Oil Pressure Specs

[91LTDProject]

Checked the oil pressure on the 1990 today. 48psi cold idle, jumps to 55-60psi when you rev it. Hot at idle is around 12-14psi. Motors quiet when cold, but gets very noisy when hot. Tried to pinpoint the noise using a broomhandle against my ear, and cant find the source of the noise. Seems to be from everywhere. Are these pressures in spec?

[87_crown_vic]

i noticed that it runs higher in the 1990 thatt i drive. it runs the same pressure cold as yours but between 20 and 30 warm. did you listen to the oil pan to see if it is from the bottom end? usually they start making noise when they get warm and parts are wearing. you might have some lifters that are tapping too, but have you checked the lower end?

[Nathan in MI]

Your oil pressure figures are a little on the low side, but certainly not low enough to be concerned about. The 302 in my Linc has 40 psi cold and drops to 5 psi at warm idle, 10-15 psi going down the road at about 55 mph (3.08 rear end, OD, so that's about 1461 RPM with stock size tires). I occasionally hear the mains just a bit on start up, but for the most part, it's pretty quiet.

Two questions:
1) What weight of oil are you running?
2) Did you replace lifters? Seems to me you posted about the noise once before and from the way you described the noise, I thought it sounded like dead lifter(s).

[OVERKILL]

Its a tad low, so you've definitely got some bearing wear, though its not hidious. I have no idea what my TC has for pressure, I'm HOPING its as good as my seemingly blessed HO, which with the stock pump and rediculous mileage, still manages to hold 38lbs hot at idle with 10w30 in it on an Autometer gauge. It pegs the pump (blow-off) cold.

[91LTDProject]

I did try to pinpoint the noise. On idle it sunds like a rod knock, a constant thunk thunk thunk, but with a short length of broom handle and a stethescope I couldnt hear the noise through the pan or the block from underneath the car. You can put your hand on top of the intake and feel it quite clearly. When you rev it up, the thunk noise goes away and you hear alot of clatter, which make me think lifter. I havnt done anything yet to the 90, and I dont think I'm going to. Not really worth putting money into with the frame and body in the condition its in. May pull engine and tranny to rebuild them then try to find a rust free car to put it all into. Or just put my money into My C-15 this summer. Havnt decided yet. BTW its running 10w30 currently.

[89LincolnTWNcar]

when my motor is cold I hear a clattering near the oil pan. It gets louder and softer in waves.

[gadget73]

The noise up top could be worn cam bearings, though thats not normally a big issue with windsor motors. I have some funky noises from the top end of my car on the one head, but its rocker noise. for some reason I have 2 that have barely any lifter preload and it rattles annoyingly.

[OVERKILL]

The noise up top could be worn cam bearings, though thats not normally a big issue with windsor motors. I have some funky noises from the top end of my car on the one head, but its rocker noise. for some reason I have 2 that have barely any lifter preload and it rattles annoyingly.

Your engine is haunted

[gadget73]

I'm well aware of that. I know its the one rocker pair because it was originally on #3, but when I swapped heads, I got the rocker sets backwards. The noisy pair now live on #6. How I have 16 identical rockers and 2 adjacent ones are noisy I cannot even begin to imagine. Probably the U channel thing that sits underneath the pedastals is different on that pair or something else odd and stupid is going on. Don't know, don't care.

[91LTDProject]

I think I'm gonna end up pullin the motor and tranny out of this car, swappin most of the blue interior into my 91 (the 90 has a carriage rear window, I dont think most of the stuff in the back is interchangeable) salvaging whatever else I can and getting rid of it. I want a project car, but this thing has alot of rust on it, and I'd rather start off with a decent, rust free platform and put my money into driveline and suspension work instead of bodywork, paint, fixing the frame, ect. I'd use the 88 as a project car, but Its just as bad as the rest. Will probably drive it when I pull the 91 off the road to rebuild the top end, I just cant part with the 91, as crappy as it is. The motor that is makin the noise Is probably gonna come out, be rebuilt, and wait until I find a suitable platform to build from. Thanks for the help guys, though I know I'm probably gonna get some flak for scrappin a vic.

[Tiggie]

Thats decent oil pressure with 10W-30 for a motor with some miles. I can't hold that with 10W-40.

Luckily my motor is still quite for the most part, although it has it's days. I've never heard a sound out of the bottom end, the only sound I get is the lifters pecking.

[gadget73]

Thanks for the help guys, though I know I'm probably gonna get some flak for scrappin a vic.

You're using one to save another. No reason for us to give you flak. If the one is a rustbucket, get what you can from it, and use those parts on something else. Eventually every car hits a point where its no longer worth fixing.

[87_crown_vic]

ok...double checked everything about the 1990 i have. it idles at 750rpm and hot engine has 15psi oil pressure. cold engine it has 45psi. doing 65mph it is running 1500rpm and 25 psi oil pressure hot. i dont know if these numbers are good or not, but it is a comparison to what i have.

[jelybean]

are you still going to sell me your 1990 or what, since me and Bubba had worked on it and got the heat working on it for you?

[91LTDProject]

Update. Change of plans. Yesterday the 91 Decided to blow a brakeline on my way to school. Checked it out at work and the rear line from the master to the flexhose on the rear axle is toast. Luckily I still have brakes left and it is driveable still. The tranny in the 91 has also been shifting really bad as of the last couple days, think its singin its death song. Tonight I'm gonna put the front clip back on the 90, flush out the engine, put some heavier oil in it, fix some other minor things and get it on the road in place of the 91 in the next week. Drive it till it dies or till I fix the 91. The 91's gas mileage is getting worse by the tank and from the numbers I get off of running it on the dyno, poor combustion and low compression are the culprit, CO% is around 7% Where it should be 14%. When it gets warmer I'll pull the heads off the 91 and pull the tranny out, I just cant afford to keep driving it the way it is.