88 gl Oil Pressure Gauge Reading Very High

[kayakertom]

Is it normal for the oil pressure sensor to fail by reading high (very)? I'm getting 65 psi on start-up at idle and almost maxing out as the rpm increases. Stays above 45 psi as the oil warms up. As this just started with the coming of colder weather, I ruled out bad oil with an oil change. Will check in my spare parts for another oil pressure sensor in the morning. Hope it is the sensor and not the actual pressure - don't want an oil seal popping out...

[czny]

1) these EA GL gauges aren't very accurate

and

2) my 87 GL reads same high when cold pressures, 65-70 on startup

Pressure drops to 45 in cruise and stays about 40 psi at 3-3.5K rpm full hot after 2 hrs hwy running.

Yours readings seem to be just fine to me.

[kayakertom]

2 hours ago, czny said:

1) these EA GL gauges aren't very accurate

and

2) my 87 GL reads same high when cold pressures, 65-70 on startup

Pressure drops to 45 in cruise and stays about 40 psi at 3-3.5K rpm full hot after 2 hrs hwy running.

Yours readings seem to be just fine to me.

Mine has doubled in the past week; something is going on.

 

[el_freddo]

If it’s not ticking or squealing I wouldn’t worry about it. No oil is worse than high oil pressure in general. 

Interesting about those figures czny, my EJ22E with mechanical oil pressure gauge will read about 85psi cold with revs, ~60psi at idle. Once warmed up cruise is ~75-80psi and idle around about 40psi (from memory, I might have to double check next drive).

Are your figures from the factory oil pressure gauge or an aftermarket unit?

Cheers

Bennie

[czny]

Bennie, my readings are with factory gauge & sending unit only. Idle drops down to 10-15 psi fully hot. Enough psi to sustain hydraulic lifters, rods & mains.

Will do a mechanical OP gauge when EJ it finally. My 182K mile EA82 is still running without ticks or knocks so I'll just get all the goodness out of it until I can park it behind my gate again to do the EJ swap. If it ain't broke......

" Mine has doubled in the past week; something is going on "

kayakertom, had you done a reseal on the engine recently using silicone somewhere near an oil passage?

Could be that some debris is hanging up the pressure regulator in oil pump maybe(?)

Edited January 5, 2019 by czny

[Subarule]

The oil pressure gauge in my '86 has been reading high since day 1, over 30 years. It's a Subaru mfr. glitch. As long as you check the oil level once every 2 weeks or so (assuming you don't let it get low) you can ignore the gauge. They either start out wonky or get that way later on.

Edited January 5, 2019 by Subarule

[kayakertom]

To each his own way; I prefer gauges that are accurate and will be replacing mine with something I can calibrate.

 

 

 

 

[Subarule]

23 hours ago, kayakertom said:

To each his own way; I prefer gauges that are accurate and will be replacing mine with something I can calibrate.

I'm pretty fanatical about keeping everything (within reason) in my '86 just like it came from the factory. If I need to replace something I go with OEM unless that is totally impossible.

23 hours ago, kayakertom said:

 

 

 

 

 

[kayakertom]

Replaced the faulty sensor with a Rock Auto special $1.50 ; so far so good.