Ok, short story first. Started the car up one morning and all was well till the choke warmed up and we kicked it down. Oil light came on. Turned the car off and checked the obvious first, oil was fine, no puddles under the car. Started it back up. Noticed that when I gave the car any throttle at all the oil light went off. So, figure we better check the oil pressure with a good gauge to see if what the oil pressure switch and light are telling me is true. Sure enough, 5lbs or less on the gauge. Give it throttle and it comes up to a respectable 40-50lbs of pressure. Logic would tell me that most likely that this would not be the pickup clogged in the pan right? Seems like it would always be low if that were the case? I have not checked the pressure relief. Didn't think it matched the symptoms based on what I read??

Based on what I've read and searched for here on the forum suggests the following. I plan on changing the pump in the car. Loosen the passenger side motor mount, put a block or piece of wood and jack up the motor via the pan to raise that side of the motor enough to slide the pump out? Looks like just to make things easier I might pull the dizzy out just so its not in my way.

Am I on the right track here guys. Any advice would be greatly appreciated to make my life easier.

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Bubba's Trailer Park

Check the relief valve first, the symptoms do point to a stuck open relief valve.

DD

Wow, I must have mis read. I'll go back and look at the threads on how to clean and service that. Thanks for the advice!

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Bubba's Trailer Park

Just to be the 'fly in the soup' ,I had a simular oil pressure problem show up awhile back,had about 4k on complete rebuild when it happened.Check/cleaned/replaced all the usual suspects to no avail.Finally pulled the slant and did a complete(including head scratching)tear down and finally found a cam bearing that had spun and shifted.I'm sure it's your relief valve(thinking positive here)but just a thought to keep you awake at night.Sorry but I do tend to be that thing that floats in the proverbial punch bowl at times.

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83 B-150 slant 6,4 speed. 79 B-300 360 pathfinder 4x4. 74 W-300 318 4x4 git-r-done 80 B-100 sl6,4speed

hey 6Shot,

it's a dirty job, but somebody's got to do it!

Yeah, I'm of course hoping it's nothing inside the motor. We're pretty confident in it even though we didn't rebuild this one ourselves. All comments and thoughts are definitely welcome though whether they be best or worst case.

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Bubba's Trailer Park

Alrighty, life is good. Glad to learn about the pressure relief cause that was it. Removed, degreased and cleaned really good. Had a couple washers that fit in the cap perfectly to add a bit of spring tension. Checked with an oil pressure gauge and have a good 40lbs at idle. Snap the throttle and we get up to ~50lbs. Thanks for the tip!!

The Valiant is back on the road and happy.

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Linder Tech.com
Bubba's Trailer Park

Very happy ending. Congrats!

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

Update. Almost a happy ending... while driving home one day after a couple weeks of normal driving I was looking down at the instrument panel and bam, oil light came on. Naturally I put it in neutral, killed the motor and pulled it off the side of the interstate. Looked, nothing obvious, oil level good, etc... so we sent her home on a flatbed.

So, I changed the oil pump to a newer melling high volume pump AND installed an under the dash oil pressure gauge to keep an eye on things for awhile. We were able to get the pump out by putting a block on the jack under the oil pan and removing the passenger side motor mount. With some wigglin, we were able to get the pump out and the new one in. All the while we're hoping for the best that we still don't have a pick up problem (we'll dig deeper next time should this ever be an issue again).

changed oil and the filter while we're here. Fired it up, crossed our fingers and watched the pressure gauge built up to a nice 40lbs of pressure at idle. Took er out for a spin and drove it to and from work and holds a nice steady 55lbs at 70mph on the highway. So, let's hope this is the last oil pressure scare I see for many many miles.

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Bubba's Trailer Park