Aaron---Second attempt at sending this reply to you. Hope it goes thru!
From: tr6taylor@webtv.net(Sally or Dick Taylor) Date: Wed, Apr 27,
2005, 1:42pm To: 6pack@autox.team.net Subject: Re: Low Oil Pressure
Aaron----While you oil pressure is not dangerously low, it does
bear looking into. It sounds as if the pressure was "normal" right after
the oil change, so whatever happened was not the result of normal wear.
If you don't have access to a different gauge, you could hook up a
regulated compressor air line to the line to the dash gauge to compare
the readings. (The dash gauge doesn't know the difference)
I don't think that losing the plug at the rocker arm would cause any
measurable drop in pressure at the dash gauge. I know others will
disagree, but here's my view...IF one were to run an unrestricted,
separate oil line, such as the ones sold for this purpose, then an
open-ended line could cause a drop in gauge pressure. However, we know
the path for oil to the rocker is metered by way of a flats on the cam
journal. Only so much oil is going to be delivered this way.. We want
the rocker arm "plugged" so oil is forced down to the farthest rocker
arms. Surplus finds its way back to the pan.
If the rockers always saw full volume, there would be no market for the
"external oil line".
I've never seen it happen, but a broken pressure relief valve spring
could be a cause of "sudden" drop in pressure.
Other possible causes?
Wrong, or restricted oil filter. Remove to test.
Is it really 20W50 oil?
Dick
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