I wouldn't be putting anything in the engine until you verify your actual oil pressure. Low oil pressure will cause lifter noise. And using 20w50 isn't going to cause your engine to make noise, unless you're living in Iceland and the oil is flowing like cement. Do you have the ability to hook up a different gauge to the engine, preferably a mechanical one for better accuracy?

 

I have a mechanical oil pressure unit that I never had installed because after I changed the oil last time, the first time under my ownership, the electric oil pressure gauge showed a significant change for the better. So, I'm thinking given your advice, I'll bring my car the two miles to my mechanic to have him install the mechanical oil pressure gauge. Sound good?

 

agree you need to find out if and why you have no oil pressure. if oil gets air in it pressure will drop. i assume you made sure it was at operational level. how long have you had the car?

 

I've had the car since last September. There seems to be no loss in power. The previous owner disconnected the oil pressure gauge in the dash and installed an aftermarket one on the A pillar. However, the wiring seems rather haphazard.

It appears a 1/4" npt adapter is needed to have the mechanical gauge installed. Does this seems correct?

Why do you think the oil pressure gauge read at an acceptable level after the last oil change in December?

I can't thank you enough for all the advice. I wish I were as knowledgable.

 

Could be the gauge is not reading right, oil pressure really is ok, and it's just a coincidence. But under the circumstances, better to be safe than sorry.

 

on side above oil filter is 1/4-18. i show two plugs in back of the intake... dont know why. one shows .25-18 and other shows 1/8-27, im thinking its .25-18 or the same as the one above the oil filter.

 

Well... The news is not good. The oil pressure was fine when I drove it to my mechanic's shop on Tuesday. The engine was making quite a racket. I just got of the phone, and the shop said it sounded like way more than a lifter tick. There is grit in the oil - he said could be bearing and/or more. He asked if I had considered replacing the engine with a crate motor as the cost of merely pulling the engine and putting it back in after a rebuild would be 15 hrs of labor.

I'm crushed. What do you suggest? I assume that if the motor is pulled, one should have it completely rebuilt.

 

if you cant do the work yourself its gona be expensive. 4-5k, you could buy another 4th gen for the cost. may be able to sell to someone that can do the work for 1-2k depending on the condition.

 

Well sorry to hear that man, that just sucks all around.

 

Im having the same sound. my oil pressure dropped to about 10-15 today. jumps up to 20 when i get on it. thats when i started to here it. everything runs fine drives fine. no odd smells. seem to have white smoke out the back pipe. but no smells.no over heating it has the 3.4 v6 MAF 1994. 131000. its been fine the last 3 days. any suggestions?