oilpressure goes nuts
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 48
Likes: 0
From: Luxembourg europe
oilpressure goes nuts
Hi all.
I changed my L48 a while ago and all runs ok(new heads, new cam, new carb, headers). about 2 weeks ago I noticed my oil pressure is going nuts, I never noticed this before but I think it was ok.
I am wondering if the gauge is dead or what because my brand new water temp sensor also died after 1 month or so. very strange.
well this is what is going on: when cruising, oil pressure is slightly high (the gauge has 5 positions 0,20,40, 60, 80 where 40 seem the optimum position)
before it was always around 40, now it is somewhere around 50-60
however around 3000rpm the pressure goes off the scale in 2-3 sec it jumps to 100 or more, as far as the needle goes. more rpm it seems to go down again, an slower also returns to "normal".
Does anyone know what this could be? oilpump? I know a small piece of the top gasket is broken above the water pump where the motorblock touches the air intake, could this be the problem?
It seems i noticed once that when a gasket leaks oilpressure goes up which does not seem very logical to me.
what would be the worst that could happen?
thanks for any help.
---------
just drove it again, it seems to be getting worse whatever it is, when stopped and in D the pressure drops to 30, and the least load makes it rocket beyond the scale.
I changed my L48 a while ago and all runs ok(new heads, new cam, new carb, headers). about 2 weeks ago I noticed my oil pressure is going nuts, I never noticed this before but I think it was ok.
I am wondering if the gauge is dead or what because my brand new water temp sensor also died after 1 month or so. very strange.
well this is what is going on: when cruising, oil pressure is slightly high (the gauge has 5 positions 0,20,40, 60, 80 where 40 seem the optimum position)
before it was always around 40, now it is somewhere around 50-60
however around 3000rpm the pressure goes off the scale in 2-3 sec it jumps to 100 or more, as far as the needle goes. more rpm it seems to go down again, an slower also returns to "normal".
Does anyone know what this could be? oilpump? I know a small piece of the top gasket is broken above the water pump where the motorblock touches the air intake, could this be the problem?
It seems i noticed once that when a gasket leaks oilpressure goes up which does not seem very logical to me.
what would be the worst that could happen?
thanks for any help.
---------
just drove it again, it seems to be getting worse whatever it is, when stopped and in D the pressure drops to 30, and the least load makes it rocket beyond the scale.
Last edited by heng1; Sep 27, 2008 at 12:01 PM. Reason: worsening problem.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,123
Likes: 433
From: Gladstone MO
C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
Install ( temporarily) a mechancal gauge to verify the accuracy or your electric gauge. Really, it's sounds like a sender or ground problem, but I'd throw a mechanical gauge on to be sure.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 575
Likes: 0
From: Ventura California
As Tim said, get a mechanical oil pressure gauge and test it for pressure. I would only use an oil pressure gauge. Either buy a test one at your local parts store or at least buy one of the cheap add on gauges. If your sender is electrical, that's probably(hopefully) your problem and an easy fix.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 286
Likes: 0
From: Pensacola Fla
Not saying this is your problem but I had a similar problem on my 79 a while back and I did check oil pressure with a direct reading gauge to see what was going on,pressure was normal.I had to replace the printed circut board for the indication,this fixed my problem of high readings.It has been a long time now and I believe I got the circut board from the Last Detail,as I said it has been a few years.Good luck.
