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Posted by: pete914 Apr 1 2008, 05:05 AM

Hey,
So I'm running 20w50 and losing oil pressure after the car has warmed up. I heard I can take out th oil pressure relief valve, stretch the spring a bit (or replace it with a heavier duty one) and get an increase in pressure. Now there's more than one...like three right? Which one should I pull out?
Is there even any truth to this?
Right now I'm running at 0-2 psi at idle and 20-25psi at 3k
push rod seals are leaking like crazy (fixing those next weekend and i thought i would do this at the same time.)

Maybe this is just covering up other problems, but I don't have a place to rebuild an engine, so I needs' me a quick fix...
Thanks

Posted by: Dave_Darling Apr 1 2008, 09:26 AM

Putting a stiffer spring in the relief valve won't help your idle pressure. It may, if you're lucky, raise the pressure at high RPMs. If your pressure goes up to a certain point and then doesn't increase any more, it may move that point upward.

But that's not your problem. You either have a very worn bottom-end of the motor, or something is wrong with your oil circuit. This sounds a lot like what happens when the oil pressure plunger sticks inside its bore. You can take the relief valve out and make sure the bore is smooth and doesn't have any burrs for the plunger to hang up on.

--DD

Posted by: purple Apr 1 2008, 10:25 AM

What kind of crankcase venting do you have?

I ask because if the venting is plugged up, wont the seals leak like crazy?

I think what you're suggesting works in automatic transmissions for the shift control solenoids, but i dont know about that with engine oil pressure. Methinks the problem lies elsewhere. Have you pulled your strainer to see what's in there?

Posted by: pete914 Apr 1 2008, 10:57 AM

no, i haven't pulled the strainer because i have the additional oil cooler which prevents that....so, I might take that off when i get under the car and do the seals.
Okay, so i should remove the plunger to check if it's sticking? sounds plausible.
Any other thoughts? are there any other symptoms to a worn bottom end?
Car sure seems to run pretty strong if some of the engine components are failing.

I'm venting throught the vent on the oil filler housing only right now. People have suggested venting the valve covers...but if the factory didn't do it why would they need to be there? Does running carbs affect this? I can't see why it would...

Appreciate the feedback guys

Posted by: purple Apr 1 2008, 01:16 PM

QUOTE(pete914 @ Apr 1 2008, 11:57 AM)

Posted by: Mark Henry Apr 1 2008, 01:23 PM

QUOTE(purple @ Apr 1 2008, 03:16 PM)

Posted by: Cap'n Krusty Apr 1 2008, 02:17 PM

I'm venting through the vent on the oil filler housing only right now. People have suggested venting the valve covers...but if the factory didn't do it why would they need to be there? Does running carbs affect this? I can't see why it would...

Appreciate the feedback guys
[/quote]

Yes, running carbs generally requires venting the valve covers (or continuing to use the existing vents on the '73 (1.7 & 2.0) and '74 (2.0 only) engines). A lot more air going into the engine. The Cap'n

Posted by: purple Apr 1 2008, 02:33 PM

[quote name='Cap'n Krusty' date='Apr 1 2008, 03:17 PM' post='1015681']
I'm venting through the vent on the oil filler housing only right now. People have suggested venting the valve covers...but if the factory didn't do it why would they need to be there? Does running carbs affect this? I can't see why it would...

Appreciate the feedback guys
[/quote]

Yes, running carbs generally requires venting the valve covers (or continuing to use the existing vents on the '73 (1.7 & 2.0) and '74 (2.0 only) engines). A lot more air going into the engine. The Cap'n
[/quote]


Both the OP and myself have un-vented heads. Our contention is that the factory chose not to vent the heads for some reason, right?

What about running carbs makes venting the heads worthwhile?