oil pressure question
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Elder User
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oil pressure question
i have been driving this truck for about 3 months now. ive had the engine rebuilt (about 3000 miles now), the tranny rebuilt, and i just rebuilt the carb. My problem is that after my first oil change, the oil pressure gauge reads almost to the "H" line sometimes. it usually happens right after starting and will settle toward midway (what i consider normal), but will creep back up later. i have changed the oil since to no avail, and have tried different brands of oil filters. i am running 20/50 wt. as i live in las vegas and the temp. is in excess of 100 during the day.
p.s. the temp gauge will creep up sometimes too, my radiator is new, but i figure i have the 18" fan and need the 19" as my truck came with air. it only happens sometimes and niether of these problems seem to have any rhyme or reason to when they occur.
HELP PLEASE!
p.s. the temp gauge will creep up sometimes too, my radiator is new, but i figure i have the 18" fan and need the 19" as my truck came with air. it only happens sometimes and niether of these problems seem to have any rhyme or reason to when they occur.
HELP PLEASE!
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,011
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From: South Dakota
Sounds like it just needs to get to thru the breakin period. If your temp only goes up a small bit and comes down I would just keep an eye on it. Besides if you have a good cooling system you should see some movement in the needle as your thermo opens and closes.
Tuned
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 348
Likes: 2
From: Northern Michigan
You don't need 20w50, even in Vegas. 10w40 is plenty thick enough and is actually liquid @ 40 degrees when you start it in the morning. Can't hardly say that for 20w50.
You have brand new bearings with no wear (hopefully). Consequently, there is not enough clearance for thick oil so your pump can hardly push the oil through. I would be surprised if 10w30 was to thin. New cars are running 5w30.
You have brand new bearings with no wear (hopefully). Consequently, there is not enough clearance for thick oil so your pump can hardly push the oil through. I would be surprised if 10w30 was to thin. New cars are running 5w30.
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Elder User
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thank you very much all three of you(68torino,palmrose2,and kenB), putting your answers together has opened my eyes. i would not have considered bearing clearance in the break in period. you can all rest assured that there will be new oil in that crankcase in a day.
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 6,624
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From: Albuquerque
Well my .02. I don't go below 10w40 even in the winter. This isn't one of those new aluminum jobs that have extremely tight clearances and factory specs. That said I would run 10w40 in the new engine for the first 4,000 or so. New engines can break down the oild from the initial heat/friction. I like 20w50 in the summer. If you don't use oil I really like synthetics after break in.
If your temperature goes up you would normally see the oil pressure drop and vice versa. Are you running an electric fan? I run the 16" electric but have a smaller pusher that comes on with the air conditioner.
If your temperature goes up you would normally see the oil pressure drop and vice versa. Are you running an electric fan? I run the 16" electric but have a smaller pusher that comes on with the air conditioner.
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you are the only one who likes 20/50 in the summer, which i thought made sense as the temp range here is now 70F-110F. i think ill try an oil viscosity change to see if theres a difference. its cheap and i like doing it anyway.(i think i would change it every 500 miles if time and money allowed!) I am running a stock fan but i think its 18" wheni need 19". are those electric fans woth the investment, they seem kinda pricey. then again, living in the desert, i should try to be as cool as i can.
thanks
thanks
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Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2000
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From: Albuquerque
I like my electric fan but it's loud and I had to build a shroud for it. It's hot in New Mexico in the summer too.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2001
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From: Gainesville, FL
All,
Running high oil pressure is the kind of problem I dream of. All my Ford V8s run high when cold and low when hot. Break in with 20/50W is not really possible. Todays oils are really incredible and give the potential for long to infinite motor life. Factory recommendations are to break in on the lightest oil available. Are you burning/using any oil? If the rings didn't seat because the oil was too thick, you could see some oil consumption. I live in Florida and swear by 10-40W. Valvoline gives me the best results I've seen so far.
Good Luck,
KingFisher
Running high oil pressure is the kind of problem I dream of. All my Ford V8s run high when cold and low when hot. Break in with 20/50W is not really possible. Todays oils are really incredible and give the potential for long to infinite motor life. Factory recommendations are to break in on the lightest oil available. Are you burning/using any oil? If the rings didn't seat because the oil was too thick, you could see some oil consumption. I live in Florida and swear by 10-40W. Valvoline gives me the best results I've seen so far.
Good Luck,
KingFisher
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 145
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From: Marine Corps Air Station
I agree with dfisher. Lower your oil weight and see what happens. As far as the temp thing. I live in AZ and I watch my temp gauge go high sitting at a stop light. I have all new cooling system: radiator, pump, fan, hoses, heater core, thermostat. I still have temp creep bad during the winter even worse during the summer. I would try the electric fan but my motor is messed up now. What temp does your thermostat open at? Maybe you could try a lower temp thermostat. Just my $.02
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 545
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From: Shreveport, La.
About the electric fan, as long as it's in addition to what you already have you'll be OK. Coming up with a shroud for it will increase its effectivness.
Don't make the mistake of thinking you can replace factory fan with electric only, sure you can physically do it, but the engine compartments ability to cool would suffur greatly.
My opinion of thermostats, stick with what is original for temp setting. Let your cooling system do the job it was designed to do. Do buy a quality brand thermostat, balanced type.
Don't make the mistake of thinking you can replace factory fan with electric only, sure you can physically do it, but the engine compartments ability to cool would suffur greatly.
My opinion of thermostats, stick with what is original for temp setting. Let your cooling system do the job it was designed to do. Do buy a quality brand thermostat, balanced type.
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Elder User
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thanks for the help guys, you have saved what hair i have left from being pulled out.
by the way, i realize that these questions are more engine than truck related, but i dont want the opinion of the motorheads when it comes to my old truck. i want the opinion of the guys who are keeping up these beauties. i know that when i get online this is the forum i check out first and by the time i ve exhausted my interest in this topic im onto a music forum, (or ****! HA!) i understand that if there weren't topic specific forums then we'd all clog the bejeezus out of one, but i dont understand the mentality of someone who would read my question and not only doesn'thave any relevent information, but goes out of their way to post a "get out of my room" message. The internet's pretty big guys; there's room for everyone.
thanks again to the old truck heads out there who know these vehicles specific idiosychrocies; you have helped me immensely.
by the way, i realize that these questions are more engine than truck related, but i dont want the opinion of the motorheads when it comes to my old truck. i want the opinion of the guys who are keeping up these beauties. i know that when i get online this is the forum i check out first and by the time i ve exhausted my interest in this topic im onto a music forum, (or ****! HA!) i understand that if there weren't topic specific forums then we'd all clog the bejeezus out of one, but i dont understand the mentality of someone who would read my question and not only doesn'thave any relevent information, but goes out of their way to post a "get out of my room" message. The internet's pretty big guys; there's room for everyone.
thanks again to the old truck heads out there who know these vehicles specific idiosychrocies; you have helped me immensely.
More Turbo
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 606
Likes: 3
From: Colstrip, MT
[QUOTE=matt77F2504x4]My problem is that after my first oil change, the oil pressure gauge reads almost to the "H" line sometimes. it usually happens right after starting and will settle toward midway (what i consider normal), but will creep back up later.
p.s. the temp gauge will creep up sometimes too, my radiator is new, but i figure i have the 18" fan and need the 19" as my truck came with air. it only happens sometimes and niether of these problems seem to have any rhyme or reason to when they occur.
Are other gauges fluctuating at the same time, such as the fuel gauge?
If two or more gauges are fluctuating at the same time, then you might have a problem with the Instrument Voltage Regulator. Was this problem occurring before you rebuilt the engine? IVR's can be purchased for about $30.00.
p.s. the temp gauge will creep up sometimes too, my radiator is new, but i figure i have the 18" fan and need the 19" as my truck came with air. it only happens sometimes and niether of these problems seem to have any rhyme or reason to when they occur.
Are other gauges fluctuating at the same time, such as the fuel gauge?
If two or more gauges are fluctuating at the same time, then you might have a problem with the Instrument Voltage Regulator. Was this problem occurring before you rebuilt the engine? IVR's can be purchased for about $30.00.
Elder User
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 886
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From: Houston/Hope BC
Good observation Doug. Also I wanted to mention that the stock oil sending unit seems to have really slow response to transient changes and I have always considered it normal for these engines to start cold showing a high pressure and then come down to a normal operating range. Having had a mechanical quage hooked up tandem with the stock, I came to the conclusion the stock guage gives a very crude representation of what the pressure really is.