Fox T-Bird/Cougar Forums

Technical => Engine Tech => Topic started by: daminc on February 01, 2010, 12:22:22 PM

Title: no oil pressure at high rpms
Post by: daminc on February 01, 2010, 12:22:22 PM
My friend has an F-250 with a 5.0. with 250,000 miles. He looses oil pressure after the motor warms up at high rpms.( like when he passes someone on the highway). He had the pump, pick up tube and pan replaced new a year and a half ago. It did it back then before the replacement parts also. any ideas? bad pump? sludge? something else?

Jerry
Title: no oil pressure at high rpms
Post by: 32VFoxBird on February 01, 2010, 01:35:22 PM
sounds like somethings blocking the sending unit. that motor wouldn't last long with no oil pressure at 3500 rpms.
Title: no oil pressure at high rpms
Post by: V8Demon on February 01, 2010, 01:57:11 PM
Time to hook up a true mechanical gauge and go for a drive......
Title: no oil pressure at high rpms
Post by: daminc on February 01, 2010, 02:09:59 PM
The gauge is working properly. He has to shut it down because the engine isn't circulating oil and starts to tic.
Title: no oil pressure at high rpms
Post by: V8Demon on February 01, 2010, 02:22:47 PM
The last of the 318's they put in Dodge trucks would do something similar.  The lifters were usually the culprit.  Those held good pressure though when warm though......

If the cold pressure is within specs, this is sign of worn bearings......what weight oil is on it now?
Title: no oil pressure at high rpms
Post by: 32VFoxBird on February 01, 2010, 02:48:16 PM
pull the sending unit off. then pull the distibutor and re-prime the pump. if you don't see any oil coming out where the sending unit was then you have a bad pump. if it does come out you have a bad sender.
Title: no oil pressure at high rpms
Post by: 32VFoxBird on February 01, 2010, 02:52:09 PM
BTW, my old dodge had an oil pressure issue, but was the reverse of your friends. I woul lose oil pressure at a warm idle. that was due to sludge. I did everything I could do to remove it, but the only remedy would be to have the block vatted.
Title: no oil pressure at high rpms
Post by: daminc on February 01, 2010, 02:53:42 PM
He's probably running 10w-30
Title: no oil pressure at high rpms
Post by: BogusSVO on February 01, 2010, 03:11:46 PM
he may be pumping all the oil up on the heads, and the oil return holes are clogged with sludge and letting the oil pan run dry.... pop the VC off and se the oil returns clear ...
Title: no oil pressure at high rpms
Post by: daminc on February 01, 2010, 03:33:33 PM
Quote from: BogusSVO;308833
he may be pumping all the oil up on the heads, and the oil return holes are clogged with sludge and letting the oil pan run dry.... pop the VC off and se the oil returns clear ...


He's going to check that first.
Title: no oil pressure at high rpms
Post by: Cad-T-Bird 500 on February 01, 2010, 03:59:08 PM
Can the oil pick-up move in a 5.0?  I had a small block chevy doing this once and the oil pick-up was pressed in and moved up highter (I think this happened when the pan was put on).  So it was not down as low it it should have been and staving for oil when the oil moved back under higher RPM.

I can of feel bad not knowing about 5.0 engines and being on this forum.

TED
Title: no oil pressure at high rpms
Post by: BogusSVO on February 01, 2010, 04:23:40 PM
5.0/302 has a bolt on pick up, yes the bolts could shake loose, also there are gaskets between the the pick up and pump, and the pump and the block.

if the pick up was loose, or the gaskets failing, he would not have oil pressure at any time, for it is easier for it to pump air than oil.
Title: no oil pressure at high rpms
Post by: V8Demon on February 01, 2010, 05:08:53 PM
High volume pump + stock size oil pan = potential for oil starvation.  Make sure it's FULL. 

I have an 8 quart pan & pickup awaiting install with Chucks mounts and some other goodies......
Title: no oil pressure at high rpms
Post by: daminc on February 01, 2010, 05:17:14 PM
He does have a high volume pump that was put in last year.
Title: no oil pressure at high rpms
Post by: 32VFoxBird on February 01, 2010, 05:28:24 PM
then that's why he's losing pressure.
Title: no oil pressure at high rpms
Post by: 1BadBird on February 01, 2010, 05:49:35 PM
Quote from: BogusSVO;308833
he may be pumping all the oil up on the heads, and the oil return holes are clogged with sludge and letting the oil pan run dry.... pop the VC off and se the oil returns clear ...

Quote from: daminc;308849
He does have a high volume pump that was put in last year.

Might be a combination of both of these 2 things together with the mileage that truck has. Just my .02

:burnout:
I went back and re-read the original post. I'd pull the intake off as well and clean the oil drain back holes there also.
Title: no oil pressure at high rpms
Post by: V8Demon on February 01, 2010, 08:00:37 PM
Quote from: daminc;308849
He does have a high volume pump that was put in last year.


On Ford Modular motors, specs call for 6 quarts.  You can run more than this without issue.......Guys run 6 1/2 even 7 in some cases for the very reasons cited, especially the 4v guys.  Those motors like keeping oil up top and they have excellent flowback characteristics.....

Make sure it's at the absolute full mark on the dipstick and buy a GOOD oil filter for it.  I've tested some different ones personally.  A certain brand makes the warm idle pressure 4 PSI lower on my Cougar....It's a brand we all dislike here anyway....
Title: no oil pressure at high rpms
Post by: 1BadBird on February 01, 2010, 08:37:12 PM
Quote
an F-250 with a 5.0. with 250,000 miles.

It's not a mod motor. It's just a run-of-the-mill 302
Title: no oil pressure at high rpms
Post by: V8Demon on February 01, 2010, 10:07:34 PM
I was citing the mod motors as an example.
Title: no oil pressure at high rpms
Post by: 20thanniver-ls on February 01, 2010, 10:28:55 PM
Quote
A certain brand makes the warm idle pressure 4 PSI lower on my Cougar....It's a brand we all dislike here anyway....

May I ask which brand you're talking about?
Title: no oil pressure at high rpms
Post by: bhazard on February 01, 2010, 10:49:20 PM
FRAM huh???!!!

Wouldn't put one on a mower.
Title: no oil pressure at high rpms
Post by: V8Demon on February 02, 2010, 02:01:50 AM
Correct answer stated above ;)
Title: no oil pressure at high rpms
Post by: BogusSVO on February 02, 2010, 04:25:05 PM
the only good thing about a fram filter is th "quick grip" so you can get it off your engine faster....

I personally think Wix or NAPA Gold are the best  common filter out on the market.
Title: no oil pressure at high rpms
Post by: thunderjet302 on February 04, 2010, 11:54:16 PM
Motorcraft FTW:D
Title: no oil pressure at high rpms
Post by: jcassity on February 05, 2010, 10:15:15 AM
Quote from: BogusSVO;308833
he may be pumping all the oil up on the heads, and the oil return holes are clogged with sludge and letting the oil pan run dry.... pop the VC off and se the oil returns clear ...

better yet,,, dont risk sludge falling in places you dont want it....

transition a shop vac to a piece of 1/4'' copper tubing.
vac the oil return holes out.

the 1/4'' tubing will go all the way to the crank or pan.
Title: no oil pressure at high rpms
Post by: Kitz Kat on February 05, 2010, 03:28:41 PM
250,000 miles, I would think it may have issues. I'm sure at idle the pressure is not so good either. It's tired!!
Title: no oil pressure at high rpms
Post by: daminc on February 05, 2010, 11:10:03 PM
Quote from: Kitz Kat;309334
250,000 miles, I would think it may have issues. I'm sure at idle the pressure is not so good either. It's tired!!


It may be just that... I think we'll have some sort of clue or direction this weekend.
Title: no oil pressure at high rpms
Post by: Beau on February 09, 2010, 08:05:36 PM
Motorcraft filters are made by Purolater, aren't they?

My dad has an '89 F-150 with the exact same problem. It's been parked for 4 years now, so I don't know the cause, but I'd suspect high miles have a lot to do with it. 5.0's ARE notorious for this, especially those particular years. And, there's a reason they say not to use a high-volume pump on a stock engine ;)

Hope ya get it nailed down painlessly :D
Title: no oil pressure at high rpms
Post by: jandmmustangs on February 09, 2010, 08:23:22 PM
Stock replacement pumps are more than sufficient for most street engines (do some research on Dick Landy's engines). 

Fram = FAIL

Motorcraft FTW

However my old 5 Star International sales rep saved us a ton of $$$ on a Cat 930 that smoked an engine.  The International Filters, FleetGuard offer a engine replacement guarantee if a engine goes tits due to an oil filter failure.  I run a Fleetguard on my 03 F-250
5.4L and have noticed no difference in oil pressure. 

HMMM now that i think about it, the Motorcraft/Wix/Fleetguard filters all look the same....wonder who really makes em....
Title: no oil pressure at high rpms
Post by: V8Demon on February 09, 2010, 08:29:07 PM
Fleetguard makes good filters.  My buddy uses them on his diesel F-series.
Title: no oil pressure at high rpms
Post by: Kitz Kat on February 14, 2010, 12:48:37 PM
Fleetgaurd or Donaldson. Are high quality filters, Recommended by most oe manufacturing. But for cars it's tough to find normal part stores to stock them. Personally I use wix.
Title: no oil pressure at high rpms
Post by: jandmmustangs on February 14, 2010, 02:18:29 PM
Quote from: Kitz Kat;310242
Fleetgaurd or Donaldson. Are high quality filters, Recommended by most oe manufacturing. But for cars it's tough to find normal part stores to stock them. Personally I use wix.


True, but you can always goto your local 5 Star International dealer and buy a couple of the filters.