High Oil Pressure
05-25-2016, 12:49 PM
#1
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High Oil Pressure I installed heads and cam a few years ago on a 99 corvette LS1 (5.3 stage 1 heads and 224R cam from Texas Speed) and at the time replaced the oil pump with a Melling high Pressure pump.
This year when I started the car in March and ran it, the oil pressure seemed normal for a few weeks and then suddenly pegged the gauge. I read that the sensor fails on these engines so I changed the oil pressure sensor and am getting what appears to be sensible readings now--however they seem much higher than they were last year (although I don't specifically remember what they were last year).
Now when I start the car, the oil pressure climbs to 75-80 psi when cold and cruising under 3000 RPM. When oil is 200 degrees or so, the oil pressure is between 50 (at cruise) and 65 under throttle and idles at about 40. The part that seems much higher is the initial start up pressure of 75-80 psi Any thoughts what might cause it to jump like this or is this normal with the Melling high pressure pump.
I have an oil leak around the timing cover seal and am going to have to go in to replace it and am thinking about just replacing the oil pump while in there to be safe.
This year when I started the car in March and ran it, the oil pressure seemed normal for a few weeks and then suddenly pegged the gauge. I read that the sensor fails on these engines so I changed the oil pressure sensor and am getting what appears to be sensible readings now--however they seem much higher than they were last year (although I don't specifically remember what they were last year).
Now when I start the car, the oil pressure climbs to 75-80 psi when cold and cruising under 3000 RPM. When oil is 200 degrees or so, the oil pressure is between 50 (at cruise) and 65 under throttle and idles at about 40. The part that seems much higher is the initial start up pressure of 75-80 psi Any thoughts what might cause it to jump like this or is this normal with the Melling high pressure pump.
I have an oil leak around the timing cover seal and am going to have to go in to replace it and am thinking about just replacing the oil pump while in there to be safe.
05-25-2016, 04:28 PM
#4
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Mine when its cold it will be at about 60 to 70 psi. Then when it gets warm it gets down to about 25-30 psi. I'm honestly more concerned with Low Oil Pressure than high oil pressure. As long as there is oil flowing, I'm fine.
05-26-2016, 12:59 PM
#5
Now when I start the car, the oil pressure climbs to 75-80 psi when cold and cruising under 3000 RPM.
When oil is 200 degrees or so, the oil pressure is between 50 (at cruise) and 65 under throttle and idles at about 40. The part that seems much higher is the initial start up pressure of 75-80 psi Any thoughts what might cause it to jump like this or is this normal with the Melling high pressure pump.
I wouldn't worry about it.
05-26-2016, 02:13 PM
#6
You say that this year these reading are significantly higher than before. Well what were they back then?
Those are perfectly fine numbers, and very similar to what I get with a ported 10296. So it doesn't seem like anything is wrong with the pump or internal oil clearances.
I wouldn't worry about it.
Those are perfectly fine numbers, and very similar to what I get with a ported 10296. So it doesn't seem like anything is wrong with the pump or internal oil clearances.
I wouldn't worry about it.
05-26-2016, 02:59 PM
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Thanks very much for the responses. I don't remember the oil pressure ever going above about 65 psi over the past two years. But, I could be wrong and now a little paranoid after the experience with the pressure sensor--seeing it peg the guage and stay there was a little unnerving.
I wouldn't even question it, except that I am going to have to tear down the front end again to get at the timing cover seal to replace it. I had never done a cam swap and apparently I must not have gotten the timing cover centered because it started leaking this spring.
Getting to it is no fun, so I thought if there was any doubt about the oil pump I would rather spend the $100 or so and replace it while I am in there.
I wouldn't even question it, except that I am going to have to tear down the front end again to get at the timing cover seal to replace it. I had never done a cam swap and apparently I must not have gotten the timing cover centered because it started leaking this spring.
Getting to it is no fun, so I thought if there was any doubt about the oil pump I would rather spend the $100 or so and replace it while I am in there.