high oil pressure problem 1976 ford 360 fe

[Hittman760]

Hello guys im having a problem with my oil pressure its topping out at high on my gauge. Im not very familiar with the fe engines (not yet at least). so anyways i was warming up my project for a few minutes and just so happened to notice that my oil pressure was extremely high and immediately shut down in fear of blowing a seal or causing mass failure to my engine. im looking for some advice on how i should go about finding what could be causing this, i know my pump is working since its showing high pressure and my oil sensor should be working because it dropped the pressure after i shut down, the oil is still a honey color and has new oil filter. my truck is a 1976 ford highboy with a pretty stock 360.

 

[DNFXDLI]

Have you taken a gauge that has actual numbers on it as opposed to the dash one?

 

[Hittman760]

i have not yet but you could fit a nickle between the max line and the needle

 

[DNFXDLI]

I'd check it with a known gauge before going any further.

What viscosity oil are you running?

 

[Hittman760]

i believe 10w30 or 10w40, my father just gave me the truck and hes currently out of state. before i noticed this when i used to run it, when it would warm up it would start smoking from the passenger side exhaust and i thought it would be the head gasket and was planning to replace it, but now that this problem has come up(although it could have already been there) i want to know exactly what is causing the problem instead of just feeding it money

 

[DNFXDLI]

The factory gauge could be reading incorrectly, that's why I suggested to check it with a proper gauge first.

 

[LEB Paul]

x2, get a real mechanical gauge on it and go from there.

 

[Twiceblown351]

What is the oil PSI. We need a #. 80 90 100 PSI cold on a FE engine is not a bad thing. change the oil to a 10W30 oil. If its like a 10W40 or a 20W50 it would make give you a high oil PSI.

When The the engine come up to temp and see what the oil PSI is. Theres not any seal or gasket the high oil PSI is going to blow out. Non of the have any oil PSI on them. they all keep oil splash in the engine.

Smoke?? what kind?? FE are not know for blowing head Gaskets. Does it push coolant out of the Rad?? does it have a miss? is there coolant in the oil??do a coolant PSI test on it. See if the PSI in the coolant system goes pass 16LB when its running. if it doesn't you can call the head gasket good. and leave it be.

If i had blue/white smoke from one side and i did a coolant test and it was good. I would look at the valve seals. I would think that was the deal before it was a head gasket.

Good luck

 

[Hittman760]

valve seal could be it but it runs healthy and it only smokes when warmed up, so keeping that in mind i was thinking that when the thermostat opens the coolant flows into the combustion chamber through a break in the head gasket

 

[Twiceblown351]

Doubt it. Water always flowing in the engine no matter if the thermostat open or closed.

Do the test i told you and you will know for sure.
If the engine runs good and does not overheat. The head gasket are fine.

Ok how this work. The Rad cap is a set PSI relief valve it set most of the time at 16PSI. The cylinder PSI it 120+ if the head gasket is bad. that 120+PSI is going to makes its way into the Coolant system. When it does its way more the the 16LB cap its going to blow that cap and push coolant all over the place like it overheating. Doesn't matter if the engine is up to temp or not.
thermostat only on the top hose. bottom hose is still open to the Rad at all times no matter the coolant temp.

When oil get hotter it gets thinner. The thinner it is the easier it is to get past bad dried out oil seals. in this case i say its the valve seals. or it could have bad seals and valves guides.

If you know how to do it the seals can change out with out taking the heads off.

Do a compression test. if that all come out good. then its not the rings. And if its not the rings it can only be the seals or guides. But FE are not really know for eating Guides. But old umbrella seals are know for getting as hard as plastic and braking apart.

My 89 Mustang GT is doing it know. and i have to do the one in it soon. as it drinks oil like it drink gas.

 

[Hittman760]

so i got the oil guage fixed and its all good but i finally got to drive it yesterday and there are very low gears on it but it feels like there's a govenor on it while in 3rd and 4th gear any ideas?

 

[Twiceblown351]

Older 360 not going to be a RPM king. 5500 would be about were i think it would give up. Small cam. 2bl carb. old valve spring with little PSI when open. will make for giving up at low RPMs.

My 89 GT Mustang. was sitting for 4 years with out starting. and it the same way. the valve spring are trash. and so are the seals. and its newer then your truck. Your truck most likely the same way. needs spring and seals.

Take the oil cap off the valve cover when running. No air coming out ?? if not engine good!! Ring are good. Burns oil and smokes Valves seals and spring are most likely bad.
if there a lot of air coming from the cap the ring are bad or engine need a rebuild. Or just deal with it. old truck. Time is killer on valve spring. more so than them miles most time.
My cars only got 100.000 mile on it. that not really a lot on a 5 year old car for the valve spring. But when it 25 years old and they been held open for 4 years with out moving it kills them. So my car will not rev past 5500 even though the cams good to 6000 because the spring are trash. and only hold most likely onder 200PSI open.