Thread: Low Oil Pressure at Idle

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Originally Posted by rspears

I agree 100% with Don's approach, and I hope you find that your problem is a simple sending unit. I had a similar issue, running 10W30 Synthetic Blend oil, and my engine guy suggested getting away from the synthetic altogether. Switched to Valvolene 10W30 and I hold about 15to20 at idle, and about 50 above idle with everything warm. If you don't find it with the mechanical gauge you might try an oil change, just for grins.

Thanks for the reply. That could be another route to take.

While we are talking about valve seals, we just changed a couple of seals out on the 455 Olds in Dan's rpu. We didn't want to pull the heads and I have that special tool that allows you to remove the keepers without pulling the head, but over the years I had lost the second part of the process, the air chuck that you use to inject air into the cylinders to keep the valves up. So I went to Home Depot and bought 30 feet of 1/4 inch nylon rope and used that.

The idea is to keep the valves from dropping down into the cylinder when you remove the keepers, and you can do that by compressing air in there or by using the rope as a "filler" to push up on the valves and keep them locked into place. First you take the cylinder you are working on to top dead center, and remove the spark plug. Then you turn the crank back the opposite way it normally turns enough to bring the piston down a couple of inches in the cylinder. Now you feed the rope into the hole until it is pretty full (it took about 20 feet) and then you GENTLY turn the crank in it's usual rotation SLOWLY until you feel the rope start to compress against the valves. We were also able to look into the spark plug hole and see that happening. You do not want to force the piston up too hard and bend anything, just enough pressure to keep the valves in place.

Once that is done you can remove the rocker arm and then use the tool to remove the tension on the springs and remove the keepers and then the springs. (one valve at a time). Autozone and Advance Auto rent or sell that tool these days and also sell new seals. After you replace the seals you reinstall the spring and keeper and turn the crank counter clockwise to release the pressure on the rope, and pull it out of the hole (obviously, you have left some rope hanging out so you can remove it )

This is an old trick and I am sure many of you know it, but just thought I would post it in case some of you hadn't heard of it.

Don