Oil

Tiny
RICKFAUL
  • MEMBER
  • 1995 CHEVROLET S-10
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • MANUAL
  • 115,000 MILES
Enter your question. Every three weeks I need to add a quart of oil to my 1995 chevy S-10 Pick-up as the oil pressure dips way to low. There is no oil leak under the car and although I am sure it burns a little oil it only has 115,000 miles on a 4 cylinder. Oil pump. Rick
Saturday, March 5th, 2011 AT 1:21 AM

6 Replies

Tiny
FIXITMR
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,990 POSTS
Have you had an actual pressure reading or just the gauge? Have you tried a heavier weight oil than is called for like 20/50? Or use an oil stabilizer like LUCAS brand? Do you mean pressure reads low while actual driving? Or just an overall lower range of pressure? And hot oil will register lower than cold oil anyway. The hotter it gets, the lower the reading.
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Saturday, March 5th, 2011 AT 1:33 AM
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 20,757 POSTS
I DO NOT recommend using 20W50 in that vehicle. You can't really use oil that heavy in anything built after the early 90s. The engines were built differently with a lot smaller oil clearances, designed to use thinner oil for better fuel mileage. If you use oil that heavy you will get "dry starts" which will lead to heavy engine wear. If you have an oil pressure issue, repair it mechanically. If you have an oil consumption problem, then maybe consider the additive but not the heavier oil.
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Saturday, March 5th, 2011 AT 1:50 AM
Tiny
DAVE'S BIG BACKYARD!
  • MECHANIC
  • 262 POSTS
I dont know how often you change your oil, but to me it sounds like its worn from lack of oil care. P.S 20w50 is for tractors.
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Saturday, March 5th, 2011 AT 4:03 AM
Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
If your oil level I slow then add, but have a mechanical gauge installed and read it that way. Yours has electrical readings and either the sender or the gauge cold be screwing up. If you are losing oil and not seeing any leakage then it would be burning it maybe via the head gasket. It could also be valve seals/guide wear. I kind of doubt that however.
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Saturday, March 5th, 2011 AT 6:53 PM
Tiny
FIXITMR
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,990 POSTS
I use 20/50 in hot weather. 5/30-10/30 in cold. If oil is low, you could add just a quart of 20/50 to raise viscosity. As far as dry starts, I use LUCAS stabilizer to help with that, as a side bonus it also reduces small leaks/seepage.
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Sunday, March 6th, 2011 AT 4:06 AM
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 20,757 POSTS
NO, do not use 20W50. It will do engine damage in that vehicle.
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Sunday, March 6th, 2011 AT 12:53 PM

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