hi i've got a couple questions about my gen 1 3sge. i'm losing a fair bit of oil but not from a visible leak so i guess its burning. i plan to get a compression test gauge to check what i can, see if i can sort it out without a rebuild. oil pressure gauge sits at the middle at idle and goes to the block before the end as i rev up but this is something im used to over 2 3sge's so i don't know whether to trust the gauge. 1. can i manually test for oil pressure? it badly needs an oil change. the manual recommends 15w40 but i've heard a thicker grade is better for worn engines and mine's about 22 years old now, unknown kms and not running too sweet. i've been topping the oil up with Penrite HPR 50 which is 40w70. 2. what oil grade would you all recommend? thanks
Re: oil grade thanks for the quick reply. does the temperature the cars operating in affect your choice at all? its coming into winter and i drive in very cold mornings and then hot days, changes all the time. also i edited to give more info, any idea on the oil pressure test? thanks.
Re: oil grade / oil pressure test I'd worry about the pressure if the gauge didn't move at all, it's working normally, so there's nothing wrong with it or the oil you're using. If you live in Alaska and have to warm the sump with a blowtorch before starting, then maybe wiser to use thinner oil. You're adding goop to the oil and still losing oil, it's normal for a 22yr old engine - it's telling you it's time for a make-over. Take out the oil cap and look inside the cover, if it's black inside the seals and rings need replacing. Start it - if smoke comes from the cover - ditto All you can do now is keep changing the oil when it turns black, and maybe add some seal restorer and Prolong to the oil (If you believe they may help) Don't drive it till it's warm and don't hammer it Reminds me of a joke amongst the Ferrari/Alfa owners Q: Why do Ferrari's smoke? A: So you know there's still oil in the sump
Re: oil grade / oil pressure test ok cheers i'm goin to change oil tomorrow with penrite hpr 40, 25W-70. ive been using hpr 50, 40w-70 so thinner might be better ill give it a try. but this is what they say on the site: For larger capacity engines operating under extreme climate conditions or with consumption issues, try this high viscosity formulation. Also recommended for selected older large capacity petrol engines with aftermarket turbochargers and large capacity competition engines. (http://www.penriteoil.com.au/products/m ... hpr/hpr_40) should i go thinner or just give it a try? I have a few other questions, didn't want to make another thread. 1 ok you know the vertical body panel at the rear that the license plate sits on, under the boot lid? mine is rusting at the top of the panel along the boot seal. got a parts car, has a good boot seal and decent panels. can this panel be swapped easily? cant see it in the haynes manual. 2 if the steering rack and pump are good on this parts car im going to put one or both in mine. can the rack be done with the engine in the car? whats the tried and tested way? 3 i'm going to tidy up the wiring around the thermostat, under the alternator and left of the extractors. it's messy at the moment, can someone please show a picture of that area so i have a reference to work towards? 4 in front of the radiator there is another cooling system, blocking air flow to the radiator. is this air con or oil? my aircon doesnt work, was told it needed to be regassed, i've gone 5 years without it so dont want it anymore. is it worth removing this cooling thing and the aircon unit, if i get the aircon checked and ungassed properly? will it affect the normal heater/outside air unit? is it simple to fit a shorter belt from crank to alternator, without the ac? sorry for all the questions this is the best place ive found for goodness. cheers
Why is thinner oil better in such a worn engine? Questions 1) I've made a listing, pics etc at http://st162.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=3828 You can't swap it without major cutting and welding 2) I've changed racks in the car, jack it up high and you can swap them 3) no mention of motor?, go to the "show your engine bay" thread, pick one and copy it 4) I'ts the aircon radiator, will need to be professionally tested and filled. Removing it won't affect your normal heater unit Not all cars had aircon - buy a non-aircon belt Hope that helps
To echo the Stig on the ac, I removed all of mine. once de gassed, its a pretty easy strip out, Not sure on your car, but on my 165, you have to bridge a connection for the old AC pipes, other wise your engine fan runs constantly. From memory its the blue one. What I did to work out the best belt, was cut up and old too long fan belt and cut it to it was roughly the right length, then you had something to go to the parts store, to get the right one. The chiller unit, behind the dash is a bit of a pain to take out, as bits of dash have to move.
-> you have to bridge a connection for the old AC pipes, other wise your engine fan runs constantly. From memory its the blue one. okay i removed the rad and cut the pipes as they go into the firewall. noticed that when i unplugged the blue wire both fans run non stop, so i plugged it back in just hanging there. how do i bridge this and what to? edit: thanks Alwayzsidewayz sorted that right out.
