Ever since I completed my DD B16 build, I've been running on Valvoline Race 20-50. This was recommended my my mechanic. I am in Puerto Rico.

After 4 years of the same oil brand and viscosity, I decided to try a lighter oil in search of some extra ponies. I dropped in Penzoil 10-30 this weekend and can see a definite change in oil pressure. Idle is at 30psi up from 23ish and when I get on it, it'll rise to 95psi for a split second, kind off bump off of that number and level to 90. This is also up from 83ish but it never bumped 95 like it does now.

I know this is due to the oil pump being able to pump the lighter oil more efficiently but do you think I've got too much pressure? Is lighter oil good or bad for high revving engines?

 

you also have to think your climate plays a roll in that as well, thinner oil in a warmer climate is going to move around better...i dont think the bump in pressure is going to give you a problem though..i know i change out viscosities from summer to winter

 

what were the bearing clearances?

 

any reasons why your mechanic recommended 50w?

 

"what you thinking Lance? 40w? 50w?"

"40w sounds nice"

lmao, sorry. just laughed at myself.

 

^ lol

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 4g hatch &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">what were the bearing clearances?</TD></TR></TABLE>


OMG NOOOOOOOOOOOO DONT EVER REPEAT THAT AGAIN PEOPLE MIGHT START INQUIRING WHY U ASKED THAT THEN THEY WILL START ASKING QUESTIONS BOUT THE WHY THEN.... THEEENNNNN THEY MIGHT LEARN SOMETHINGGGG NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO NOT ON HT, someone needs to ban this guy

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 98vtec &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">"what you thinking Lance? 40w? 50w?"

"40w sounds nice"

lmao, sorry. just laughed at myself.</TD></TR></TABLE>
ohhh and LOL

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Chris Tune &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">


OMG NOOOOOOOOOOOO DONT EVER REPEAT THAT AGAIN PEOPLE MIGHT START INQUIRING WHY U ASKED THAT THEN THEY WILL START ASKING QUESTIONS BOUT THE WHY THEN.... THEEENNNNN THEY MIGHT LEARN SOMETHINGGGG NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO NOT ON HT, someone needs to ban this guy


ohhh and LOL </TD></TR></TABLE>

damn i almost forgot that most dont wanna learn anything,just wanna hear what they wanna hear damn HT if i did explain most wouldnt believe me anyway

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Chris Tune &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">


OMG NOOOOOOOOOOOO DONT EVER REPEAT THAT AGAIN PEOPLE MIGHT START INQUIRING WHY U ASKED THAT THEN THEY WILL START ASKING QUESTIONS BOUT THE WHY THEN.... THEEENNNNN THEY MIGHT LEARN SOMETHINGGGG NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO NOT ON HT, someone needs to ban this guy


ohhh and LOL </TD></TR></TABLE>

using all caps is ground for point deduction.....






I'm interested in hearing an explanation tho. If you are willing to post that then you are willing to explain

 

IMO when you build a motor you need to decide on oil as well as bearing clearances. if your running them on the tighter side then 30. if there on the looser spec then i would say 40. the only people i see running that oil is high hp turbo guys that probably have pretty loose clearances,plus there motors take a real beating so the extra film is good cushion on the bearings. i wouldnt think a 20w would be benificial for a n/a app.
the bearings ride on a thin layer of oil. if the bearings are tight and the oil to thick then nothing good can happen. the looser clearances are good for higher hp motors but you need a thicker layer of oil. its good for low r/s ratio motors when the bearings have more stress from side load,the extra oil is a cushion.
thats all my opinion so if its all dont be mad

 

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 4g hatch &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">what were the bearing clearances?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Thank you sir - that's exactly where I wanted to take this thread - to the relationship between oil thickness and bearing clearances...

My B16 build was done 4 years ago when I was a n00b so I pretty much relied on "others" to guide me. I have no idea why my original mechanic told me to use 20-50 or Valvoline Racing for that matter Since the bearings where OEM. As far as I was concerned, the name sounded "right" LOL.

Anyway, 4 years later with ALOT of research and understanding under my belt (read: no hands on experience) I still rely on "others" for deeper knowledge but I have hand-picked them.

On my latest LSVTEC build, my ACL Race bearing clearances are .002 and when I asked DonF if 10-30 was good for DD and weekend race, he responded it was fine.

So, now I'm running 10-30 on a DD B16, revving to 8k at least 2 times a day and the only thing "noticable" is the jump in oil pressure. Just want to make sure I won't be blowing a seal or something

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 7rrivera7 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">


Anyway, 4 years later with ALOT of research and understanding under my belt (read: no hands on experience) I still rely on "others" for deeper knowledge but I have hand-picked them.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

thats always a good thing, reading and learning, and hand picking the useful ones


hmmm now a dyno comparison added to ur changing of oils would have bin the best.. to see, bearing clearance vs oil weight vs oil pressure change/fluctuation and whp diff..

good stuff anyways

 

poor crankcase ventilation is the cause of at least 75% of "blown seals"

 

I live in Tucson, the heat is equally intense here.. I recommend 10w30; just research a little and invest in an oil that has a higher iron sulfide content like mobil1 syn, torco, royal purple, amnsoil all 10w30s will run nicely... also Honda recommends the use of 10w30 in all B16s

Oil pressure is indicative of the type of oil filter you run and your driving style;
also the orientation of the vehicle to the ground plays a large role in how oil circulates.

10w30 will reduce the parasitic drag that might be caused by a thicker oil that takes longer to get to temp, 5w30 could be run safely but you'll notice that the engine will heat up faster than it needs to and high revving operations require at least 10W30 to run smoothly

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 4g hatch &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">IMO when you build a motor you need to decide on oil as well as bearing clearances. if your running them on the tighter side then 30. if there on the looser spec then i would say 40. the only people i see running that oil is high hp turbo guys that probably have pretty loose clearances,plus there motors take a real beating so the extra film is good cushion on the bearings. i wouldnt think a 20w would be benificial for a n/a app.
the bearings ride on a thin layer of oil. if the bearings are tight and the oil to thick then nothing good can happen. the looser clearances are good for higher hp motors but you need a thicker layer of oil. its good for low r/s ratio motors when the bearings have more stress from side load,the extra oil is a cushion.
thats all my opinion so if its all dont be mad</TD></TR></TABLE>

so if a motor is built to oem spec (for bearing clearances), is 20w50 so thick that it will not squeeze between the bearings and the crank/rods? or would 20w5 be "safe to use", just not ideal?

i ask because I think I burn oil and i don't know if a thicker oil would not blow past the rings as easily...but then I read about OEM bearing clearances and get concerned. I just tested 240-230-240-235 PSI on the cylinders. i need to add oil every 1000 miles or so but i don't seem to have any leaks. this is a b16a2 with ctr pistons and 30k on the build. other than this it runs great.