Oil pressure. Should I be worried?

[ROCK HARVEY]

You know what, I think my brain was working backwards (as it often does). 15w40 is thicker than 30w when it’s hot. Now I want to run an experiment and see if the different weights make a difference on my oil pressure gauge.

 

[Jim993]

Besides being high in the oil pressure system, taking a pressure reading at the turbo will give lower results because the oil is flowing through the turbo and there are friction losses getting to the turbo. The best place is on the main oil gallery down low on the left side of the block. 6.9's have a spare port ahead of the Banks turbo oil line connection at the left lower rear of the block, Mine had a 1/8 NPT at that location so I connected a real oil pressure gauge via a 1/8 copper tube up to the firewall with the sensor on the tee.

I don't know if the 7.3's have this spare port with a 1/8 NPT plug in it, worth taking a look.

Real oil pressure is higher with the mechanical gauge AND the sensor connected to the main oil gallery.
1985 6.9 4x4 Lariat, 272,000 miles, 47,000 on new engine, 54,000 on the Baanks turbo.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[DirtyWood]

Besides being high in the oil pressure system, taking a pressure reading at the turbo will give lower results because the oil is flowing through the turbo and there are friction losses getting to the turbo. The best place is on the main oil gallery down low on the left side of the block. 6.9's have a spare port ahead of the Banks turbo oil line connection at the left lower rear of the block, Mine had a 1/8 NPT at that location so I connected a real oil pressure gauge via a 1/8 copper tube up to the firewall with the sensor on the tee.

I don't know if the 7.3's have this spare port with a 1/8 NPT plug in it, worth taking a look.

Real oil pressure is higher with the mechanical gauge AND the sensor connected to the main oil gallery.
1985 6.9 4x4 Lariat, 272,000 miles, 47,000 on new engine, 54,000 on the Baanks turbo.

You must be registered for see images attach

What was the pressure differential?

 

[Jim993]

This goes back to about 2012. The truck did not have a mechanical gauge until I put one on the tee with the sensor about that time. The factory sensor/ gauge combination is simply a guess for accuracy but the new location for the sensor at the main oil gallery raised the dash needle about 1/16 -1/8 dash gauge range. Occasional checks of hot oil pressure on the real gauge today is about 20 psi at idle, 50 psi at 2,000 rpm. There really is not a direct correlation between dash and the real gauge. Ford could have done much better. Another problem with the factory sensor/gauge system is the instrument cluster voltage regulator which also introduces variability to dash vs real gauge readings. I have put several original Ford type instrument voltage regulators in (a pain*) but the latest from Dennis-Carpenter.com is SOLID STATE and whoopee, produces at least less variability between dash and real gauge readings.

* To change the instrument cluster voltage regulator on an '85 requires steering column cover removal, removal of headlight and wiper knobs, removal of dash facia, (unplug the diesel warning and start light from the back of dash facia) and unscrewing the instrument cluster from interior dash support. The instrument cluster then can be pulled back a bit, voltage regulator just visible is at inside upper left of the instrument cluster- the instrument cluster stays connected to speedometer cable and wiring.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

I don't know if the 7.3's have this spare port with a 1/8 NPT plug in it, worth taking a look.

Yes they do. It seems like there's actually three along the block and one on the "bellhousing" part, all on the driver's side. The one on the bellhousing part is the easiest to access and it's the one most often used by aftermarket turbos from what I've seen.

 

[Old Goat]

Jim993, you need to be very careful when removing the ICVR, as it has the same
metal button connector as a 9V Battery.
I did something and mine quit working. Got another ICVR to swap in, and disconnecting
the thing, tore the plastic. Good thing I have several Instrument Clusters to swap in another
plastic wiring piece.
That thing drops 12V to something like 5V for the Oil, Temp and Fuel gauges. Think 86 was
the last year it was used. It`s not a Ford thing, lots of other Car Co. used it also.
From all the YT Vids I watched doing my searching, the solid state one is the better one to use.

When I did mine, I removed the whole Cluster to have it front of me.
Not a lot of room to work behind it with it 1/2 way removed.

Goat