20W-50 in SL1?

1990's SL1's are notorious for eating oil due to sticking rings... Anyone
ever tried running 20W-50?

It's 13 degrees outside, I have 20W-50 in the car and it seems to start just
fine except for a 2-3 second "valve tap" as the think oil tries to migrate.

Think I'm risking a starter, oil pump, etc?

Joe in Northern, NJ - V#8013-R

Currently Riding The "Mother Ship"

Ride a motorcycle in or near NJ?
http://tinyurl.com/4zkw8
http://www.youthelate.com

 

How big is the problem you're trying to solve? I've got a 92SL1 and oil
usage is like one-fourth of a quart every couple of thousand miles, and
I think that's mostly leaks. (Despite some leak repairs there's still
some drops underneath the car and some sprayed around the belt.)

I've always religiously switched from 10W30 in the summer to 5W30 in
the winter. I'd have to be burning a lot of oil before going to 20W50.

I don't think that 20W in the cold would damage the starter or oil
pump, yeah they have to work harder so they might go a bit sooner but
it'll be near the end of their lives anyway. I would think that lack of
oil volume to/through the upper engine would be more important.

Tim.

 

Actuallly 20w50 can make it worse because it can stick the rings up
further because of its greatly reduced drain back abilities and it
will also reduce MPG some because of increased shearing forces it
causes in the engine. I do agree with 10w30 in summer and 5w30 in
winter.

 

How big is the problem you're trying to solve?

A quart of oil every 600-1000 miles - depending on how "smart" I drive.
Highway speeds near redline in 3rd or 4th (fast, I know) actually blow
visible smoke. The car has 137,000 miles and has been this way since around
90,000. No noticeable change so far.

Tried all the fixes for stuck rings including overnight soak in SeaFoam and
it's counterparts.

Joe in Northern, NJ - V#8013-R

Currently Riding The "Mother Ship"

Ride a motorcycle in or near NJ?
http://tinyurl.com/4zkw8
http://www.youthelate.com

 

If the rings are really stuck, some 5w30 mixed with about a 1 quart or
two of kerosene with engine run lightly loaded at lower RPM for about
a 30 mintutes to a hour will free them. If this does not work, you
have worn rings, not stuck ones and not not rule out bad valve guides
or seals playing a role here either.

 

Regardless of the cause, the car is a $1500 buy two years ago... It has
served my 70+ mile daily commute well... Especailly since I usually change
the oil every 6-7000 miles these days due to a hectic life...

If and when it dies, it dies knowing it served me well. If it lasts and
simply eats oil... That's the price I'll pay for a good gas-efficient small
car.

The repair costs are too high to consider any of the repairs other than the
ring stuck fixes mentioned.


--


Joe in Northern, NJ - V#8013-R

Currently Riding The "Mother Ship"

Ride a motorcycle in or near NJ?
http://tinyurl.com/4zkw8
http://www.youthelate.com

 

Does it blow Blue Smoke on hard acceleration or hard deceleration?

 

Does it blow Blue Smoke on hard acceleration or hard deceleration?

Blue? Hmm... How about dirty gray... Hard acceleration above 5,000 RPM
would be my guestimate without actually testing it.

And... It seems to have stopped since I put in the 20W50.
--


Joe in Northern, NJ - V#8013-R

Currently Riding The "Mother Ship"

Ride a motorcycle in or near NJ?
http://tinyurl.com/4zkw8
http://www.youthelate.com

 

Use all of the following in a google search:
"blue smoke" acceleration deceleration

You can pin the consumption to valves or rings that way.

Ever clean or replace your PCV valve?

 

Hard acceleration above 5,000 RPM

IMHO 5000rpm is WAY too fast to EVER rev an S series Saturn. These are high
torque motors and really only make more noise above 3000 rpm. IMHO 3500 rpm
should be a normal operating LIMIT. An operating range between 1700 - 2900
will result in more engine life, better fuel economy and reduced oil
consumption. You are driving this car like you would a low torque Japanese
car from the 1980s. Modern high torque engines develop MORE power (really
force) in the lower rpm band. 2400 rpm is the best cruise speed.

IMHO 20w50 is too thick to properly lubricate these engines. 10w30 would be
OK in the summer but I prefer and have had good luck (160000 mi) with 5w30
all year. My oil consumption is about 1300/qt which I consider normal and
no cause for concern. The make of oil does make some difference.

IMHO 6-7000 miles is way too long between changes especially as you are
subjecting this engine to ring flutter and blowby caused by excessive high
speed operation. I have done several oil analysis and have established an
oil change interval of 3600 mi. which gives me good results in my mainly
highway operation. I usually add two qts between changes then change when
it is down to needing a third addition. Old oil will burn MUCH faster than
new oil.

IMHO you should lower your shift points and change your oil more frequently.
Oil is relatively cheap and you can keep a car happy for a long time if you
keep the oil full and the engine speed low. Just because you got a bargain
when you purchased this car does not mean you should abuse it.. It will
give you a lot more good service if you treat it right.

just my .02

 

I use strictly 5w30 mobile one and have had excellent results. No oil
consumption at all since I loosened and retorqued the valve cove
gaskets..

 

I will use 5w30 in winter but never in summer. By its nature 5w30 has
more VI in it (Viscosity Improver) and it is the VI that can cook out
in a hot engine and gum up the rings. With SYN oil VI is not much of a
issue but it is with dino oil.

 

Great comment.

I use 5w30 year around and I'm at 191k on a 92 SL2. The Saturn S-series
engine is very sensitive to the oil viscosity. the 20w50 will probably
kill his engine in a few thousand miles. Probably the timing chain will
be the first thing to go, then the valve train, then the rings last (if
he fixes the other things).

I usually change my own oil because every time I take it to the local
quick-change place they give me the hard sell for heavier oil because I
have an 'old engine'. The engineer matches the oil viscosity index with
the engine operating temperature and lubrication requirements and comes
up with a 'recommendation' that a lot of 'experts' then feel free to
ignore. What is it about heavy oil that makes people think its somehow
better than lighter oil? Maybe they should mix a little asphalt tar in
with the 20w50 to get a really 'long-lasting' oil. There's no good oil
or bad oil, there's only the 'right' oil for YOUR engine and the 'wrong'
oil.

 

I predict your next post will be titled

"Parting out a Saturn SL1"