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Dynamic Oil Pressure Buzzer & LED went off today... High psi?
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Steve M.
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 04, 2023 6:51 pm    Post subject: Dynamic Oil Pressure Buzzer & LED went off today... High psi? Reply with quote

At high oil pressure? I thought that was just for low oil pressure.

I left the Syncro down in Miami after fixing the "no start" problem the other day, (that BMW Series 5 was just too nice not to drive! Geez... it's so quiet compared to the Syncro and just a little faster!)
Anyway, I went down and picked it up today. Started as normal gauges all normal.
It was at the VA Hospital and that's right close to a freeway so quick and easy onto that one and headed to I-95. It was not a fast drive to I-95, but enough to get tge engine warm I thought. Coming off the ramp onto I-95 and jumping into traffic I manuvuered over to the left lane to get in the Express Lane. Think I was doing around 60, maybe 70 even.
I heard the oil buzzer go off and saw the red LED flashing on the oil can symbol so I hit the emergency flasher right away and got on the shoulder without taking a moment to look at the oil pressure gauge. Traffic was more important!

I expected to see 0 oil pressure, but no. It was at 40psi. Wth! The oil temp gauge had the oil temp around 165-170°.
So the engine was still cold really. I rev'd it to see what the pressure gauge would do and the oil pressure went up to 70-75 psi.
So it wasn't low oil pressure that set it off, but high oil pressure.
I'm running Mobil ONE 15w-50 in it as I am down in Florida and the last cold spell was only 44° with the highs being 70'-86°. So I don't really need the 5-10w winter oils.
The 15w-50 was the only Mobil One the store had.at the time I did the last oil change.
(The history of this engine has me running the 50w since I'm in the warmer climate. I fully expected it to lose a bearing in 2018 when I was out in Moab for the summer at 106° and experiencing low oil pressures and the buzzer going off routinely.
That summer I was running Moly Lube 10w-60 at the beginning and getting the buzzer a lot. I switched to Mobil One and the engines oil pressure has been solid since.)

I drove it all day today and as long as I kept the speed below 65-70mph the oil pressure has been okay, maybe higher then what I remember. Running around 42psi at driving rpm. Idle oil pressure is around 20-24 psi and that is well above the standard low pressure of 12+psi.
So maybe that problem from the low oil pressure has finally come to fruitation and and oil passage is partial blocked somewhere in there? Just waiting for it to blow up, but been waiting for that since 2018!
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DanHoug
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 04, 2023 7:42 pm    Post subject: Re: Dynamic Oil Pressure Buzzer & LED went off today... High psi? Reply with quote

Steve M. wrote:
I expected to see 0 oil pressure, but no. It was at 40psi. Wth! The oil temp gauge had the oil temp around 165-170°.
So the engine was still cold really. I rev'd it to see what the pressure gauge would do and the oil pressure went up to 70-75 psi.


unless you have a rilly rilly tight motor, 75 psi at 165 degrees doesn't sound right. that, combined with a buzzer would make me want to investigate the accuracy of my gauge and sender.
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MarkWard
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 05, 2023 8:03 am    Post subject: Re: Dynamic Oil Pressure Buzzer & LED went off today... High psi? Reply with quote

The correct function of the dynamic oil pressure switch is to complete the ground when the engine is running. It’s closed engine running, open engine off.

So if too much oil pressure is causing the system to activate, I’d first suspect the sender. First step would be to temporarily unplug the switch and ground the lead and drive. If the light stays off, the problem is with the sender if oil pressure is to spec. If the system alerts with the lead grounded, your problem is forward of the engine.

Also, if you are running a pressure and temp gauge, you are likely using some sort of manifold. It would need to be grounded for a stock sender switch to operate reliably.

That said, a good pilot trusts his instruments.
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Steve M.
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 05, 2023 8:58 am    Post subject: Re: Dynamic Oil Pressure Buzzer & LED went off today... High psi? Reply with quote

DanHoug wrote:
Steve M. wrote:
I expected to see 0 oil pressure, but no. It was at 40psi. Wth! The oil temp gauge had the oil temp around 165-170°.
So the engine was still cold really. I rev'd it to see what the pressure gauge would do and the oil pressure went up to 70-75 psi.


unless you have a rilly rilly tight motor, 75 psi at 165 degrees doesn't sound right. that, combined with a buzzer would make me want to investigate the accuracy of my gauge and sender.



Oh this motors not tight! 🤣🤣🤣
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Steve M.
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 05, 2023 9:17 am    Post subject: Re: Dynamic Oil Pressure Buzzer & LED went off today... High psi? Reply with quote

MarkWard wrote:
The correct function of the dynamic oil pressure switch is to complete the ground when the engine is running. It’s closed engine running, open engine off.

So if too much oil pressure is causing the system to activate, I’d first suspect the sender. First step would be to temporarily unplug the switch and ground the lead and drive. If the light stays off, the problem is with the sender if oil pressure is to spec. If the system alerts with the lead grounded, your problem is forward of the engine.

Also, if you are running a pressure and temp gauge, you are likely using some sort of manifold. It would need to be grounded for a stock sender switch to operate reliably.

That said, a good pilot trusts his instruments.


Yeah, trust the oil pressure gauge more then an idiot light. My gut has been telling me I have an oil pressure problem since 2018 and I
When went to low oil pressure to high by changing oil. The gauge tells me it's higher then it should for a "used" engine. I've seen the gauge go from 0-9 to running at 20 psi at idle like it is now. I'm thinking there may be a partial blockage of an oil passage somewhere. Until I tear the engine down and see bearing surfaces I not know where.
When I first got it I found plain water in the cooling system and leaking head seals. 5-6 yrs. on now it's still running and holding water with the Subaru conditioner. With the pressure problems in 2018 I decided to run this engine into the ground as I have 3 spare engines. One is sitting strapped to a pallet if I need it shipped during a roadtrip. I'll be getting another one rebuilt this summer for when I get the gearbox rebuilt.
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 05, 2023 10:09 am    Post subject: Re: Dynamic Oil Pressure Buzzer & LED went off today... High psi? Reply with quote

Steve M. wrote:
Oh this motors not tight! 🤣🤣🤣


then you need to check your oil pressure with a different gauge. 75psi at 165 degrees with a loose motor is not adding up. you may well have low oil pressure and the stock warning system may be working. it may be the ONLY thing working!
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Steve M.
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 05, 2023 10:45 am    Post subject: Re: Dynamic Oil Pressure Buzzer & LED went off today... High psi? Reply with quote

DanHoug wrote:
Steve M. wrote:
Oh this motors not tight! 🤣🤣🤣


then you need to check your oil pressure with a different gauge. 75psi at 165 degrees with a loose motor is not adding up. you may well have low oil pressure and the stock warning system may be working. it may be the ONLY thing working!


165° Oil Temp is the temp I was referring to- I use the oil temp more often then not. Oil temp is much different from coolant temp. It was running normal hot water temps on the dashboard temp gauge.
I have an oil pressure gauge inside the engine compartment and it gives the same readings back there at idle and short revs to 3000 rpm when I'm checking the engine.
However, I have to go to the local VDO dealer tomorrow so I'm going to get another sending unit to verify the unit. See what happens then.
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Last edited by Steve M. on Sun Feb 05, 2023 10:56 am; edited 1 time in total
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DanHoug
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 05, 2023 10:52 am    Post subject: Re: Dynamic Oil Pressure Buzzer & LED went off today... High psi? Reply with quote

Steve M. wrote:

I have an oil pressure gauge inside the engine compartment and it gives the same readings back there at idle and short revs to 3000 rpm when I'm checking the engine.


great! you've confirmed your gauge. next step i would take is to replace the high pressure sender.
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-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.

'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd

Past projects can be found at--
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DanHoug
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 05, 2023 10:52 am    Post subject: Re: Dynamic Oil Pressure Buzzer & LED went off today... High psi? Reply with quote

Steve M. wrote:

I have an oil pressure gauge inside the engine compartment and it gives the same readings back there at idle and short revs to 3000 rpm when I'm checking the engine.


great! you've confirmed your gauge. next step i would take is to replace the high pressure sender.
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-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.

'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd

Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com
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Steve M.
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 05, 2023 11:04 am    Post subject: Re: Dynamic Oil Pressure Buzzer & LED went off today... High psi? Reply with quote

DanHoug wrote:
Steve M. wrote:

I have an oil pressure gauge inside the engine compartment and it gives the same readings back there at idle and short revs to 3000 rpm when I'm checking the engine.


great! you've confirmed your gauge. next step i would take is to replace the high pressure sender.


I'm not really worried too much about it aside from this last incident.
Granted, if it is high due to a partial blockage then it stands to reason there is going to low oil pressure somewhere else in the engine. No signs of any noise using a stethoscope on the engine. I've removed the rocker arm assemblies and checked those oilways and they are clear. There are no real major oil leaks to see as if oil was being forced out anywhere by high pressure.
This engine just runs and runs and runs well aside from this incident.
As I said I'm expecting this engine to fail. It's just surprising me that it hasn't!
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