Re: High oil pressure

["skippatnode" <skippatnode@domain.elided>]

First, you need to get a known good direct reading gauge and see what your oil
pressure is.  Is it really too high?  Did this just happen?  Are you waiting
for the oil to warm up before driving hard?  Cold oil will develop a terrific
amount of pressure.  My '67 TI which I drove over 100K miles and my present
Duetto both peg the oil pressure gauge @ 3000 RPM's until I have driven at
least 5 miles after the water temp is up to normal. (That's how I determine
when it is time to play!)
I doubt that the pressure relief valve spring is the culprit.  Springs lose
tension, not gain it.  However, the pressure relief valve itself could be
stuck in it's bore and not relieving.  If that is the case, oil pressure would
be controlled strictly by RPM.
Second, crankcase pressure can not blow an oil filter.  The filter is on the
pressure side of the oil system and the crankcase is on the scavenge side.  If
the crankcase pressure ever got that high, something else (seals, valve cover,
etc) would go long before the filter.
Skip
67 Duetto
Norfolk Va


Date: Mon, 04 Nov 2002 17:50:49 -0500
From: "Anne O" <marinefuel@domain.elided>
Subject: Re: high oil pressure

For your high oil pressure,I would agree with the suggestions of
pessure releif valve or defective guage or sender.

But as to blowing out the gasket,have you checked if the
crankcase is overpressurized? If the crancase ventilation system
is clogged,you will pressurize the crankcase. A broken
compression ring can do the same.I had a non-Alfa engine blow
out its dipstick from a broken compression ring.

Anne O
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