i have learned a lot, and hit me up if you have a cooling problem