What Oil Pressure?

[Mark S]

Russ,

My recollection "back in the day" was that synthetic was encouraged in motorcycles with wet clutch packs. I remember switching from SAE whatever to Golden Spectro and finding ease of shifting gears to be much improved.

Mark

[Figment]

Ha ha..thanks, Bill!

You'll see why I was interested in this poll. I picked 20 psi, but it is often under that. I believe that I am fortunate not to have any of those fancy oil pressure dependent cut-off switches, or the thing would never run!

Not such a worry, as it turns out.
I neglected to refill my old engine with oil one spring launch. The un-suck-able quart left in the engine was sufficient to let the electronic fuel pump run the boat out of the launch bay, around to the slip, etc. Only when I checked the dipstick later in the day did I realize my error.

I don't know what the pressure threshold is on those oil pressure "safety" switches is, but it ain't much!

[marthur]

I am using the Indigo oil pressure regulating valve. It is rock steady from startup to shutdown.

[hanleyclifford]

The Force was definitely with you. 3 - 7 psi is standard for the NAPA switches.

[Dave Neptune]

35

Well, Volador runs at about 40psi cold at anything above 1000 rpm and idles at about 30~35. Once warmed up she runs at just over 35psi at anything above idle and gets to about 40 @ 2000 plus and idles at 30psi. I have never touched the adjustment in the 26 years I have run the boat and the motor is going on its 40th year of ticking away reliably and quietly. I use straight 30wt any major brand of oil and I add a pint os STP oil treatment when I change the oil at the END of the season. Perhaps the STP keeps the viscosity up a bit as there should be plenty of wear in all of my bearings which should reduce the preassure at least a bit at low RPM's and idle. Also note that I did add a bypass oil filter to the system when I bought the boat and it had no affect on preassure that I noticed.

Volador 1970 E-35MkII original A-4 still ticking.
Dave Neptune _/) _/)
(\_ (\_

[sastanley]

I am using the Indigo oil pressure regulating valve. It is rock steady from startup to shutdown.

What do you do to the old spring/ball regulator when you install that, do you remove it?? I have the Indigo filter kit, but haven't installed it yet. I took the 'stock' regulator apart over the winter and made sure it was clean and re-installed it and went one more half turn & I still have very low pressure at start up...it does still stabilize around 18-20 PSI after 45 minutes, but my extra 1/2 turn didn't seem to do squat.

[Jesse Delanoy]

My experience, similar with two different A4s in the same boat, is as follows.

On cold start up, oil pressure is off the gauge, 60 psi or more. As the engine warms up, pressure comes down. It probably is down to 40 (at cruising speed, approx 1800 rpm) after 20 - 30 minutes, which is probably the average length of engine time I use to get in and out of the creek, in and out of an anchorage. It continues to drop, slowly, as the engine continues to run, over a period of an hour or two, down to about 25 or a bit less, where (hopefully) it stabilizes.

I don't think it's ever dropped below the critical 10 psi per 1000 rpm, but it's gotten close at times. Adjusting the oil pressure screw doesn't seem to affect the low end much, but does affect the cold start up pressure, so I don't want to increase it much beyond where it now is.

On the old engine, I replaced the ball and spring adjuster with the pointed-end version. I believe (but am not certain) that my replacement engine (a Moyer rebuilt one, currently with about 300 hours) has the pointed end version installed.

I welcome any observations or comments.

Jesse Delanoy
s/v Off The Grid
Pasadena/Baltimore

[marthur]

What do you do to the old spring/ball regulator when you install that, do you remove it??

On the indigo kit, you remove the old spring / ball regulator. The oil line to the filter and new regulator attaches near the front of the motor where my oil pressure sending unit was (the oil pressure sending unit is then mounted near the oil filter). The return line runs to the oil pan.

The indigo oil regulator is a well designed unit and is much more steady than my old regulator.

[lat 64]

I just got back from the boat. Had two good day sails.
The oil pressure:
50 psi at cold start,
~40 at cruise temp and rpm,
and ~25 at hot idle


Mark, I may be confused. I might be remembering the recommendations for that engine additive Slick 50. Might be a good thread subject.

Russ

[sastanley]

marthur,

Thanks for that information. That is exactly what I was looking for. I wasn't sure reading Tom's (Indigo) description on his website whether it was removed entirely from the oil system or not (I also haven't read the install instructions yet, they're still in the bag, it would probably answer my question also)..I am hoping in addition to adding an oil filter to the system, I will be able to stabilize my oil pressure problem with this kit. I am happy you're satisfied with the Indigo kit..so far, I've been extremely pleased with everything from Indigo.

As soon as necessities like leaky stuffing boxes are fixed & things like the mast is rigged and I can go sailing, I'll add fun things like oil filter kits.

[thatch]

clarification needed

Marthur,
After the ball and spring are removed for the Indigo installation, is the adjuster bolt bottomed out in the block? I would think that if it wasn't there would be a sizeable internal oil leak. Am I correct?
Tom

[marthur]

After the ball and spring are removed for the Indigo installation, is the adjuster bolt bottomed out in the block?

You are exactly correct.

The kit comes with some replacement parts, so you remove the 3/8" ball and spring and install a slightly smaller ball (like 11/32) and a brass plug. Then you tighten down a bolt provided in the kit to hold things in place. The plug and ball seal up the internal dump port.

If memory serves, the instructions mention an alternative method of screwing in the adjusting screw until the regulating spring is bottomed out. This method is not recommended.

Mike

[thatch]

memory bank filling!

Mike,
Thank's for the added info on that conversion. I figure, the more questions asked and answered, the more our little A4's will ultimately benefit. Have a great Spring.
Tom

[Kelly]

removing oil pressure regulator ball or cone

OK magicians, miracle workers and diviners: I'm trying to take out my oil pressure regulating cone/ball (don't know which one yet) and have succeeded in removing the spring, but not the pointy/round object.

The Moyer manual shows a picture of the assembly removed and nicely posed for a photograph but I'll be darned if I can get it all out. Any tips?

On my boat, this is a blind left-handed reach down the side of the motor from above. I can get a small screw driver in the bolt hole but how can I scoop or grab the cone/ball? Are we talking magnets here? Chewing gum? Divine intervention?

I'm assuming I've got the ball valve as inward adjustments of the valve resulted in increasing starting oil pressure until a point where pressure decreased with more inward adjusting. Sounds exactly like the note Don posted about the spring bending to the side eventually and removing pressure from the ball at higher adjustments...

[ILikeRust]

Are we talking magnets here?

Yes.

That is exactly how I got mine out. One of those small, cylindrical rare-earth magnets on the end of a piece of bendy aluminum wire. Standard, cheap retrieval tool from Harbor Freight/Home Depot/Lowe's.

The little magnet goes right in the hole and comes back out with the big fat ball stuck to the end of it.

FYI, the steel ball is not tiny like a little BB or anything - it's actually a chunky little sucker.

And if you drop it, it will roll away merrily.

Don't ask me how I know this.