I had a piece of a pine tree needle fall into the cylinder head oil passage a few weeks ago. I have driven the car about 5 miles since and now the oil gauge pegs 60psi+ and won't drop down like it used to do.

Should I worry about this? I wonder if it has plugged a oil passage or might be stuck in the oil pickup screen?

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1989 Formula 350

 

Hey double d...

Try unplugging your pressure sender and see if it does the same thing...

I know that is a problem with our cars.

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-86 IROC

-=ICON Motorsports=-

 

Mr. Curt,

I'll give that a try.

Thanks.

 

Is it stuck there after the car is turned off? If so, you need to hit it loose, or take off the panels and bend/cut the side of the guage so it doesn't get stuck when it gets power. My coolant temp guage was doing that for a while.

 

The gauge itself works fine, it's the actual pressure that is high. It usually was around 30-40 when at idle, but it pegs at 60psi now. The needle does dive if I brake hard. I'm thinking something is plugged.

 

Better high than low, you could try a lighter oil if you don't like that. All of my guages dive when I brake, especially the gas guage.

 

The needle made its way to the sender?

 

ummm howd the pine tree needle get into the
cylinder head passage? (valve cover gaskets
changing?) the screen in the pan will keep
that tree from growing. do a manual oil
pressure test. youll probably replace the sending unit. make sure its for the correct
pressure gauge. the 80# will not read correct
on the 60# gauge and vise-versa.
if blockage in the sending unit passage pressure
will be low. possible the oil pump bypass
not pressure bypassing correctly. oil too
thick? worse case spinning or galling bearing.
hope ya find this one quick
airdeano