Happy Thanksgiving and welcome to Packard Motor Car Information! If you're new here, please register for a free account.  
Login
Username:

Password:

Remember me



Lost Password?

Register now!
FAQ's
Main Menu
Recent Forum Topics
Who is Online
263 user(s) are online (238 user(s) are browsing Forums)

Members: 2
Guests: 261

Goingbush, Joe Santana, more...
Helping out...
PackardInfo is a free resource for Packard Owners that is completely supported by user donations. If you can help out, that would be great!

Donate via PayPal
Video Content
Visit PackardInfo.com YouTube Playlist

Donate via PayPal




oil pressure
#1
Home away from home
Home away from home

David Grubbs
See User information
I was driving the 51 200 with the rebuilt 327 around town today - warm about 80 degrees. Temp gauge got to the "M" in temp, so it wasn't too hot. The oil pressure light started flickering, first around an idle - no concern there. But then it starting staying on bright at 30 in 3rd. I have a gauge on it as well, and it looked ok around 35 psi. I did replace the sender after I rebuilt the engine with one I got at O'Riley's. Basically found one that would fit. The engine was originally a 288, but swapped cam/crank/rods etc from a 327 into it. The oil pump was working fine before the rebuild (last winter), so I just cleaned it and primed it with grease when the engine was fired up. I do have the oil pump from the 327 donor engine. The engine now has about 300 miles on it - this symptom started showing up about a week ago - it does seem to be related to engine temp. The oil is Rotella 10-30 with ZDDP added. Any suggestions? (short of more snake oil....)

Posted on: 2011/7/7 19:04
 Top  Print   
 


Re: oil pressure
#2
Forum Ambassador
Forum Ambassador

HH56
See User information
Specs say the pressure should be 40# at normal driving so yours doesn't seem too far off. Perhaps the sender has become a bit sensitive or was the wrong range as they do come with various pressure on/off points. Here is one from the x-ref Kev found that might be worth trying or perhaps you can verify yours operates around that 20# range.

Attach file:



jpg  (13.21 KB)
209_4e165028aaa81.jpg 1094X106 px

jpg  (20.46 KB)
209_4e165031c6479.jpg 552X298 px

Posted on: 2011/7/7 19:33
Howard
 Top  Print   
 


Re: oil pressure
#3
Home away from home
Home away from home

Ross
See User information
No snake oil necessary, but you might want to bump up to Rotella 20-50.

The 288 and 327 pumps are the same, no need to change. Check the thickness of the gasket under the pump cover. Sometimes they are supplied really thick, should be .005 or less.

But I agree, 35psi at 40 mph is not bad. There are many running around happily with a lot less.

Posted on: 2011/7/7 19:50
 Top  Print   
 


Re: oil pressure
#4
Home away from home
Home away from home

Mike
See User information
If you have an accurate gauge i would trust that over a sender from a non-packard vendor. However i found my packard dash gauge doesn't read as accurate as the little one i mounted down by the oil sender on the block.

I heard a rule of thumb was 10psi for every 1000 rpm. 35 psi would be fine cruising.

I also thought that the manual said somewhere, when hot, 10ish psi idle and 35 (or maybe 40?)psi cruising down the road. It would sound like you're right on, but i'd check the manual rather than my memory.

I'm running straight 30 weight (rotella) at the moment with good luck. I was running 10-30 as my first flush after the motor swap for the first few tanks, and noticed after it was dirty that it was a good 3-5psi difference at idle, and about 5-7psi lower than the clean straight 30.

Posted on: 2011/7/7 20:23
 Top  Print   
 


Re: oil pressure
#5
Home away from home
Home away from home

David Grubbs
See User information
thanks - I'll order a new sender and switch to straight 30 weight oil. The oil pump has the super thin gasket - looks like about the thickness of office paper.

Posted on: 2011/7/8 7:58
 Top  Print   
 


Re: oil pressure
#6
Home away from home
Home away from home

David Grubbs
See User information
Ok - problem solved. First I put a good mechanical oil gauge on the car to test the pressure. I removed the old sender - I had put teflon tape on the threads to help seal it. Bad idea. A bit of teflon was just slightly over the hole in the sender. Stripped the tape off and reinstalled the sender. No more false alarms. Oil pressure at 40 mph is 48 psi, and about 8-10 at an idle. Life is good again.

Posted on: 2011/7/27 13:45
 Top  Print   
 


Re: oil pressure
#7
Home away from home
Home away from home

Mike
See User information
Good to hear it wasn't anything major

Posted on: 2011/7/27 14:01
 Top  Print   
 


Re: oil pressure
#8
Home away from home
Home away from home

Denny Z
See User information
I'm running Valvoline 50 wt racing oil (excellent quality) because of the problem you are having and have had good success.

Posted on: 2011/7/30 16:33
Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.
Dr. Seuss
 Top  Print   
 


Re: oil pressure
#9
Forum Ambassador
Forum Ambassador

Owen_Dyneto
See User information
Denny, the heavier oil like the SAE 50 you're using does give higher pressure because of it's greater resistance to flow. And a bit more "cushioning" effect.

But like so many things, there is a trade-off and in this case it's lower flow volumes and hence poorer heat transfer from bearings, etc. Which way is the better compromise I have no idea.

Posted on: 2011/7/30 17:31
 Top  Print   
 









- The following Google Ad-Sense Advert helps fund the cost of providing this free resource -
- Logged in users will not see these. Please Join and Donate to help support the website -
Search
Recent Photos
Photo of the Day
Recent Registry
Upcoming Events
32nd Annual Florida Packard Club Meet
01/26/2025
46th Annual Texas Packard Meet
04/03/2025 - 04/06/2025
Packard Salon - Calling All Twelves
05/27/2025 - 05/29/2025
58th Annual National Meet
05/31/2025 - 06/06/2025
AACA Fall Meet (Hershey)
10/06/2025 - 10/10/2025
Website Comments or Questions?? Click Here Copyright 2006-2024, PackardInfo.com All Rights Reserved