C4 Tech/Performance L98 Corvette and LT1 Corvette Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine

Here's my problem, need some help....

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Old May 24, 2008 | 05:21 PM
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Default Here's my problem, need some help....

When i start the car from cold, the oil pressure is good, and the oil temp is low. The car runs like a raped ape. Head snapping torque off the line and just goes goes goes....

When the car warms up, the oil temp goes up too high, and the oil pressure starts to drop.

The header is less than 1/8 inch from the oil filter.

I wrapped the header in header wrap, just in the area of the oil filter.

No difference.

When the car heats up and I start to see the oil issues I mention above, the car runs slower, the valve train starts clattering.

I just adjusted all the valves on the passenger side and they are completely quite when the car and oil is cold.

I do not believe I have any bad gauges since the engine noise and the oil temp/pressure problems seem to be related. Also, when cold all gauges operate as expected.

Throughout this whole thing the cooant temp stays normal.

So, HELP!!!

Last edited by jsup; May 24, 2008 at 05:34 PM.
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Old May 24, 2008 | 05:39 PM
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Oil pressure is caused by resistance to flow. As the oil heats up it becomes less viscous and flows more easily. As with any engine, the oil pressure drops as it warms up. How hot do you consider "oil temp goes up too high"? What do you consider "the oil issues"? This is all a bit vague. What happened to the extra 1/4" of valve clearance?

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Old May 24, 2008 | 05:51 PM
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Originally Posted by CFI-EFI
Oil pressure is caused by resistance to flow. As the oil heats up it becomes less viscous and flows more easily. As with any engine, the oil pressure drops as it warms up. How hot do you consider "oil temp goes up too high"? What do you consider "the oil issues"? This is all a bit vague. What happened to the extra 1/4" of valve clearance?

RACE ON!!!
All the valves are properly adjusted, I buttoned that up this morning. When the car is cold, it is fine. The valves are quiet and the car seems to run great.

The oil heats up to over 255* as verified by 65Z01's Auto Xray. The gauge is all the way close to the left side.

When the oil gets this hot, the pressure drops to the point that in gear at a stop the oil pressure drops into the "danger" zone on the gauge.

I know that the OP and OT will vary when the car warms up, but this is TOO HOT and the pressure is TOO LOW.

I thought the filter was too close to the header, which still may be the case, it's only 1/8 inch away from the collector, which happens to line up with the oil filter.

I wrapped the header in header wrap to try to lower the heat around the oil filter. Didn't seem to work.

Do you think a remote oil filter may do the trick, along with an oil cooler? Or should I suspect something other than the header heating the filter?
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Old May 24, 2008 | 07:59 PM
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Originally Posted by jsup

Throughout this whole thing the cooant temp stays normal.
!
Coolant ain't gonna' stay at 'normal', if oil stays at 255'.

Depending on what you mean by 'normal'...

???
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Old May 24, 2008 | 08:03 PM
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Originally Posted by schrade
Coolant ain't gonna' stay at 'normal', if oil stays at 255'.

Depending on what you mean by 'normal'...

???
Normal is slightly lower than dead center on the gauge, where it has ALWAYS been since I've had the car.

That's why I think the close proximity of the header to the filter is heating the oil. There's about 1/8 inch between the collector on the header and the oil filter. That's not alot, and the collector gets very hot.

Last edited by jsup; May 24, 2008 at 08:05 PM.
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Old May 24, 2008 | 08:16 PM
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While I think it is unlikely that the header is overheating your oil, you can always move the filter with a remote filter kit or add an aux oil cooler (or both).

It is more likely that your oil pump may be going.

Let us know what you find.
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Old May 24, 2008 | 08:18 PM
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Originally Posted by jsdomino
While I think it is unlikely that the header is overheating your oil, you can always move the filter with a remote filter kit or add an aux oil cooler (or both).

It is more likely that your oil pump may be going.

Let us know what you find.
If I thought 100% that the header was heating the oil, I'd relocate the filter in a hearbeat. I just don't want to keep throwing money at it. I am hoping someone comes up with a different theory that does not include ripping the motor apart.
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Old May 24, 2008 | 08:31 PM
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Originally Posted by jsdomino
While I think it is unlikely that the header is overheating your oil,
I agree.
Originally Posted by jsdomino
It is more likely that your oil pump may be going.
.
I disagree, I think...

ed.:
If it ain't circulatin' properly, it COULD have hot spots.

???
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Old May 24, 2008 | 08:36 PM
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Originally Posted by schrade
I agree.


I disagree, I think...

ed.:
If it ain't circulatin' properly, it COULD have hot spots.

???
Help me out guys, I am asking these questions in the hope that someone says something that could be the answer...

If it wasn't circulating properly, why is the problem of OP temperature dependent?

If the car is cold the OP is high and the motor is quiet.
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Old May 24, 2008 | 08:41 PM
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Originally Posted by jsup
Help me out guys, I am asking these questions in the hope that someone says something that could be the answer...

If it wasn't circulating properly, why is the problem of OP temperature dependent?

If the car is cold the OP is high and the motor is quiet.
Put a quart of synthetic gear oil in and see what happens.

If the OP impellors are worn, cold thick oil gets pushed through anyway. Hot oil won't get pushed through - it could just 'hang around.

Maybe the pump IS weak.

Last edited by schrade; May 24, 2008 at 08:44 PM.
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Old May 24, 2008 | 11:12 PM
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At what point did the problem start occurring. Did you make a change or add something, or did the problem just start happening by itself one day.
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Old May 25, 2008 | 12:53 AM
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As I recall the oil pressure was "normal" before the mods. Those include FL headers, one piston, heads, lifters, valve train, injectors and intake.

The dist is still OEM? The bottom end is still OEM?

Could the pressure issue be due to a defective pressure sensor and maybe the higher oil temps be a separate issue??

BTW, where did the oil temps run before the mods?
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Old May 25, 2008 | 09:30 AM
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As I sat and thought about it it's probably not the header heating the oil. I did not have this problem before the screw got into the cyl and I had it repaired. I have to think this through.

I think I'm looking at a bearing of some sort, either main, cam, connecting rod, something......

I sure hope not. I'm going to cut open two oil filters I have laying around and see if there's any metal in them. Maye I'll send some oil out to be analyzed.
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Old May 25, 2008 | 10:56 AM
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Put a quart of synthetic gear oil in and see what happens 90w - 140 somethin' like that.
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Old May 25, 2008 | 11:28 AM
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I'm not convinced that the headers are over heating the oil, but I'm not sure that they aren't, either. I don't like the 1/8" header to oil filter clearance for several reasons. Rather than go to the expense and trouble of relocating the oil filler and creating ANOTHER opportunity for disaster, I'd move the headers.

RACE ON!!!
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Old May 25, 2008 | 11:39 AM
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My headers (LPE) are also very close to the oil filter. I only see high oil temps (250-260F) after a few road course laps with heavy throttle and some extended time at high rpm.

In normal driving and short WOT burts, the oil temp is 20-30F above the coolant temp. I do have the early factory oil cooler which may help in this regard.

As far as I'm aware, high oil temperature is likely caused by blow-by of the hot combustion gases. I don't think the header proximity is the real problem.

You could try and use a higher viscosity oil (20W-50 maybe) to maintain normal oil pressure at the elevated oil temperatures.
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Old May 25, 2008 | 11:39 AM
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Originally Posted by CFI-EFI
I'm not convinced that the headers are over heating the oil, but I'm not sure that they aren't, either. I don't like the 1/8" header to oil filter clearance for several reasons. Rather than go to the expense and trouble of relocating the oil filler and creating ANOTHER opportunity for disaster, I'd move the headers.

RACE ON!!!
Easier said than done...thanks for the emphasis on ANOTHER, but I get the point.

The temp runs up real fast when I step on the gas and wind it up.

Perhaps whatever is causing friction, produces more heat at high RPMs and it's not the headers?

Oh, I thought I mentioned this. I purchased some header wrap tape, the foil type, and wrapped the header by the oil filter, twice, still had the problem.

Last edited by jsup; May 25, 2008 at 11:44 AM.
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Old May 25, 2008 | 11:46 AM
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Originally Posted by tequilaboy
My headers (LPE) are also very close to the oil filter. I only see high oil temps (250-260F) after a few road course laps with heavy throttle and some extended time at high rpm.

In normal driving and short WOT burts, the oil temp is 20-30F above the coolant temp. I do have the early factory oil cooler which may help in this regard.

As far as I'm aware, high oil temperature is likely caused by blow-by of the hot combustion gases. I don't think the header proximity is the real problem.

You could try and use a higher viscosity oil (20W-50 maybe) to maintain normal oil pressure at the elevated oil temperatures.
I'm using 20-50 and have a factory oil cooler.

I'm thinking maybe an after market oil cooler, and an 8 qt oil pan....thoughts.
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Old May 25, 2008 | 12:07 PM
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ZZ4 Crate Motor!!

Use the current short block as a boat anchor.
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Old May 25, 2008 | 12:10 PM
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Originally Posted by jsup
I'm thinking maybe an after market oil cooler, and an 8 qt oil pan....thoughts.
More band aids! I think you would be wiser to diagnose and treat the CAUSE of the problem, rather than accommodating and learning to live with it. Who owns who, here?

RACE ON!!!
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