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53 series v6 GM High oil pressure

shasa

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Hi I have a 53/v6 late 60s in

Hi I have a 53/v6 late 60s in my boat that develops very high oil pressure on start up .It has on a number of times blown the oil filter off.When you start it up for the fist time for the day the rpm must be kept that low the engine almost stalls in order to keep oil pressure down.Its fine once the temp comes up.Any ideas
 
"Hi Paul,
I don't have an


"Hi Paul,
I don't have any direct experience with the 53 series Detroits but have worked on my share of 71's and 92's and they all use an oil pressure regulator valve at or near the oil pump. Sounds like you have one that is sticking badly and should be replaced. They are simple devices utilizing a piston and a spring and are very inexpensive but I will bet that yours is not very easy to access.

There are penalties for running excessive oil pressure other than blown oil filter housings.
Excessive oil pressure can cause engine damage through erosion of the main, rod and cam bearings as these are constructed with layers of soft metal compounds to protect the hardened shafts of the crank and camshafts.

Since getting into the crankcase of a boat engine is so difficult, I would develope a repair strategy that, at the very least, included considering replacement of the main bearings, oil pump and pressure regulator. I guarantee you that if the oil filter has been blowing off, the oil pump has been unduely stressed and it makes no sense to tear the engine down that far without replacing it. The problem is that you cannot use the engine's present oil pressure after warm up as an indicator of "alls well" since the defective regulator could still be holding the pressure at an artificially high level even if the pump and bearings are damaged. Without a good inspection, you won't know what you've got there until start up if you just chose to replace the regulator alone.

If the engine has many hours since last overhaul, it might be the time to consider headwork, rings and rod bearings too as there is usually so much to remove to just jack the engine up a couple of inches it could make good sense to go all the way.

Only you, your mechanic and your budget, along with a thorough inspection of parts, can make that call. Good luck to you."
 
HI I was incorrect in saying t

HI I was incorrect in saying the filter blew off it was the seal . According to the motors history it had high oil pressure problems from new and has had the oil pump replaced.
 
The oil regulator has been rep

The oil regulator has been replaced .The oil pressure when warm is correct at iddle and at cruising rpm.The remote filter has a one inch pipe to it.What is the correct micron filter for this motor.I am thinking of putting a twin filter set up.
 
"What does "correct" o

"What does "correct" oil pressure mean? If it is around 12-15 psi at idle and 40-50 psi @ 1800 rpm, then I suppose it is "correct".

This engine has been storming around for nearly 50 years blowing oil filter gaskets?

The pressure regulator was replaced to correct this problem? How long ago? The pump does not create pressure, it can only produce flow so that is out of this equation.

The oil filter adapter should have a bypass valve in the event the filter gets clogged. It is not meant to regulate the pressure. Is that possibly your problem? Is your pressure gauge installed in an oil gallery or on that filter set-up?

It has been awhile since I concerned myself with oil filter specifications but I seem to recall that placing a full flow filter on an engine that was much tighter than 10 microns would unduely restrict flow. I know of some after market bypass filters that can get you down to below 3 microns.
Spinner makes a good one. They should only be used in conjunction with a full flow and not as a replacement."
 
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