Couple of considerations:
1. The turbo oil filter adapter has its own relief valve which opens at about 40 PSI to bypass oil through the cooler and back into the pan. When the engine is hot, the relief valve in the pump (normally set to about 60-70 PSI) does not open since the oil viscosity is low, and the oil cooler bypass relief valve dominates.
2. Do not forget that the stock pressure gauge is not accurate, even with a new sending unit. In my built '91, the dash gauge reads near zero at hot idle with a new sender. If you want to determine actual pressure with minimum hassle, get a new filter and use a center punch to make a hole in the bottom (no metal chips that way). Wiggle the punch to open the hole to 1/4". Scrape off the paint and solder in a stub of 1/4" copper tubing. Connect it to a gauge with fuel hose and clamps. In my case the actual pressure at idle was 20-25 PSI, plenty. Although this technique reads pressure upstream of the filter element, pressure drop across it at idle (hot, low viscosity, low flow) is minimal.
Hope this helps. Your mechanic does not appear to be correct. Few professionals understand the 7M.
BernieK
'91T, non-targa, refreshed JDM, Walbro, Lex, 550cc ND injectors, 57 trim turbo at 17 PSI (at 3000 pipe), '98 wheels and engine mounts (strong!), Lipp, modified stock FPR, Treadstone IC, hardpipes, Cometic, ARP, Random Tech 3" single cat downpipe, HKS LET-T16 exhaust, Exedy organic clutch (street use), Cr-Mo light flywheel, Raptor BOV (recirculated), deflashed valve bowls, exhaust helicoils, tower strut.
88-7MGTE;1351246 said:
Hey guys i have a major problem with my oil cooler, it drops the oil pressure to like 20psi at idle.
Oil cooler is a 8 row with -10 lines with oil filter relocation, that's the first time i heard of anything like that, right now my mechanic recommended to run without oil cooler until i brake in the new engine, and later put a small oil cooler, let me know what you guys think of that.
Now without the cooler at all, its about 65psi at idle.
Thanks
Sady
