Why just before Xmas??

Fishman · 05-12-2005, 09:43 PM

Hi guys and girls

I have tried a search on the forums, but My EF's oil pressure has started to run really high. sometimes it is peaking in the red area before settling down with in the top two bars on the oil pressure gauge.

What are some of the possible causes for this so i can investigate it further?

Some miscellaneous details:
Xr6 motor
Oil change done 6000 klm ago - 90% highway driving
using shell 10w30 oil
Since lifters replaced about the same time as the oil change oil level has dropped to the add mark but not below and is currently up to the full mark on the dipstick.

Also don't know if it is related, my cat has carked it and it sounds like the insides are rattleing around inside it (taking it off on the weekend). Could the insides whilst moving around cause too much back pressure and cause the high oil pressure?

Any help will be appreciated

Dan

EFFalcon · 05-12-2005, 09:48 PM

collapsed cat will cause too much back pressure, deffinately something youd want to fix.
however i don't see that causing too higher oil pressure.
my oil pressure used to stay at the 7 mark, now it consistantly drops to about 3 when hot and at idle, but still 7 most of the time.

Fishman · 05-12-2005, 10:02 PM

Thanks EFFalcon

Sorting out the Cat this week for a change on the weekend.

Was just worried that the oil pressure was a sign of worse thinigs to come.

DUMTEF · 06-12-2005, 08:16 AM

aparently its common for the senders to become faulty, my mums ef and my mates ef have the same problems but their oil presure is fine

06-12-2005, 10:20 AM

don't even worry about the oil pressure reading on your dash. It's not a problem when you have really high oil pressure anyway, it's only low that's a concern. But yeah, the senders do all sorts of weird , so don't worry about it.

EDIT: As long as you have the correct level of oil in your engine, then you have good enough oil pressure. Unless the oil is like water or something, in which case, change it!

Aaron_EF8 · 06-12-2005, 02:57 PM

The senders can become faulty, and the dash gauge isn't too accurate anyway, you could try someone elses sender, or borrow a proper oil gauge and compare it to the dash, or even cleaning the oil sender terminal could do the trick, as it can be a bit exposed to the elements

Despite what woodstock said, It does matter if the oil pressure is too high, and oil thickness is not the only variation in oil pressure at all. Things like oil pump, pump bypass spring settings, bearing clearances, if theres oil gallery restrictors fitted etc all make a difference.

It's about 1L from the full to the add mark on the dipstick, so using only a litre over 6000km is quite good. Did you change the filter at the same time?

Fishman · 06-12-2005, 07:26 PM

Aaron,

Didn't change the filter for the top up, but when i changed the oil i changed the filter too.

Might see if i can get my hands on a proper oil gauge and see whats goin' on.

Cheers
Dan

sheppy · 06-12-2005, 07:31 PM

just a quick deviation on the topic, are the mpfi 3.9 and 4.0 oil pressure senders the same?

Brent79 · 06-12-2005, 08:19 PM

I read somewhere that its normal for an engine to use more oil on constant highway driving because the engine is always running at a higher speed. Especially if the car has been used for city driving beforehand. It said that city driving "dilutes" the oil from the combustion process in city driving, then uses the dilution contents on highway driving. Does that make sense? lol

Brent