Oil Pressure too high?

BILLF/TRF

BILLF/TRF

Senior Member
I have a 59AB engine in my '36 coupe. I have a modern mechanical oil pressure guage mounted below the dash. It reads between 45 to 50 pounds of pressure when I am cruising around 60 mph. When I asked a vendor about purchasing an original 50 pound oil pressure sending unit to match my original dash guage (he only had the 80 lb. units), he said my oil pressure is running too high and that something might be plugged? I have about 2500 miles on the engine so far and have seen no problems. Should I be expecting some problems? Thanks,
 
45 to 50 lbs at 60mph is good...not at all too much! in a old Ford owners manual I read (years ago) it said 30lbs at 30mph and 50lbs at 50mph.
 
thers nothing wrong with the oil pressure. i think you can use a tractor or jeep sender people on the barn please chime in.
 
In fact I do have the Willys sender installed on my engine but the readings on my original guage (reads to 50 lbs.) are off the scale! So I decided to add a 20 ohm ceramic resistor before the guage and it lowered the needle to match the mechanical guage. Just to set my mind at ease (I have a 12 volt system and am uising a Runtz voltage lowering unit), I called Randle Rundle and he (or someone there) said the resistor will vary considerably day to night and eventually it will burn out the guage. He said it would be best to find a sending unit to match the guage.
 
I am using a Standard Auto Products PS-60 sender with a stock '40 gauge. The application was late '70s 302 F100. Cost was $25.00 at my local parts store. My system is converted to 12 volts so each guage has a runtz voltage reducer. The oil pressure on the stock gauge matches a mechanical used to check accuracy.
 
Yeah, what Jackson asked earlier. What weight oil are you using. And what's the idle oil pressure warmed up? I've got a 221 with a bourdon tube guage. Hot idle 20lbs. 40 lbs revved up. With 5W-20 Motorcraft blend.

Jack E/NJ
 
Lots of flathead guys including me use castrol 20-50w I live and drive in warm to hot weather. I use the 5-20w in my 07/08 new Fords because that is what it calls for. lots of opinions on oil and oil pressure here on the Barn.
 
I'm running about those same oil pressure numbers that you posted here on my rebuilt '35 21 stud engine. I think we are both ok with these pressures. I'm not planning to do anything to try and lower the pressure on mine.
 
I have 108,000 miles on my 39 convertible. 31 years ago when I restored it I put Castrol 20/50 in it before the initial start up and still has the same type oil. I changed it last week and drove 1150 miles in two days at 65 to 75 MPH the entire trip in 80 to 90 degree temperatures. The oil pressure at any driving speed was 45 lbs and over 15 lbs at idle. I checked the oil after I arrived and it is less than 1/2 quart down from when I started. The radiator coolant was up in the neck to the over flow hole and still the same place the next day after arriving with a 4 lb pressure cap. Running a 3:78 rear with a Columbia 28% overdrive. Looks like I got 22 MPG but have to double check the gas slips and make sure I didn't miss one. Also have a Marvel Mystery Oil injector and used one pint the first day and a little less than a pint the second day. I used to get 22 MPG years ago but haven't checked it for a number of years but thought it was down a little with the new gas. I looked at the gas slips twice kind of fast but want to look closer. Maybe the reduced friction with the MMO helps the MPG??? G.M.
 
If you are running a 59A engine, it has an oil pump that puts out up to 80# preasure. If your oil gdage and sending unit are from the '36 it is mfaxed out at 50#. If your engine is in good shape the oil pump will put out 50# +. ERGO, YOUR READINGS ARE CORRECT FOR THE COMBINATION THAT YOU HAVE.
 
V12 it don't matter how much pressure the later pumps with the bypass valve pumps, the final output into the engine is controled by the bypass valve. I have seen several latter pumps that the valve starts bypassing due to weak springs and slowly drops to 10 lbs or lower. We tested the pump and shimmed the spring to get the pressure we wanted which was 55 lbs. When testing oil pressure in the car you need a mechanical pressure gauge screwed into the block where the sender is located. This also applies to the bypass under the intake manifold. G.M.
 
Back in the 50's,I had a buddy(still my friend) who had a 40 sedan that the guage would jump up for a short moment,then back to zero.The local trash man bought the engine and put it in a 40 truck and was still running it when I graduated from college.
 
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