Spoolin

No, I havent spun a bearing but just want to see who has and what the cause was.

Was it due to too high of oil temps? Too low of oil pressure at high rpms? Low oil?

I'm debating on going with an oil cooler or not. I have a Defi electronic oil pressure gauge T'd in with the factory pressure gauge and dont know how accurate they are but while driving last night with the oil (Amsoil Syn 10w40) hot, the pressure shows 70-75 psi, at idle, its around 30 psi. When I get on it, the pressure drops to about 60-65 psi when VTEC kicks in and holds there all the way to 9300 rpm. This is the first time I have really watched the gauge in the 7 years I have been boosted. LOL I have never had any problems out of the engine, no weird noises, valvetrain is whisper quiet, doesnt lose a drop of oil and it runs great. The engine and car only has 15k miles on it. I'm just concerned with, is my oil pressure really 60-65 psi all the way to 9300 rpm or is it the electronic gauge just not reading the correct pressure? Mind you, the gauge does freak out at times so it may just be it. If 60-65 psi is the correct oil pressure all the way to 9300 rpm, is that enough to lubricate everything? Also, if its the correct pressure, what is causing it to be so low? I have the UR relocation kit with -8 oil lines and the stock oil cooler still in use and also use a Hamp oil filter.

My tuner/friend keeps telling me to not pay any attention to the gauge. He says those electronic gauges suck and never work correctly and are just for show. He also says that if the pressure really was a problem, it would have already spun a bearing. I just wanted to see what the experts on here also say.

Spec_Ops2087

I also have an electronic oil pressure / temperature gauge but they are both reading on my oil relocation block (that has -10AN lines).

Aside from idle, my pressure gauge reads exactly the same. Helms manual says oil pressure should be ~80psi at 3k rpms and my engine is exactly that on the dot. Only issue is that at idle pressure is around 15-20psi but I think this has to do with placement of my gauge and the large lines (oil pump can't really build much pressure at ~1k rpms).

Ian300D

I've experiencing the exact same thing as this guy. No spun bearings, but have eaten a stock and inline pro built engine.

Irishflame27

i think you would have spun a bearing on the dyno if you were running to low of oil pressure, and your car is extremely low miles, id say it is fine....

Spoolin

Thanks guys.

It is close to 80 psi over 3000 rpm, I'm sure the gauge is off by at least 5 psi or so since it shows about 70-75 psi. What's odd though is it drops to 60-65 psi when VTEC kicks in and just holds there all the way to 9300 rpm. I would have thought that as the rpm's go up after VTEC kicks in, the pressure would climb back up to around 80 psi.

Oh well, as Irishflame27 said, it's probably just fine. Im just paranoid. LOL

Spec_Ops2087

^^You can always add a little extra oil to the system and see if that helps create some more pressure. Remember after adding all the new oil lines and such, you need to add more oil.

I usually put 6 qts in, turn the car on for a few seconds and turn it back off, wait a min, recheck oil, and add as necessary. Something to consider...

JoeyBalls

Do you run an Oil relocation kit? I would assume that drops the pressure a tad? I guess thats the one upside of not relocating my oil filter

Spoolin

Yeah, I do that on every oil change and I change the oil every 1000 miles. I put about 6.75 quarts in it. On the dipstick, its just slightly over the full mark once its all settled to the pan to make up for the added -8 lines. I put it just slightly over the full mark because once its sitting for a while, the oil probably drains from the -8 lines and a little from the filter back to the oil pan. I check the oil every weekend before firing it up and the engine has never used a drop. I'm sure the pressure I'm seeing is a fluke but even if it isnt, 60-65 psi is probably enough pressure up at 9300 rpm I'm assuming. I'm not going to worry about it since its running so good and hasnt had a problem yet.

Thanks again.

Spoolin

Yeah, I have the UR relocation kit with -8 lines. The lines are about 18" long a piece. I talked with Darryl at UR a few months back to see if he thought -8 lines were sufficient enough since IP uses -10 lines and he said -8 would be just fine and that -8 was pretty much the same size line they use on the kit but theirs is rubber hoses. I've had it this way since 03 with no problems so I'm going to assume its fine. I was just concerned seeing what the pressure was doing all the way to 9300 rpm because I had never payed attention to it before and I'm running the engine at a lot higher hp numbers now. Was wondering if the added power could be producing more heat to cause the oil to get too thin. I wish I would have payed more attention to the pressure and what it was doing way back when so I would know for sure that things are still the same and ok. I'm sure its fine though and has always been like this.

Bigeggroll

I spun 1 and 4

not exactly sure what caused it. I was ctsc'd on stock boost. My oil level was pretty much spot on, but I was using castol gtx non synthetic. It happened in a highload situation @ high rpm. It could have been the 2 hole oil jet problem, detonation or high oil temps... I just remember when I took it apart, I found that the rod was stuck on the crankshaft and the spun bearings had this like funky phosphorus like smell.