"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."