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  • Inline oil pressure regulator.

    Does anyone know of a pressure regulator that is suitable to use on an oil pressure line? Like a fuel pressure regulator but can stand ~200*F oil temps? Something that can maintain a steady 20-30psi of pressure rather the the oil is cold or hot and the pump is pumping out 40-60+psi.

    I ask because the OHC engine uses a restrictor tube to keep oil pressure to the lash adjusters down, as they are designed like a conventional lifter, only have supposibly 30% less load on them so more suseptible to pumping up and either keeping the valve open or wearing on the cam, and Pontiac's fix was to put a restrictor tube in AND supposibly set the oil pumps regulator to 40psi or lower. There are whispers of modifications to get the oil pump regulator to crank out 60psi and run a secondary external oil line to the head with a regulated oil pressure at 20-30psi. But details are sketchy so looking at options as usual. Thanks

    (There are pipe plugged oil galley plugs on both ends of the head, and there is only one pressure feed to the head from the block, so theoretically I could plug the block feed, run an external line (oil cooler adapter at the filter style?) to one or both the head galleys, with a regulator bleeding off the extra psi down to 30psi while maintaining 60psi to the mains?)

    Conversely, I could see about getting the oil pumps regulator up to 60 psi, leave the restrictor tube in place and install a port and regulator at one of the galley ends feeding the excess pressure/oil back to the pan...
    Escaped on a technicality.

  • #2
    Re: Inline oil pressure regulator.

    I think Petersen makes one.

    Ah, there it is:

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    • #3
      Re: Inline oil pressure regulator.

      Looks like a reasonable design, looks like it is made to flow significantly more oil than I think I'll have, wonder how well it'd work on -8 or -6 AN plumbing.
      Escaped on a technicality.

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      • #4
        Re: Inline oil pressure regulator.

        Reading backwards the inference is that you need more oil feed to the top end for performance use and the intended turbo application? Is there a reported starvation issue at one end or the other? It would seem there are any number of ways to manage that kind of issue. It would be cool to see one of those factory style exploded diagrams of valve train on that OHC six. Are the lifters special or do they use a standard Pontiac or GM size?

        As you know I'm a fan of external oil pumps but that alone adds significant cost to the build, That Peterson part won't be cheap either, I have their wide vac/pump combo and its great stuff but you get what you pay for.

        Adjusting the pressure relief value on the factory pump seems straight forward (shims?) and changing the size of those restrictor orifices would change supplied volume/pressure so now the question of adequate distribution is left. Can you tap and run a small hard line from the feed location on the head to where ever it needs to get to? This was a common practice on early Ford 351 Clevelands and AMC motors in the late sixties and seventies. This is the benefit of having old farts like me on this site.

        On the Peterson setup the auxiliary ports are for things just like you are talking about in addition to valve spring oilers, piston sprayers etc. oh and pressurized turbo oil feed lines.
        Drag Week 2006 & 2012 - Winner Street Race Big Block Naturally Aspirated - R/U 2007 Broke DW '05 and Drag Weekend '15 Coincidence?

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        • #5
          Re: Inline oil pressure regulator.

          I haven't bought a manual yet :P

          Basically the issue is actually too much oil pressure in the head. The restrictor tube works good, but Pontiac supposibly lowered the pressure of the overall system to accomodate this. The restrictor tube is just a pinched down tube with a hole in the side to set the pressure.


          Here are the quick pictures I've taken during disassembly.
          The lash adjuster. Essentially a lifter with a cap instead of cup to take up lash.


          The arraignment, the cam sits on top.
          Escaped on a technicality.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Inline oil pressure regulator.

            Checking back, looks like the pump pressure regulator is set to 30psi to maintain a constant 15psi at the lash adjusters. So if I could bump the pressure regulator pressure up to 60'ish and then have a regulator on the backside of the head bleeding off any pressure in excess of 15psi is what I'd be looking for.
            Escaped on a technicality.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Inline oil pressure regulator.

              I remember seeing a roller version of that type of follower/lever before, somewhere, maybe an import motor ro another version of the Pontiac OHC or maybe an after market part for the OHC form back in the day. No help really, bit I'm often surprised at what shows up when you look at a lot of different engines over time.

              Maybe someone on here has a better more accurate memory than I do.

              Happy New Year!
              Drag Week 2006 & 2012 - Winner Street Race Big Block Naturally Aspirated - R/U 2007 Broke DW '05 and Drag Weekend '15 Coincidence?

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              • #8
                Re: Inline oil pressure regulator.

                I think Aviad also makes an external regulator since I was looking to limit oil pressure to a turbo at one time before I discovered they have built in restrictors.

                Lots of engines have RFF (Roller Finger Followers) on OHC designs, bet it wouldn't be too hard to make you're own if you had the real estate for the wheel and the cam was hardened against the increased pressure.
                Central TEXAS Sleeper
                USAF Physicist

                ROA# 9790

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                • #9
                  Re: Inline oil pressure regulator.

                  a regulator is a mandatory part of a dry sump system

                  we still use the same follower setup to this day ...try a trusty Z28 GREEN spring in the oil pump pressure relief
                  there are lots of screw in restrictors for bbc and sbc from moroso

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                  • #10
                    Re: Inline oil pressure regulator.

                    Here maybe you can get one of these to work. They are oil restrictors for Turbo's, which should put the oil pressure at about 30 psi, since turbo seals don't like much more than that.

                    Get the best deals for turbo oil restrictor at eBay.com. We have a great online selection at the lowest prices with Fast & Free shipping on many items!

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                    • #11
                      Re: Inline oil pressure regulator.

                      Thanks Alex, but that is exactly like the stock application, an I'm looking for something a bit more active and adjustible like a fuel pressure regulator (or oil pump regulator for that matter).

                      Here are a few pictures showing the design (for those not following the project thread).

                      The tube goes in the hole there. That hole is the main oil feed to the head. There is a little hole in the side of the tube to feed oil to the lash adjusters and the remainder of the oil goes to the cam jounals and lobes.


                      This is the tube. The lash adjusters don't really have a leak down point, oil goes in the feed hole like a conventional lifter, but does not exit anywhere except a tiny bleed down around the clearances between the cap and lifter body, and around a tiny pin on the top. If I run an external line, I'll likely make a tube that looks like this minus the hole on the side.


                      The back of the head. The plug there is in the oil galley on the feed side of the lifters. This is where I'd run the regulated oil pressure line. Does not require a large volume (as seen by the tiny restrictor tube hole), just constant pressure and certainly not too much pressure.
                      Escaped on a technicality.

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