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Yes, I'd guess it's an old engine wearing. If it has good pressure though, and no noises, I'd keep driving it.
Sounds like a great advice. Pressure is always above 40 even at idle. Let's see if I can get 20K more, and get busy. I got all the tools to do that surgery.
I feel I should add to this. *I* would keep driving, b/c I would be "O.K." w/a rod knock "forcing" me to to upgrade to a 383 (or whatever). Not everyone may feel that way, and a nice feature about the 'Vette is that it's easy to drop the pan and look at some bearings. You can replace bearing shells w/o removing the crank, and prevent damage to the crank or rods...and greatly extend the life of the engine too.
Dropping the pan and inspecting bearings should be a couple hour job. Dropping the pan and replacing bearing should also be a few hour job...maybe 3-4 hours at most. I used to have a V8 Jeep that I could drain the oil, drop the pan, replace bearing shells, pan back on fill w/oil and have it running again in 20 minutes. Don't ask why.
Have you been doing 8-10 thousand mile oil changes for a long period of time? At least this time was a lower content of copper and lead than the previous oil change. They feel like you should extend to 12K mile oil changes. To me that's nuts. The oil may not degrade, but the additive packages does. And when the additive packages delete, the oil can turn to an acid. Not saying this is happening with your oil, just saying.
From: Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.
St. Jude '03 thru '24
When reading oil analysis reports I was instructed to "trend" each metal type.
Am I correct that your report is based on just two analysis'?
Hardly enough time to support a trend unless a catastrophic failure is eminent.
Just curious, whats your procedure for taking a sample?
Are you sampling the fresh oil?
Have you considered taking a sample every 2-3 thousand miles from the same oil change?
Last edited by JrRifleCoach; Oct 28, 2013 at 11:15 PM.
I used to have a V8 Jeep that I could drain the oil, drop the pan, replace bearing shells, pan back on fill w/oil and have it running again in 20 minutes. Don't ask why.
Dropping the pan and inspecting bearings should be a couple hour job. Dropping the pan and replacing bearing should also be a few hour job...maybe 3-4 hours at most. I used to have a V8 Jeep that I could drain the oil, drop the pan, replace bearing shells, pan back on fill w/oil and have it running again in 20 minutes. Don't ask why.
Ive done this before. C3 and C4. My 87 is probably easier than your LT1 car but its crazy easy. Headers, mini starter, nothing in the way. Only the front main is hard to get to. A few years ago I did mine in a couple hours including plastigaging a couple rods and mains. Well worth the time spent. 167000 miles on this bottom end and it still has killer oil pressure.
Have you been doing 8-10 thousand mile oil changes for a long period of time? At least this time was a lower content of copper and lead than the previous oil change. They feel like you should extend to 12K mile oil changes. To me that's nuts. The oil may not degrade, but the additive packages does. And when the additive packages delete, the oil can turn to an acid. Not saying this is happening with your oil, just saying.
Normally around 7,500. The last two changes were two cross-country trips
I agree
Originally Posted by JrRifleCoach
When reading oil analysis reports I was instructed to "trend" each metal type. Am I correct that your report is based on just two analysis'?
Hardly enough time to support a trend unless a catastrophic failure is eminent.
Just curious, whats your procedure for taking a sample?
Are you sampling the fresh oil? Have you considered taking a sample every 2-3 thousand miles from the same oil change?
Yes, two
I followed their instructions, drive the car until it reaches operational temp. I drove it to 185°F oil temp, and don't use the first oil that flows from the pan. I used around the second quart.