Old timer told me to stop chasing oil pressure numbers

I spent years swapping pumps and bearings chasing a reading that would sit at 60 psi idle on my 5.9. Last month a retired fleet mechanic watched me work and said 'you're fixing the gauge, not the engine.' He showed me how to listen for knock and check the oil cooler bypass instead. Turns out my pressure was fine, the sender was just slow to react after a cold start in 20 degree weather. Changed my whole approach to diagnostics and saved me from a $400 pump job that wasn't needed. Anyone else have a senior guy correct a bad habit you picked up early?

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felix14712d ago

Ever had a buddy swear by a trick that turned out to be pure nonsense? My friend Dan spent a whole summer porting a 350 chevy because an old guy told him it would fix his low oil pressure at idle. Turns out the engine was fine, the oil pump was just a stock unit, and the real issue was a worn cam bearing that made noise only when hot. He ended up pulling the motor twice for nothing, and the second time the old guy finally said 'shoulda checked the bypass valve first.' Now Dan jokes that he's the only guy who knows more about his engine's oiling system than the guys who built it.