What Are The Reasons for High Oil Pressure?

Experiencing high oil pressure on a regular or recurrent basis is a bad sign for your car. The ideal pressure should keep the gauge at the median point. When it is higher than that level, you should be worried because the problem could be as serious as to the point of changing or rebuilding the engine. If it’s a used car engine, then a bad oil sending unit is the possible culprit.

Common Cause of High Oil Pressure

Apart from the engine issues, the malfunctioning and deteriorated condition of several components can be the reasons for showing a high reading in the pressure gauge. There are a handful of potential causes that may lead to this condition.

Engine Temperature

Engine temperature is the reason if the pressure gauge hangs on a high level while idling or at the time of starting the engine. When you are not driving, the engine and the fuel cool down. After being switched on, the engine starts warming up to reach the optimal operating temperature and heats up the oil in the process. The result is high oil pressure.

Problem in Relief Valve

If the pressure gauge does not come to the normal level after starting the engine and driving the car for some time, you should check the relief valve. It prevents damage to the piping and vessels by releasing extra pressure. If it’s defective, it won’t be able to regulate the oil pressure.

Fuel Quality

Low-quality oil is another reason for creating low and high oil pressure. If the oil is thinner than the usual, it will low pressure by passing like water through the engine. Similarly, thicker oil will create a higher pressure because of having difficulty to reach all the engine parts. Always use fuel with the correct viscosity to avoid this problem.

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Dirty Filter

The oil filter does the job of sieving all the contaminants from the fuel so that engine gets adequate lubrication from dirt-free oil. If you don’t clean it for a long time, the accumulated dirt and debris clog the filter and it cannot supply enough fuel to the engine components. As a result, their temperature increases and leads to the high oil pressure. Keeping the filter clean is vital for ensuring the good health of the engine.

Miscellaneous Reasons

Apart from the ones mentioned above, there could be some other minor reasons for this problem to occur. Any damaged part of the oil sending unit or block in the oil passage will disrupt the flow of the fuel. In addition, defective oil pump and worn out bearings also contribute to increasing the oil pressure. You have to replace the pump and bearings, repair the oil sending unit, and clean the blocked passage to ensure the normal oil flow and a safe oil pressure.

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