It is quite possible that your pressure relief valve in the oil pump has
stuck in the open position, probably due to a burr on the valve or a piece
of crud in the valve. Before you take things apart, just take the oil pump
off the engine and inspect the parts, and make sure the pressure relief
valve is free to do its job. I had this exact same symptom on my 69
LeBaron when it was nearly new - scared the wits out of me, but that was all
the problem was (a burr on the valve) and once cleaned off, the problem
never recurred all the years I owned the car.
Dick Benjamin
----- Original Message -----
From: "jason reizner" <jreizner_lists@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, June 22, 2003 8:00 PM
Subject: IML: where'd my oil pressure go?
>
> i took my '68 crown on my first short road trip with
> it this weekend, and after probably two hours of
> smooth cruising at 80 on the highway, i glanced down
> and noticed my oil pressure gauge had dropped from the
> middle to the left-most end of the 'acceptable' bar.
> after getting off the highway, and driving in city
> traffic, the gauge continued to stay in the same spot,
> and not hearing any clatter i figured the sending unit
> was probably shot. unfortunately though, when i
> started the car this morning it seemed to clatter for
> a few seconds, and then the gauge returned to the same
> spot at the left end of the line. the car sounded
> fine, and i drove it back home, but i went to restart
> it this evening after letting it cool down, the gauge
> didn't even make it to the bottom bar and the valve
> clatter was awful, so i shut her off. the oil level's
> fine, and it doesn't smell like gas. [i doubt i would
> have gotten fifteen to the gallon on the trip back if
> it was running rich enough to cause a problem with oil
> thinning.]
>
> the car has 52k on the original motor, but hasn't been
> driven all that much in the last ten years. it's
> probably been about 300 miles now since i changed the
> oil before i left [with straight 30 weight castrol.]
> the man i bought it from had changed the oil with
> 10w30 right after i bought it, but it turned black
> within 250 miles and i changed it to something that
> wasn't as thin.
>
> i'm still rather new to the fine points of the mopar
> big block, so i'm not really sure where the weak
> points in the oiling system are. how hard is it to
> kill an oil pump on a 440, say by giving the car a
> good workout after it sat unused for a while? also,
> on the off chance something is clogging the pickup,
> how much of a nightmare is it to get the oil pan off
> with the engine still in the car?
>
> hoping it's not overhaul time,
> --jason
>
> jason reizner
> chicago
> 68 crown hardtop
>
>
>
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