Adjusting oil pressure

[FreightTrain]

I know I read this somewhere but how do you adjust oilpressure on a deuce?Mine runs great(too great to actually be worn out) but the Oil pressure is a little lower than I would like.90% of the time it is right at 20PSI Cold,Hot,idle 2600RPM.The othe r10% is will dip down to about 10PSI at idle but normally it is sitting on 20 no matter what the speed or heat.This is with fresh 15/40 Rotella and was the same with the stuff that was in it from GL.I would feel a little more comfortable if I could shim or do something to get it to around 40-50PSI and I am sure my pistons would like more oil squirting the underside of them too.I don't want 120PSI or anything like that.I just know 20PSI is way low for an engine that actually runs good.

 

[beaubeau]

Hey Freightrain, I woult make a test to see if the oil preasure gauge is working properly. It may have good oil preasure at the engine, not at the gauge. I did adjust the oil preasure on my Cat 3406 years ago by installing Shims in the oil preasure releif valve. Don't know exactly how on yours. Be sure to check items first. Good luck, Phil

 

[m-35tom]

right, probably your gauge. check it with a good quality mechanical gauge

 

[FreightTrain]

I'll steal a gauge from teh race shop and test it first.

 

[beaubeau]

I changed the oil and filters in mine couple days ago and when I started it I could not get any preasure. I shut it down, restarted it and preasure was OK. I later started it no preasure.. Long story, short, When the Deuce sits at a certain angle, preasure gauge don;t work. I guess I have a bad connection around the gauge. I shall look into it later and make repairs.

 

[Stretch44875]

Mine says 30-60 PSI on the dash, checked it at the filters with a mechanical gauge, and it was 75 psi at idle.

Dennis

 

[cranetruck]

Mine says 30-60 PSI on the dash, checked it at the filters with a mechanical gauge, and it was 75 psi at idle.
Dennis

"At the filters" may not be clear to some, pre filter may be 10 psi more than the pressure at the oil cooler.
Low oil pressure can also be a sign of worn rod bearings, which I suspect is the case in my deuce.
Do an oil analysis and check for metal content.

 

[renovate7]

When I got my high milage E150 8 years ago the oil pressure was all over the place. It turned out the sending unit was all gummed up from age. There is only a tiny hole that lets the oil in. A new sending unit solved the problem. If your pressure is consistent, althought low, this may not be relavent. I'd still pull the sending unit and see how clean it is.

 

[Rattlehead]

Definitely check with a mechanical gauge before you do anything. Also check the oil sender to see if it is a 60 psi unit or a 120 psi unit, and that it matches your dash gauge. The psi rating is stamped on the top(?) of the sending unit. I had a 120 psi sending unit in my truck with a 60 psi gauge when I bought it, and it read pretty low, although I had good oil pressure when checked with a mechanical gauge.

 

[kx250m1]

just a question, how do you check the oil pressure with a mechanical gauge, where can you get a mechanical gauge

 

[deuceman51]

All you have to do is unscrew the oil sender which is behind the air cleaner. screw in a mechanical pressure gauge. I think it is 1/8 size. Napa can sell you one of these. All is it is a pressure gauge connected to a rubber hose with a threaded end on it. Check there first. The location of the pressure relief valve is between the turbo and data plate. It is the part jutting out from the engine block with 2 plugs in the end of it facing the data plate. I can't remember if it is the upper or lower one, but I shimmed mine when I did my last once over on the deuce. You can either try and stretch the spring, or just find a small washer that will fit between the spring and plug end. On mine I had to almost remove the turbo oil return because of the clearance. I'm sure this might sound confusing, but once you take a look under there and see what i'm talking about it makes perfect sense. This engine is the same as used on White farm tractors and an old tractor mechanic taught me this little trick of shimming the pressure relief valve.

 

[FreightTrain]

Yea,I know that thing all too well.I fought and fought and fought with that little SOB.I had to finally heli-Coil a hole cause some yahoo stripped the threads.But I finally stopped it from leaking.....I think.....

 

[JasonS]

If the multifuel is plumbed like the majority of engines out there, it is unlikely that shimming your relief valve will improve your low oil pressure. The relief valve is there to limit the maximum oil pressure, nothing more. For example, if are running 20psi and your relief valve is set to open at 60psi, shimming it to 80psi will not increase your oil pressure.

 

[kx250m1]

would the oil pressure gauge read high or low if you had a 60 psi sending unit, and a 120 gauge

 

[cranetruck]

Low.