High Oil Pressure

[caddysaver]

1981 caddy 1.6 diesel,  got engine in box, had the block hot tanked and cam bearings installed by shop, I installed bearing, rings, gaskets etc. new oil pump, rebuilt head from shop.  My oil pressure is over 125 psi, engine runs fine but sounds like a rock crusher, when engine is running and I remove the oil filler cap oil shoots out of the hole from the lifters. Could this be a bad oil filter, when I took of the oil filter off it was only about 1/2 full and this mounts up side down. HELP

[maxfax]

For a cold engine with fresh bearings that's actually not out of line for oil pressure.. As long as it isn't blowing the oil filter apart..  These things carry crazy high oil pressure.. 

AS far as your oil slinging out of the cap..  Was there a plastic baffle under the valve cover?  These were actually installed in later models, but many earlier ones have had it installed..  Cheap easy upgrade to help cut down on oil getting into the intake...  IF you don;t have the baffle (open the oil cap and you can see the camshaft), then the oil slinging out is normal as well...


The "rock crusher" sound could be a couple things..  Timing could be off, or injectors could be bad.. We'd really need more detail ( or a sound vid clip with sound) to give any more explanation...

[caddysaver]

It does not have an oil shield, and the repair manuel as that oil pressure should be around 28 psi @ 2000 rpms. I had timing set at an old time VW shop that been around for 30 plus years, new injectors rebuilt pump, I have spared no expense on this rebuild. I have a friend that has the same truck and mine sounds 5 times louder, like a 1995 dodge cummings only louder, the shop said that the pressure was to high causing noise on the top end lifter area.. What I don't understand is why the oil filter was only 1/2 full when its up side down

[Vincent Waldon]

oil pressure should be around 28 psi @ 2000 rpms.

yup...with the engine at full operating temperature... rad fan has cycled once.

Are you seeing 125psi all the time... or when the engine is warming up??

Another random question:  what weight of oil are you running, and what's the weather like where you live?

[rabbitman]

oil pressure should be around 28 psi @ 2000 rpms.

Actually that's the minimum oil pressure.......my rabbit used to have 45-55psi @ 2000......

As for the loudness, try retarding the IP timing a bit and see how it sounds. If it then makes white smoke you'll need to advance it more, also make sure the cam timing is correct.

[Wayland]

Just as a comparison, my 1.6NA, which has some miles on it (not sure exactly how many, but it's not new) has over 100psi oil pressure running cold, 70psi running hot, and about 30 psi idling hot.

[maxfax]

Is that the original 1981 engine?   If so it has mechanical lifters, oil pressure shouldn't make much difference to them.. I'm still thinking along the lines of a timing issue of some sort for the noise..

The spec in the book is indeed a minimum spec..  As Vince asked, what weight of oil, and your weather?

The half full oil filter is curious..  Does the filter show any signs of "puffing up" like it's gonna blow?

[BigVWman]

It could be the regulator in the oil pump, but really as said above that doesn't seem too high for a fresh tight cold engine! I have a gasser(old mech lifter) with 240k on it still hits 90psi cold.

[Vincent Waldon]

One other random question while we are brainstorming possibilities here:  what colour is your oil filter??  Or more to the point, is it orange? 

[R.O.R-2.0]

oil pressure should be around 28 psi @ 2000 rpms.

Actually that's the minimum oil pressure.......my rabbit used to have 45-55psi @ 2000......

As for the loudness, try retarding the IP timing a bit and see how it sounds. If it then makes white smoke you'll need to advance it more, also make sure the cam timing is correct.

mine has 70psi @ 2000

45psi @ idle..

[rabbitman]

One other random question while we are brainstorming possibilities here:  what colour is your oil filter??  Or more to the point, is it orange? 

haha good call.

[maxfax]

Funny thing about orange filters..  I had problems with 2 engines a few years ago that would blow oil filters apart if revved when cold, even with 5w20 oil.. Discussed it here a couple times and never did get to the bottom of it..  After a few thousand miles it straightened out...    The orange filters were the one brand that that would hold together, but barely...

[caddysaver]

Thanks for all the input. The current filter is orange and is a f%&m but it is not damaged. I think that I have found the problem, when I installed the head gasket I put it up side down blocking the small port in the head. I ordered new head bolts and three notch gasket. I'm in California and the temp here is 50 so its not cold and I'm running 30 wt. Its funny that this gaskets holes all line up even when its wrong.  When I get it done I'll keep you guys informed.

[maxfax]

Were you checking oil pressure at the head, or on the filter housing?? IF you were checking at the filter housing that would make sense..  But, if you were checking at the head, and had that kind of pressure, your HG is on correctly..  When they are flipped you get no oil whatsoever to the head as the oil port would be blocked......

[coke]

I haven't ever used a fram filter, so I can't say anything about them at all. I know some people do not use them because of some pressure deal with them. Not 100% certain what the deal was, but it was something about a check valve or something.

I use Mann. I get them for like 7 or 8 bucks from the local guy. Always had good luck with them, nice big oil filters too. They are comparable in quality to Napa Golf/Silver oil filters so I have use them on occasion.