Better oil pressure with synthetic?

2002 Silverado V6. Running normal dino oil, pressure hovered around 30. 
Valves started to clatter on startup so did an oil change to full synth. 
Clatter disappeared, but now pressure sits around 45-50. 
I've never switched a motor from standard to synthetic so I wasn't sure if that's normal. 

-Rob

In reply to rob_lewis :

That's interesting. What viscosity for each? Did you change to a heavier weight oil when switching to the synthetic?

How many miles over what period of time was the dino oil in use?

For the two years I've owned the truck, I uses the WallyWorld 5w-30 conventional oil and filter.  Because of the valve clatter, and because I had a discount, this time I used Napa 5w-30 full synthetic and a K&N filter. 

Pressure has always been within normal range, just found it interesting with the switch to synth.

-Rob

In reply to rob_lewis :

Have you always used the K&N filters?  If not I’m wondering if there might be a difference there?

Your gauge is merely a digital representation of numbers that will make you not bring the truck in for warranty repair.

Having said that, it's probably a pound or two higher when it's hot, because of the synthetic.  Probably just enough to kick the gage up to the next range.

An explanation:  My Neon race car has a factory temp gage and a proper one.  The factory gage has five positions.  Cold is up to about 100f, cool is 100 to about 160, normal is 160 to 230,  hot is 230 to 240, pegged at 241.

My needle does not move at all from 160 to 230.  You may have moved from 20 to 21 psi...

I've had garbage (fram) oil filters cause low oil pressure many times.

I'd bet the K&N is mostly what did it.

Synthetic is probably also easier to pump which probably helps in the pressure department as well.

2004 Bravada with it's third Atlas, this one from LKQ (56K)running Mobil One 5w-30 and a Wix filter.....right over 40PSI at idle with upwards to 60PSI at full throttle as shown on the IP......no complaints 

Yeah, after typing it, I started realizing it's probably the filter as opposed to the oil.  Guess I'll have to spend the extra couple of buck when doing oil changes. 

Thanks, y'all.

-Rob

I went from 15psi hot idle to 28psi going from 5w30 Dexos to Mobil 1 5w30 on a 6.0. I used the same 48pf filter on both oils, oil was the only difference. This was with an actual digital gauge. Dexos is like water, Mobil 1 is like well oil... 

Rather oddly, one of my current cars is the first I have come across that has no oil pressure gauge (although it does have a low pressure idiot light).  OTOH, it has an oil temperature gauge!

I'd like to have had both. Given the oil the car uses (10w-60 synthetic), it is hard to know what pressure at a given rpm would be appropriate.

In reply to rob_lewis :

And if you want the engine to last, do not forget to change your oil based on how you use the oil.    If it's get on the highway and drive for hours you can generally drive the most between oil changes. If it's city driving, short trips  change it much more frequently.  And if it's on the race track. Change it after every event.   I did that even though I used 5 gallons of oil in the dry sump and 40 years after I built it that same engine with the same bearings etc. is in a museum.  Still great oil pressure and power.  

K&N oil filters are not meant for daily drivers with long oil change intervals. They are meant for engines that need maximum flow Vs. maximum filtration. They have other benefits, like the heavy burst resistant cans, but they are far from the best filter for most applications.