O.K. I did a FUBAR!

[Mystery race Cars]

Just changed and switched oil on my 94 Surburban. This cream puff has a true 312,061 miles on it! I went from Rotella 15w40 which I have always used to the NEW Rotella Synthetic 15w40. I also changed filter brands because my ("there's your sign") son thought it was the best deal when he picked up the oil. I was expecting rays from heaven to shine down when I started the old boy! Thing first thing I noticed was a loss of 14 lbs. of oil pressure! So I ran it a few minutes and then revved it up and still had a loss of 14 lbs. of oil pressure. I am not in the danger zone by no means but I would like yo have my 14 lbs. back! After driving it a while I noticed it does run a bit cooler and idles a little smoother (I think). Could the change in filter brands make that much of a difference? Or is it in the synthetic oil itself? I know you really want to know the filter brands.... I took off a AC and put on a ...............................fram shhhhhh!

[2dumb2kwit]

If you got a flat tire, and your windshield cracked, I'd blame the fram filter.(I don't like fram, in case you couldn't tell.) I think if you put a good filter on it, you will probably get your oil pressure back. (And when you do, I would make your son carry that oily old fram filter around for 3 or 4 days, just to make sure he understands the error of his actions!)

[jr18]

One of my friends went to the synthetic oil and noticed a oil pressure drop in his dodge. I don't know what filter he used but I do know he dislikes Fram.


I, myself had a 1988 Camaro and changed oil, and used a Fram filter and Vavoline racing oil. I have used the Vavoline oil for many years and never used the Fram filter (It was on sale at the parts store) when I started the motor I nocited that the lifters were making a lot of noise that was not their before the oil change. Shut her down, removed the filter, and used a different brand and the engine quited right up. I did nocited that the oil pressure did drop with the Fram oil filter.


I guess what I am tring to say is that it could be a little of both the filter and synthetic oil. I would like more info on this subject because I have seen the same problem with the oil and the filter.

[racin29]

fram filters use a very dense peice of paper in their filters with less area, they do this so they can put less paper in their filters than the good brands this makes it harder for you oil to pass through filters that is probly why you seen the drop in oil pressure, as far as the oil 15w40 is 15w40 it is all the same weight, if you change weight then you could see a change in pressure but if the weight is the same it will be the same, the government regulates that so its all the same stuff, but the dirtier you oil gets the thinner it gets so at an oil change, depending on the miles you put on, you could see up to a 10 psi changeif you change the filter you will get the psi back

[Dirtwizard]

I've always used fram products, if you seen a pressure drop it's not becausecheap paper it's just filtering better. Ask any engine builder oil pressure isover rated. Last time I built an engine I set the bearings for a little lesspressure to have more flow. ANY WAY if you have over 20 lbs in that thingwith 300,000 miles your doing good

[Mystery race Cars]

I've always used fram products, if you seen a pressure drop it's not becausecheap paper it's just filtering better. Ask any engine builder oil pressure isover rated. Last time I built an engine I set the bearings for a little lesspressure to have more flow. ANY WAY if you have over 20 lbs in that thingwith 300,000 miles your doing good

I switched the filter and got my oil pressure back! Oil pressure may be overrated but you can't expect to live long without it! Years ago my Pops was the fleet manager of over 50 18 wheelers. A parts salesman sold him on Hastings "Densite" filters. After several breakdowns due to loss of oil pressure (the fix was to have the service truck change the oil filter) he switched back to the Luber-Finer brand. Now days Luber-Finer is still considered one of the best filters around while Hastings now sells most of their filters under mass merchandisers names. The old 'burban still has over 45 lbs. of pressure at 300,000 plus miles. So what is the moral of the story? I don't know! But I do know that I got my oil pressure back by changing out that fram filter!

[Biggun]

I'm surprised you didn't get a bunch of responses saying synthetic oil is thinner and thats why you lost oil pressure.

[FlatTire]

An old guy once told me "pressure is no substitute for flow".

[2dumb2kwit]

I switched the filter and got my oil pressure back! Oil pressure may be overrated but you can't expect to live long without it! Years ago my Pops was the fleet manager of over 50 18 wheelers. A parts salesman sold him on Hastings "Densite" filters. After several breakdowns due to loss of oil pressure (the fix was to have the service truck change the oil filter) he switched back to the Luber-Finer brand. Now days Luber-Finer is still considered one of the best filters around while Hastings now sells most of their filters under mass merchandisers names. The old 'burban still has over 45 lbs. of pressure at 300,000 plus miles. So what is the moral of the story? I don't know! But I do know that I got my oil pressure back by changing out that fram filter! I bet you were so excited, to get your oil pressure back, that you forgot to make your son carry that old fram filter around.