Intermittent High Oil Pressure

[Geico266]

I have been noticing high oil pressure (up to 135 PSI) just after take off or shortly there after. The oil is always warmed up to 100F+. It lasts at most 1-2 seconds then goes back to normal of 80 or so until the oil is 190F then it goes to 72ish. Also, there have been a few drops of oil on the hanger floor after I come back from flying, whic h looks like the "normal" front seal weep.

Aerosport IO-540 with about 300 hours. Runs perfectly normal other than a high OP reading once in a while. I have pulled the oil pressure housing, spring & ball and all looked normal.

Anything to be concerned about?

Any thoughts or advice greatly appreciated.

[AltonD]

Larry, my first thought would be the sender. Good ground return for the sender?

[N395V]

bubble in the line

[Geico266]

Originally Posted by AltonD

Larry, my first thought would be the sender. Good ground return for the sender?

Thanks for the heads up. I'll check it, but it only happens on take off and a few mins after.

Originally Posted by N395V

bubble in the line

Any worries about air in the line? Is it actually seeing that kind of pressure or is it a "false" reading? You would think pressure is pressure.

[n468ac]

We had a high oil pressure warning show up a few times this summer ... removed and cleaned the sensor ... that helped ... but it was failing, as one day it said 99 psi with the engine off!


lesson learned ... replace the sensor first as they aren't that much $$.

[mannanj]

I'd bet Sensors. I had two Van's Sensors go South on the same flight. The Oil Press. and Fuel Press Sensors both went high on the same flight. I was at 9500 ft. and looking for places to land but the engine kept purring along like normal, so I decided to watch it for a while. Everything else seemed normal, so I made it to home base OK.

It wasn't a ground problem, I had two sensor failures on the same flight. I borrowed used ones from a friend who'd replaced his Van's gauges with Dynon's and verified that they were indeed sensor failures.

A highly unlikely event, but **** happens!

[Paul Eastham]

I had intermittent high fuel pressure that took me forever to debug. Sender tested ok. Problem was the faston tabs on the (Dynon) sender were thinner than standard, causing a weak connection when the temps were highest under the cowl. Adding a little solder to each faston resolved the problem.

[Finley Atherton]

Larry,
Not directly related to your problem, but this is something to consider. I have two OP gauges installed. The primary one is the engine monitor and the backup is mechanical. Maybe its overkill, but it does allow you to instantly know if you have a faulty gauge/sender or a real oil pressure problem and could save you from having to do a precautionary emergency landing if your one and only gauge should ever incorrectly show low pressure.

Fin
9A

[AlexPeterson]

Originally Posted by Finley Atherton

Larry,
Not directly related to your problem, but this is something to consider. I have two OP gauges installed. The primary one is the engine monitor and the backup is mechanical. Maybe its overkill, but it does allow you to instantly know if you have a faulty gauge/sender or a real oil pressure problem and could save you from having to do a precautionary emergency landing if your one and only gauge should ever incorrectly show low pressure.

Fin
9A

I totally agree with Fin. I took on some gas from folks here a few years ago when I wrote in another thread about the importance of a mechanical backup oil pressure gauge. The other engine parameters are not anywhere near as important to know right now as is oil pressure.

[Geico266]

Originally Posted by Finley Atherton

Larry,
Not directly related to your problem, but this is something to consider. I have two OP gauges installed. The primary one is the engine monitor and the backup is mechanical. Maybe its overkill, but it does allow you to instantly know if you have a faulty gauge/sender or a real oil pressure problem and could save you from having to do a precautionary emergency landing if your one and only gauge should ever incorrectly show low pressure.

Fin
9A

Originally Posted by AlexPeterson

I totally agree with Fin. I took on some gas from folks here a few years ago when I wrote in another thread about the importance of a mechanical backup oil pressure gauge. The other engine parameters are not anywhere near as important to know right now as is oil pressure.

This is sensable, doable, and cheap. A new sending unit from Electronics Internationsal is $165. Thanks guys!