100-4 High Oil Pressure

[cheapskate]

I was hoping that one of you " Healey-Einsteins" might be able to throw some light on this problem. I recently replaced my head gasket while having the #1 exhaust valve guide reemed. Then I dropped the sump as I had the misfortune of dropping the #3 pushrod into the sump when reassempling the head. Now the oil pressure is high, as in off the scale at 3,000RPM. I have replaced the oil relief valve piston without remedy. When I back the relief valve out so it is just hanging on a thread or so, the oil pressure is normal. But when it is driven home it is high. I also notice that the head is noisy. My next step is to disconnect the oil tube on the rockers and see if this is squirting oil. But I am very open to suggestions.

Thanks for looking.

 

[Keoke]

Well that sounds like a good place to look .However, you should be able to tell if the rocker assy is oiling just by looking at it.--Fwiw-Keoke

 

[Dave Russell]

I think there are two separate problems, not related. The "first", may or may not be a problem. With the rocker cover off & the engine idling, there should be a small oil flow from each rocker arm. About one drip every one to two seconds from each rocker. If there is no flow, loosen the copper feed line from the head to the rocker arm stand. There should be a lot of flow. If there is none, the oil feed passes through a hole between the block & the head. This small feed hole is located directly under the rear intake port & about an inch or so inboard from the outer head surface. It would be possible for this passage in either the block or the head to be blocked by something such as the head gasket itself, gasket sealer, or what ever.

The high oil pressure could be a binding pressure relief valve or the spring is not going fully to the bottom of the cup shaped valve or fully into the cap. It's barely possible that you have the wrong valve plunger or the wrong spring. The Fours use a different plunger than the Sixes.
See attached sketch.
D

 

[Dave Russell]

If it will help I have attached a pic of the BN oil circulation.
D