High/low and otherwise scary oil pressure [Merged 3-9]

[Bluefire16]

Ok so ive read a number of different threads but have not come up with much. I have checked my connection to my pressure regulator and the switch. I have connected it and disconnected it, talked to 3 different people. One is currently attending a mechanic school, the other works at a quick lube, and lastly another is a respected dsm member with 3 different dsm's with 450whp each. I have spoken to all of them and have not come up with much, here are the pics. THe first one, oil pressure when car is warm and just sitting and idling. THe second is on the highway going 70mph. It drops soon as im off the gas. I understand my oil pressure should not be this high, any reasons why?
[URL=http://img87.imageshack.us/my.php?image=oil2xg2.jpg]

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

[/URL]
[URL=http://img504.imageshack.us/my.php?image=oilvq3.jpg]

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

[/URL]

 

[91tizzy]

If it isnt intermix causing the high oil level on the dipstick then I would ignore the stock gauge...they can do funny things. The only thing that can add to oil level is the coolant getting in there from a blown head gasket.

 

[98gsxtuner]

well when i pulled the dipstick it was a little spotty on it ill take a pic to show you what i mean.

If coolant is getting in there can i just change the gasket and drain the oil and be on my way or did i seriously jack sumthing up

 

[91tizzy]

Depends on how long it has been like that. Ethylene glycol really does a number on bearing material. Especially if it has had some miles put on it with that oil in it

 

[98gsxtuner]

this is what it looks like when its running.

 

[98gsxtuner]

the oil looks perfectly normal when the car is off.

 

[lacroixdp]

That oil looks suspect to me (could be my crappy laptop LCD too). I'd get a hydrocarbon test to see if your head gasket is indeed blown. It's also possible you're so overfull it's frothing. If it comes back clean, I'd change the oil and fill to the proper level, then keep a close eye on it. When you change it, you could get an oil analysis done for good measure.

 

[98gsxtuner]

Anybody else have any info on this please? is there any other way to test it then to do a hydrocarbon test. If not how do you do a hydrocarbon test.

Just went out and started my car after it has been sitting and it was completely cold to the touch, had it runing for maybe 3 min and it was already up to normal operating temp that seems very odd as it usually takes 15 to 20 for the motor to be fully warmed up. I also looked in my overflow bottle and it has quite alot of fluid in it and its milky.

 

[lacroixdp]

Just went out and started my car after it has been sitting and it was completely cold to the touch, had it runing for maybe 3 min and it was already up to normal operating temp that seems very odd as it usually takes 15 to 20 for the motor to be fully warmed up. I also looked in my overflow bottle and it has quite alot of fluid in it and its milky.

Milky or brown fluid in your overflow tank could be just tired, discolored coolant. Open up your oil cap and look at it and inside your valve cover. If it looks like a brownish milkshake then you have either a cracked head or a blown head gasket. Take a picture of it if you can. If it looks fine, I'd still get a hydrocarbon test for piece of mind. You can buy the kit for around $50 at Napa but it's usually cheaper to have a shop do it for you. It only takes a few minutes for the test results to come back usually.

 

[98gsxtuner]

Will do ill try to get one here in a bit.

best shots i can get.

 

[lacroixdp]

I can't really tell with those - is there milky crud on the engine side of your oil cap? Is there a brownish tint to your antifreeze where your radiator cap is at?

 

[98gsxtuner]

i took off the cap and there was no coolant flowing through the tube i turned themotor on and there was nothing flowing at all.

 

[lacroixdp]

No milky crud on the caps either? OK - turn on your motor and let it warm up, but have someone watching the temp gauge to make sure it doesn't overheat. Wait for the thermostat to open and see if you get bubbles coming up to the surface in your coolant (take the radiator cap off before you start the car and leave the cap off during this test... that's where you're looking for the bubbles). What you're looking for is exhaust gas being pushed into your coolant system - it will make bubbles in your coolant. Just make sure you keep a very close eye on that temperature - if it is a head gasket, it will be more prone to overheating. Take some compression numbers if you can.

 

[98gsxtuner]

it did bubble when i had the cap off but it was only one bubble. haha i dont know i had the cap off and it was warmed up and it just had one big bubble.

 

[lacroixdp]

it did bubble when i had the cap off but it was only one bubble. haha i dont know i had the cap off and it was warmed up and it just had one big bubble.

Did you let it run for at least 5 minutes while watching for bubbling? It won't usually be a lot of bubbles necessarily. Is the coolant color the same as what you have in there, with no hint of brown? If all the above is true, I'd say wrap it up with a compression test with the instructions I PM'd you with.

 

[98gsxtuner]

when i had the cap off no coolent flowed through there at all, ill try again tmrw after work and see how it goes.

 

[lacroixdp]

After your last few PMs I think your head gasket is just fine. I just PM'd you instructions on doing a compression test - it can't hurt to go ahead and do that. If you're really paranoid you can send in a sample of your oil to this company - they can tell you if there's even minute amounts of water in your oil:
Blackstone Laboratories
Just keep a very close eye on your coolant and oil - be on the lookout for contamination or a rise and/or drop in fluid levels. It doesn't take long at all to cook your bearings with antifreeze.

 

[98gsxtuner]

my question is why would it only take like 2 minutes for it to be a normal operating temps when it was sitting for 2 hours and cold to the touch

 

[lacroixdp]

That's why you have a thermostat - it's designed to get your engine to optimal operating temperature as quickly as possible. A properly operating thermostat should warm up your car in a short amount of time. As long as the temperature gauge is stable and doesn't go past the middle it is fine.

 

[98gsxtuner]

I should add that when the car is fully warmed up my heater blows out cold air for a lil bit but when it does blow warm air it has a little bit of a sweet smell coming from the vents.

Sorry i forgot to add that.

 

[lacroixdp]

My past few DSMs have blown cold for a few minutes after the engine was warmed up too. The sweet smell could be spilled antifreeze near your engine bay, especially since you've been messing around with your coolant. All the same, I'd check all your hoses for leaks. Just to be on the safe side, you might want to go ahead and have a shop do a hydrocarbon test, just to completely rule out the head gasket. However, with no signs of your fluids mixing and no bubbles coming out of your coolant, along with no milkshake-type residue on your oil and rad cap it's sounding like you're most likely fine. A compression test and a hydrocarbon test will seal the deal though.
Edit: There goes my theory on why our heater cores aren't getting hot. According to this posting:
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/fre...3-heater-trouble-air-coming-out-isnt-hot.html
the heater core is full-flow all the time. Sounds like the most frequent cause for that is low coolant levels, air in the system, and a faulty thermostat.

 

[98gsxtuner]

Aight just to add though i started my car and lil warm up it there was like white steam coming from the tail pipe.

 

[lacroixdp]

Constant white steam definitely changes things. Take a quick whiff of it and see if it smells sweet. Constant white steam, especially if you blip the throttle, is a sign of you burning coolant.

 

[stevo911]

Only reason it will blow cold is if there is a air bubble in the coolant lines. Or if the raditor isnt completely filled.

 

[98gsxtuner]

ok 2 things now if i am burning coolent and it isnt a bad gasket what could it be? and i read the compresion test instruction and it said that if there is oil on the plugs i could have a bad piston ring well i changed my plugs awhile back and the plug closest to the passenger side cylinder number 4 i believe when i took the plug out there was oil sitting there so what could this mean?

 

[lacroixdp]

Let's finish up on your coolant problem first. Did you take a whiff of your white steam to see if it smelled sweet? Also up a few post you never did answer if you were low on coolant or not - were you low?