What can cause EXTREMLY high oil pressure ?

Discussion in ''Da Nailhead' started by Benny Skattberg, May 27, 2013.

  1. Im at a loss right now i got over 100psi maxed out my gauge ... Where should i start to find out what it is ?:pray:
     
  2. Mark Demko

    Mark Demko Well-Known Member

    What kind of guage you using?
    What weight oil?
    Is the pressure your seeing cold engine at start up, or at idle after getting off the highway (operating temp)
     
  3. I got the advice to use 10w30 oil dosent matter if its cold or warm it maxes out over 100psi i dont dare take it out on the highway with that high pressure ....

    I got an electric gauge installed and checked with a mecanichal gauge aswell....
     
  4. TheSilverBuick

    TheSilverBuick In the Middle of No Where

    Are you using a booster plate? That's the only time I've ever had an uncontrolled over pressure that would blow off filters if the engine was revved. On my two running Buick 455's I have no trouble maintaining 75psi cold, (or at high rpm for that matter) with the white spring in the standard mellings oil pump kit.

    I have had oil pressure gauges go bad on me that will read high also. Have you tried a different gauge?
     
  5. DaWildcat

    DaWildcat Platinum Level Contributor

    I think we had a board member who had this happen last year due to use of a wrong oil filter housing to timing cover gasket (?).

    Devon
     
  6. alan

    alan High-tech Dinosaur

    Is the pressure relief valve stuck? :Do No:
     
  7. Ok can u please explain that to a dummy ... I just bought the car 3 weeks ago so dont know very much about it or the engine ,,blown 3 oil filters tho so gotta be fixed and me gots to learn how to ... the oilfilter housing = where i screw on the oil filter right ? as far as i can tell it looks original (looks the same as replacement part u can buy atleast ...timing cover gasket im not sure of what u mean there here comes the dummy part ;)

    ---------- Post added at 09:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:24 PM ----------

    Where do i find thaton the engine? and where can i buy a new one i have had that suggested befor but can find a new one to buy anywhere if it is that thats faulting :Dou:

    ---------- Post added at 09:46 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:29 PM ----------

    Whats a booster plate ? at some time someone put in a new edelbroke 750 carb .... I just installed a new elecrtical gauge and at the same time i checked with a mecanichal gauge bith maxed out at 100psi at idel on running temp.... Im blowing out the oil filters allthough with that said i jusy got the stock the once i had cae with the car and wasent stock, the one i fitted now is and dident blow out ( yet )...
     
  8. DaWildcat

    DaWildcat Platinum Level Contributor

    My fault, I didn't realize I was posting in the Nailhead forum...my comment was based on reading something in the SBB or BBB forums.

    Devon
     
  9. CameoInvicta

    CameoInvicta Well-Known Member

    That would be my suggestion. It's located in the oil pump itself.
     
  10. 66gsconv

    66gsconv nailhead apprentice

    Well if its a nailhead he is talking about, I think 40 to 42 cold, 37 to 40 warm under throttle and idle hot 24 to 27 are all good numbers so I have been told. If he has 100 no wonder its blowing oil filters off like a rocket:Dou: Could there be a clog somewhere.
     
  11. TexasJohn55

    TexasJohn55 Well-Known Member

    Previous post cited some oil pressure expectations, I don't know what mine is because I'm using factory L-H guage but they seem reasonable. The important thing to keep in mind is IDLE OIL PRESSURE IS PUMP CAPACITY against the resistance set by the bearings and clearances in the engine. By simple deduction, there is an abnormal restriction in the oil circuit after the filter but before the main oil galleys in the block. Go figure, look at your oil flow schematic or diagram. TexasJohn
     
  12. SteeveeDee

    SteeveeDee Orange Acres

    Was it blowing off oil filters when you bought it? If not, something has happened since then. I'd suspect that the bypass is stuck. You wouldn't be seeing those pressures with an upstream blockage, necessarily- if the bypass was opening, you'd see the correct pressure.
     
  13. Well yes it did but the guy who sold it failed to SAY that grrrr i found 3 extra oil filters in the trunk so i guess he just bulked up on filters and oil insted of fixing the problem .... So bypass is that the pressure relif valve ?

    ---------- Post added at 05:17 AM ---------- Previous post was at 05:15 AM ----------


    :TU: now i got something to start with :)
     
  14. TexasJohn55

    TexasJohn55 Well-Known Member

    "Well folks, if the concensus is that the regulator is stuck, why would that be an issue at idle and with warm engine both if there weren't a restriction? How about this scenario? If a paper towel or rag got left in the engine, or any material that could break down and go through the oil pump would naturally lodge in the regulator and also go to the filter head.. The filter should have a "dirty filter by-pass valve" in it, will bypass filter on cold start with rpm. The trash or paper or whatever goes on thru into the engine and begins damming up. Not likely but very possible. You have to admit, this is an unusual problem he is having. I think it is time to quit talking and start looking, first by pulling the filter head and inspect for restriction or foreign material. Secondly, pull the oil pan and pump. TexasJohn

    ---------- Post added at 10:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:38 PM ----------

    Benny, do you know it the engine was recently overhauled? If yes, here is another scenario. Supposing that you don't find a problem at the filter head and you do pull the oil pan and find the regulator valve and spring is installed correctly and was not stuck. I have known of mechanics building an engine on the stand and naturally upside down when laying the crank, istalled the lower main bearing shells in the saddles and then capping the mains using the upper bearing shells. This naturally cuts off the oil supply to the bearings and the rods as well. I personally saw a diesel engine run 50k miles with #7 main bearing like that and no oil supply except splash. On that engine, #7 main did not feed any rod bearings, but it did finally fail the main bearing and ruin the crank. Again, not likely but something to be aware of if you pull the oil pan. If the engine has run many miles on the highway, it should have already failed if bearings are in wrong location. TexasJohn
     

  15. Thanks jhon now have a few things to check this gonna be learning by doing so ya'll might expect loads more stupid questions ;)
     
  16. doc

    doc Well-Known Member

    If it were me,,, I would pull that puppy out and check everything in the bottom end.....:Brow: and ,,, the scenero about the foreign material being left in the engine. will not work out because a rag would be stopped by the pick up screen,, and if the screen were left out,,, it would completely plug the intake.... in both instances...:Brow:
    As much strain as has been put on it already,, it needs to be visually checked out.....
    but you got a severe blockage in the system between the pressure side of the pump and the main/rod/cam bearings....from the pump to the blockage the pressure is extremely high ,, from the blockage to the rest of the engine mechanisms there is starvation of oil.....
    BE SURE THAT YOU HAVE A OIL FILTER MADE FOR A NAILHEAD... AND NOT A FRAM FILTER.....
     
  17. Yeah decided to pull the oilpan off drop the pump and make sure the valve is working if it aint that ... I will pull the engine and fully haul it over but as it just start of season here and i dont like cruzing in my damn van i hope it is the valve so the pressure drops then pull the engine after the season and overhaul it proper
     
  18. TexasJohn55

    TexasJohn55 Well-Known Member

    Doc, I was speaking from experience, not conjecture or speculation. Ever think about the lint you find in your drier? If the foreign rag or paper was inadvertently left in the pan it wouldn't necessarily have to cover the screen completely, it could still suck oil through it and eventually degrade into fibers. More especially if left in the valley and chewed up by the cam and lifters. I once saw a red shop towel pack the outlet or a hydraulic pump and completely cut off all flow to the system. The pump outlet was appx 1" in diameter. The red rag had been dropped into the hydraulic tank on a motor crane, they also have screens to keep out large debris going to pump. The red fuzz contaminated valves and controls all through the system before finally plugging the pump outlet fitting. That is just one instance of many that I personally have seen. As to the restriction after the filter, it is definitely starving the engine for oil somewhere but that could only be determined by tapping into the oil rifles with a guage for comparison. If there is a restriction, failure is IMMINENT..............TexasJohn

    ---------- Post added at 01:00 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:54 PM ----------

    Benny, don't forget to pull the filter head first and look into the galleys, always do easiest things first. TexasJohn
     
  19. 71skylark3504v

    71skylark3504v Goin' Fast In Luxury!

    Years ago, during a head swap I left a bunch of shop towels in my lifter valley. Started the car and it slowly started loosing oil pressure. Cut open the filter and found towel strands. :rant: Had to pull the intake and oil pan to get all the towels out. Somehow some of the towels made it past the cam, lifters, crank, and rods and plugged the oil intake.

    Not one of my finer moments.
     
  20. doc

    doc Well-Known Member

    Well,,, not to get off on the left foot here,,,I have found a bunch of stuff in engines too.... and if so... it would cause the pressure to , like you said,, drop , not increase... and the way I understand it , the increase was suddenly at that....i tend to lean toward what Devon said,, either the wrong gasket between the pump and the block,, or a stuck pressure relief valve, or some knot head has shimmed the spring in the relief valve to where it is basicly solid.....
    no offense intended at all John.....:grin:
    the other thing I thought of is a small object being in the oil passage some where.....
     

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