Thread: Strange Oil Pressure question

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I've got a braided feed line for my turbo that was unknowingly draped across one of my manifolds. The oil got real hot, hot to the point that the oil pressure went down to ~20. Normally idles 40+ hot. Once it got real low, I shut down and rolled into a gas station to let it cool down. Turned the car back on in about 15 minutes and it was still sitting around 25-35idle but the needle was spiking? like moving around a little bit spiratically. When I drove it home I noticed the oil pressure was getting around 15-20 maybe a little less at idle. It was sitting around 20-25 when I rolled into the throttle just a little bit 1500-3000rpm slowly and the oil pressure was going down slowly as I rolled into the throttle slowly. I let off the throttle and the pressure jumped back up to 30-35 and settled again around 20... I'm thinking the oil getting real hot like it did melted something... say the O-ring on the pump maybe?? I'm hoping it's not a bearing, the motor isn't making any noise at all. It's just the oil pressure thats off. I've already ruled out the sender, changed the oil... I didn't change the filter though, maybe the hot oil melted the inside of the filter? Somebody help please!!!!

Sorry for long post.

i really dont think theres anything under your hood that isn't already heating your oil, thats going to make it any hotter, the engine temp is all relavant, the oil flows through out the entire thing, maybe this braided line of yours collapsed and is pinching off oil pressure, or something of that nature.... but if there was something inside your engine to superheat your oil enough to mess up something... then it would have superheated your entire engine.

now heres a little help.... check that braided line... next, your headers can get a little hot and that braided line would expose the heat to the oil, a hot enough tempature could make the oil kinda breakdown... especially if you're running something like a 10-40.... if the line is ok... give it an oil change... and i have a feeling everything will be ok

The line was a high pressure steel line that came with the kit, for my feed, the return line from the turbo is a rubber hose thats 3 times the size. This steel line was sitting on a manifold, the oil got scalding hot went through the turbo and back into the motor superheated from the manifold. I run synthetic so it shouldn't break down, if you don't think superhot oil thats not broken down wont mess anything up in the engine then that leaves me with one thing, the O-Ring on the oil pump melted and I'm sucking air. Either that or a bearing is starting to go. The motor only has 6k miles on it. Maybe 7 oil changes

I wasn't aware that the line was on the manifold. It has now been relocated. I don't have a whole lot of room in my engine bay, but I took a good bit of time last night and made sure everything fitment wise was ideal. The car is loud period, but I don't hear any audible engine noise. I'm sure if it didn't sound like a funny car I'd be able to hear a little better, but nothing is noticable as of now. Bearings stay pretty quiet unless they are pretty bad right? Could the crank be moving some letting oil by the main bearing? Would that explain the irratic movement in the oil pressure needle?

erratic oil pressure is ussually caused by 1 of 4 things, erratic rpm changes, oil pump failure, inconsistance of oil thickness, or a wobly distributor shaft

"NEVER use Braided line for your oil pressure line. Steel or seamless copper."


Why not?

Depending on the line you choose, safe working pressures are 1500 or 2000#.

All the drag race guys I know use the stuff.
Some of these cars run in the high 7's, low 8's.

My street roadster runs braided oil pressure lines.
#10 to the remote oil filters, #4 to the oil pressure gauge and #6 to the trans cooler set-up.
Got some #8 in there as well. Those go to the fuel lines.

Never had a problem with the stuff and neither have my drag racing friends.

The only cautions I can see is, the stuff is a low speed saw so it needs to be adequately supported by clamps.
That protects both the line and the car's components.
(Along those lines, I've been watching a very nice Chevelle with big block that has the fuel lines draped from fender well to carb.
The braided stainless line rubs on the aluminum rocker cover and it looks like it won't be long until he strikes oil....

I'm not too worried about the braided line and it is well supported.

Gotta admit though, a well laid out steel line looks very nice.
Specially if there's more than a few of them.

Lately I've been seeing some multi-carb setups done with polished copper lines and polished brass fittings.
Very Old School and looks great.

got the oil pump out, it looks fine, here comes the motor!