Took an hour long drive this morning to go snag some tires for my truck, oil pressure dropped down like normal but it always does that so I thought nothing of it. By the time I got home it was missing like crazy and sounded very very bad.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGnDVA5 ... ata_player

Parked it and planned to pull the engine but after I shut it off for a minute then fired it back up it rattled for a bit then got silent like normal.

Fresh oil change with Castrol Edge synthetic 5W20, oil is clean with no shavings in it. I am sure what happened is the higher RPM at cruising at 75 mph for an hour allowed the lifters to collapse from the low oil pressure then after idling for a bit they pumped back up. Looks like it is time for some thicker oil, likely some Lucas oil stabalizer and it should easily last for a while. Next summer will come a new engine.... maybe sooner if needed

_________________
Ryan

2003 Bonneville SSEi - The Black Mirror SOLD!
2002 Bonneville SE - The Mutt Complete 2004 SLE interior, drivetrain, and body harness swap, ECC swap, HUD swap, black GXP wheels, GXP headlights and tinted tails - SOLD
2003 BMW 540i M Sport, 2001 BMW X5 4.4i, 2010 GMC Acadia, 2017 Grand Design Imagine 3150BH
1982 Cutlass Supreme - The fun one

Wait, your oil pressure drops while cruising @ rpm? 5w20 seems a little low. But lifters function based on oil pressure so cruising should not have made them bleed off. I think it's something like 15psi is the lower threshold for the lifters.

_________________
Boost addict


The Fleet:
'93 SSEi - Twincharged + manual Build thread
'97 Camaro - Top swap
'05 STS - V8, AWD, her DD
'92 Trofeo - Fair weather DD
'99 Montana - top swap 3800
'04 Sierra 2500HD - LLY Duramax

Current project:
Something cool, trust me.

Upcoming projects:
'92 Bonneville SSE
'87 LeSabre T-type
'67 LeSabre

Gone to greener pastures:
'84 Sierra Classic - Twin turbo 3800
'97 LeSabre - Top swap

RIP:
'86 LeSabre - pictures
'93 SE - L67

Yea I am pretty sure there are some tolerance issues at play here. The oil pressure was down to basically zero the last half of the trip with the light coming on. I figured it was just the sending unit taking a crap again as the last one did the same thing then the pressure read great after replacing it and over time dropped out again.

_________________
Ryan

2003 Bonneville SSEi - The Black Mirror SOLD!
2002 Bonneville SE - The Mutt Complete 2004 SLE interior, drivetrain, and body harness swap, ECC swap, HUD swap, black GXP wheels, GXP headlights and tinted tails - SOLD
2003 BMW 540i M Sport, 2001 BMW X5 4.4i, 2010 GMC Acadia, 2017 Grand Design Imagine 3150BH
1982 Cutlass Supreme - The fun one

Sounds just like Carl's did last year, hopefully yours isn't toast, like his wasn't.

_________________
Will
88 Cutlass Ciera Brougham International | 120k mi | White w/ Dk Claret Int. | Roller to be S2 L67/4T65E-HD | 1 of ~5100 3.8 FE3 Int'l series
91 Riviera | S2 L67 Swap/4T60E | 127K mi | Antelope Met. w/ Tan Int. | Saved From Death By Crusher
92 Bonneville SSE | L67/4T60E | 77K mi | Med Slate Grey w/ Two-Tone Grey Int. | Low Miles Time Capsule
92 Lumina Z34 | LQ1/4T60E | 177k mi | Torch Red w/Grey Int. | Rusty In Odd Spots
99 Tahoe LT | L31/4L65E | 276k mi | Spiral Grey Metallic w/Grey Int. | Truck for Truck Things and Portable Concert Hall
03 Park Avenue Ultra | 212K mi | White Diamond Met. w/ Shale Int. | Southern Time Capsule
05 Acura RL | 155K mi | Carbon Grey Pearl w/Ebony Int. | The Super-Hooptie Daily

Lucas is very thick, therefore adding viscosity to your oil, making more probably of a 10W-30, depending on how much you added. I'd say running 5W-20 had something to do with it for sure, although it may very well likely just be a side-effect, not the actual problem.

_________________
Bye Bye:

RIP sandrock

An oil change got rid of the noise for me. Although mine was because the oil had turned the viscosity of water. Put some 5W-40 in there.

Don't you have that L67 laying around?

_________________
-Car Guy Carl
"Penelope" - 2003 SLE - 247k Miles
"Sydney" - 2000 Honda S2000 - 98k miles

Yea, I ran 5W20 for the last 10,000 miles with 5,000 miles between changes. I just changed the oil maybe four days ago and it is still clean / new looking. Definitely a bearing or oil pump tolerance issue here. I do think though that with some Lucas it will thicken up the oil enough to not have the issue. I have driven it to work and back several times without issue since the oil change but this is the first drive over a half hour for it in quite a while.

I think I will freshen up that L67 I have, pretty sure I will need a new cam, some ported goodies, pulley drop, and headers to make it work. Next summer might be interesting if all goes well with the new job

_________________
Ryan

2003 Bonneville SSEi - The Black Mirror SOLD!
2002 Bonneville SE - The Mutt Complete 2004 SLE interior, drivetrain, and body harness swap, ECC swap, HUD swap, black GXP wheels, GXP headlights and tinted tails - SOLD
2003 BMW 540i M Sport, 2001 BMW X5 4.4i, 2010 GMC Acadia, 2017 Grand Design Imagine 3150BH
1982 Cutlass Supreme - The fun one

It definitely won't work without those mods.

Lol

_________________
Will
88 Cutlass Ciera Brougham International | 120k mi | White w/ Dk Claret Int. | Roller to be S2 L67/4T65E-HD | 1 of ~5100 3.8 FE3 Int'l series
91 Riviera | S2 L67 Swap/4T60E | 127K mi | Antelope Met. w/ Tan Int. | Saved From Death By Crusher
92 Bonneville SSE | L67/4T60E | 77K mi | Med Slate Grey w/ Two-Tone Grey Int. | Low Miles Time Capsule
92 Lumina Z34 | LQ1/4T60E | 177k mi | Torch Red w/Grey Int. | Rusty In Odd Spots
99 Tahoe LT | L31/4L65E | 276k mi | Spiral Grey Metallic w/Grey Int. | Truck for Truck Things and Portable Concert Hall
03 Park Avenue Ultra | 212K mi | White Diamond Met. w/ Shale Int. | Southern Time Capsule
05 Acura RL | 155K mi | Carbon Grey Pearl w/Ebony Int. | The Super-Hooptie Daily

Correct me if I'm wrong, wasn't the motor in the SE supposedly done when you bought it initially? If so, even if it's toast now you got some use out of it and proved these motors can take abuse and still live for a long time.


But I agree with Will....that L67 won't work without mods

_________________



Joseph

Current: 2013 Infiniti G37 Journey
1999 Infiniti G20T - Sold
1999 Buick Lesabre - Race Couch - gone but not forgotten

I'm thinking something more along the lines of the bypass valve has a broken spring or something. Clearance issues usually manifest as low oil pressure at hot idle up to a certain rpm where the oil pump is spinning fast enough to out-flow the leaks. With a gerotor pump that happens pretty quick, like 1500rpm. Anything higher than that and the pressure will just climb up to the bypass setting.

_________________
Boost addict


The Fleet:
'93 SSEi - Twincharged + manual Build thread
'97 Camaro - Top swap
'05 STS - V8, AWD, her DD
'92 Trofeo - Fair weather DD
'99 Montana - top swap 3800
'04 Sierra 2500HD - LLY Duramax

Current project:
Something cool, trust me.

Upcoming projects:
'92 Bonneville SSE
'87 LeSabre T-type
'67 LeSabre

Gone to greener pastures:
'84 Sierra Classic - Twin turbo 3800
'97 LeSabre - Top swap

RIP:
'86 LeSabre - pictures
'93 SE - L67

Run E85 with a cam and an intercooler. Have a 400 wheel daily. Because.

_________________
-Car Guy Carl
"Penelope" - 2003 SLE - 247k Miles
"Sydney" - 2000 Honda S2000 - 98k miles

I don't like running 5W-20 in a vehicle that requires 5W-20. Sh*t is like water going in...

Why would you chose it for an engine designed for 5W/10W-30?

_________________


Retired Bonneville Owner and former GM Tech:
2004 Pontiac Bonneville GXP: Black/Ebony *SOLD*

Summer Toys: Combined 827 RWHP / 877lb/ft RWTQ
2004 Pontiac GTO: Impulse Blue Metallic/Black/M6: lots 'o mods, 415 RWHP / 405lb/ft RWTQ!
2006 Cadillac STS-V: Light Platinum Metallic/Light Gray/A6 - Spectre CAI, Magnaflow exhaust, Speed Inc. tune, 412 RWHP / 472lb/ft RWTQ

Daily Drivers:
2019 Chrysler Pacifica Limited: Mommy's new RGC
2015 Chrysler Town & Country Limited Platinum: Kids new RGC
2007 Chrysler Town & Country Limited: Sold to neighbor
2009 Pontiac G8 GT: L76, Sport Red Metallic
2003 Chevrolet Suburban 2500: Doeskin Tan - 8.1L Big Block... new plow truck
1999 Chevrolet Suburban: Sunset Gold Metallic - Daddy's winter beater and plow truck

Agreed!
5w20 is piss water no matter how you slice it.

Leon

_________________

2006 GTO
2005 GXP Bonneville (his) (SOLD)
2004 SLE Bonneville (hers)
2004 SLE Bonneville (sons)
2006 GXP Grand Prix (sons)
1998 SLE GMC Sierra
1991 Yamaha FJ1200
1983 Trans Am (SOLD)
1979 Trans Am

I run 10W-40 PennGrade 1, by Brad Penn oil.

I like the pressure better than 10w-30 at full operating temperature

I guess that is a big brain fart on my part

not sure why I was thinking 5w20, all my other oil jugs were 5w30 so no idea why I picked up 5w20 this time. Still though it should not have done this but it will regardless get some Lucas and I am sure it will be fine until I throw a nice L67 at it.

_________________
Ryan

2003 Bonneville SSEi - The Black Mirror SOLD!
2002 Bonneville SE - The Mutt Complete 2004 SLE interior, drivetrain, and body harness swap, ECC swap, HUD swap, black GXP wheels, GXP headlights and tinted tails - SOLD
2003 BMW 540i M Sport, 2001 BMW X5 4.4i, 2010 GMC Acadia, 2017 Grand Design Imagine 3150BH
1982 Cutlass Supreme - The fun one

I'd bet the viscosity made the difference.

_________________
Bye Bye:

RIP sandrock

I would bet that as well. There still must be something else wrong though causing the actual problem as even with thin oil it shouldn't do this. I am gonna snag some Lucas on the way home from work today and throw it in.

_________________
Ryan

2003 Bonneville SSEi - The Black Mirror SOLD!
2002 Bonneville SE - The Mutt Complete 2004 SLE interior, drivetrain, and body harness swap, ECC swap, HUD swap, black GXP wheels, GXP headlights and tinted tails - SOLD
2003 BMW 540i M Sport, 2001 BMW X5 4.4i, 2010 GMC Acadia, 2017 Grand Design Imagine 3150BH
1982 Cutlass Supreme - The fun one

Going the other way with viscosity in an old 3.8 allowed us to drive it 100k miles with a knocking rod, rod knocks, time to change oil. If it was 3,000 when it started knocking, I either went up one notch on viscosity or added a can of "motor honey (STP)". When we finally got rid of the car, I was running 20w-50 with 2 cans of STP in it every 3,000 miles. - BC

_________________
In Memory of Brad - 1/21/1977 .. 10/23/2013 ...... Aaron - 1977 .. 2017 .....
2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport ..... 1992 Bonneville SSE 1SB 170 HP L27 4T60E retired/sold to MattStrike ..... 2005 Bonneville SE 1SC 205 HP L36 4T65E - retired/salvage yard ..... PBCF user 2321

Yea, I have had great luck with Lucas in an old knocking 350 I had. No way it would have survived like it did running regular oil

_________________
Ryan

2003 Bonneville SSEi - The Black Mirror SOLD!
2002 Bonneville SE - The Mutt Complete 2004 SLE interior, drivetrain, and body harness swap, ECC swap, HUD swap, black GXP wheels, GXP headlights and tinted tails - SOLD
2003 BMW 540i M Sport, 2001 BMW X5 4.4i, 2010 GMC Acadia, 2017 Grand Design Imagine 3150BH
1982 Cutlass Supreme - The fun one

Lucas' products have saved my butt countless times hahahaha But hopefully all ends up well with the situation at hand. I've only started working out how I'm gonna tackle my transmission situation myself.

_________________
I'm backkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk!