Ford 428 Oil Pressure problem
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Ford 428 Oil Pressure problem
Hi all **this is my first post.
I rebuilt a stock 428 and put a steel crankshaft in it. The motor is in the truck and I have a gauge set hooked up to it for oil pressure.
When I start the motor the oil pressure is around 35 psi (idle) like it should.
When I get the motor really hot (about 215 degrees F) the oil pressure suddenly drops down to 5 psi. I am using 15W-30 and it is new oil. No water in the oil and its not eating the oil. When the pressure drops this low the motor starts making a 'pinging' noise and I shut it off right away.
My dad is a car mechanic and believes it could be one of two things:
Steel crankshaft requires special bearings.
OR the oil pump has a crack in the arm.
Any and all help is appreciated. It would be great if we could fix the problem without having to pull the motor.
I rebuilt a stock 428 and put a steel crankshaft in it. The motor is in the truck and I have a gauge set hooked up to it for oil pressure.
When I start the motor the oil pressure is around 35 psi (idle) like it should.
When I get the motor really hot (about 215 degrees F) the oil pressure suddenly drops down to 5 psi. I am using 15W-30 and it is new oil. No water in the oil and its not eating the oil. When the pressure drops this low the motor starts making a 'pinging' noise and I shut it off right away.
My dad is a car mechanic and believes it could be one of two things:
Steel crankshaft requires special bearings.
OR the oil pump has a crack in the arm.
Any and all help is appreciated. It would be great if we could fix the problem without having to pull the motor.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 24,552
Likes: 74
From: Creedmoor, North Carolina
Talk to your dad, sounds like a typical FE oil passage design issue. Did you drill the hole larger at the oil filter, or put the flow restriction up top. It is referred to as the FE oiling mod.
I am wondering why you are getting the engine to 215º when it is supposed to run at 180º.
The crank bearings expand when they get hot allowing more oil to pass through reducing the pressure. Do you have the issue at lower temps?
Some of the other guys may splain the oil mods better.
John
I am wondering why you are getting the engine to 215º when it is supposed to run at 180º.
The crank bearings expand when they get hot allowing more oil to pass through reducing the pressure. Do you have the issue at lower temps?
Some of the other guys may splain the oil mods better.
John
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 191
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Consider the possibilty that a piece of trash has gotten lodged in the oil pressure relief valve. When the oil is cold, it can maintain the higher pressure. As it heats up and getts thinner, your pressure drops. During assembly, where your bearing clearances within spec?
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,144
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From: Sedro-Woolley, WA
215 degrees sounds awful hot for an FE and is most likely the cause of your pinging. I'd look into a cooler thermostat or bigger radiator. Higher octane gas might help with the pinging as well as retarding the ignition timing some.
Did you install a high volume oil pump?
Did you install a high volume oil pump?
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We do not have the issue at lower temperatures.
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New User
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Consider the possibilty that a piece of trash has gotten lodged in the oil pressure relief valve. When the oil is cold, it can maintain the higher pressure. As it heats up and getts thinner, your pressure drops. During assembly, where your bearing clearances within spec?
Bearings were within spec. and were actually very very tight.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 24,552
Likes: 74
From: Creedmoor, North Carolina
I am going to presume the engine is installed in a Slick truck. The 428 is the largest of the FEs. I think the 390 radiator should be large enough. There is enough frontal opening that a good clean FE radiator should keep things cool. One thing for sure these engines will not sit & idle without additional air blowing through the radiator. I see guys adding shrouds & electric fans but keeping air flowing will meet the requirement.
Find out why the temps are over 180º. Timing, something plugged up, etc.
John
Find out why the temps are over 180º. Timing, something plugged up, etc.
John
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Logistics Pro
Joined: May 2008
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From: PHX AZ
Running a bit too warm for my liking also.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Stanton, Michigan, USA
Tell us more about what was used in your 428" FE engine build. These facts may lead us to the hot temps and loss in oil pressure:
-- What oil pump did you install - is it a high-volume unit or standard?
-- Are you using a stock oil pan?
-- What compression are you running?
-- What fuel octane are you running?
-- What is the timing set at?
BarnieTrk
-- What oil pump did you install - is it a high-volume unit or standard?
-- Are you using a stock oil pan?
-- What compression are you running?
-- What fuel octane are you running?
-- What is the timing set at?
BarnieTrk
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2011
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From: Rossmoor at Seal Beach
If the main bearing tolerance is too tight, this will cause over heating issues that a radiator cannot control. That would be the first place I would look.... Secondly , a High volume Oil pump in an FE is not a good idea for street or strip... FE's are notorious for too much oil up in the valve train, and a Hi Volume pump with out modding the oil Galleys will compound the problem.. in other words Bigger is not always better..... Next check the return galleys... after rebuilds it is common to find excess gasket material, and RTV blocking the return galleys from the heads causing a starvation problem for the pump, which will register as low oil pressure. Each head will have two return Galleys in the bottom corners.. use a flexible rod to knock anything loose,and then blow out with an air hose, the openings are about 7/16 ID Some people use a 7/16 hose with high air pressure to blow them out.. but use only enough pressure to clear any blockage... those are good places to start...
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 398
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From: AR
If you happen to have cam n lifter break-in issues and are "wiping" cam lobes, the first thing being damaged by the metal particles in the oil is the oil pump. Obviously, if this is the case and you run it enough it will eventually be running rough due to the loss of valve lift on these lobes.
Bout 15 years ago I had this happen on my 390, the oil filter saved my bearings and crank but the oil pump didn't get so lucky.
Just a thought....you might run the engine a little then pull the dipstick and see if the oil has a pretty metallic look to it.
Bout 15 years ago I had this happen on my 390, the oil filter saved my bearings and crank but the oil pump didn't get so lucky.
Just a thought....you might run the engine a little then pull the dipstick and see if the oil has a pretty metallic look to it.
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