5 Causes of High Oil Pressure and Symptoms to Watch Out For
Just as high blood pressure can cause a heart attack and leave you paralyzed, high oil pressure can cause a variety of problems in your vehicle. Oil serves many different purposes for your car, but they all require proper oil pressure.
But what exactly is high oil pressure, what causes it, and how can you tell if it’s there? All of these questions and more are answered here.
What is high oil pressure? There are small passages or channels throughout your vehicle through which engine oil flows to lubricate, clean, seal, protect, and cool your vehicle. But when these channels narrow, the pressure on the oil increases.
Excessive pressure can cause wear and damage to various components, so it is very important to maintain the oil pressure in your engine at the right level.
Common Causes of High Oil Pressure Elevated oil pressure is a very serious issue, but there are some specific areas you should check to find the cause. We have broken down the 5 most common ones here. This way, you can get your vehicle’s oil pressure back under control and keep driving.
1) Clogged or blocked filter
One of the most common causes of high oil pressure is a clogged, damaged, or blocked oil filter. This usually only happens if your oil filter is particularly old, but it can also happen if something happens while you’re driving and hits the oil filter.
The good news is that this problem is relatively easy to fix. Just get an oil change and replace the filter and you’re good to go.
2) Faulty pressure relief valve
Just because your engine doesn’t want to reach a certain oil pressure doesn’t mean it won’t. That’s why your vehicle’s engine has a pressure relief valve that redirects the oil when the pressure gets too high. But if this pressure relief valve stays closed, your oil pressure will continue to rise uncontrollably.
3) Old Oil/Wrong Oil
Over time, oil becomes less viscous and less able to flow through the channels. It can even get worse after a while. Naturally, this can cause oil pressure to rise and create problems for your vehicle.
Not only that, but not all oils are created equal. So, using a higher viscosity oil than your vehicle is designed for can cause high oil pressure. This should show up right after an oil change, but the problem will get worse over time as the oil gets older.
Either way, do an oil change with the right oil, change your oil filter, and you’re good to go.
4) Clogged Oil Channels
Just as your oil filter can get clogged, dirt and other debris can build up in your engine passages and cause blockages. When this happens, there’s no easy solution. You could try flushing the system a few times to get rid of this dirt, but there’s no guarantee that this will work. The good news is that if you’re doing regular oil changes, this is relatively rare.
5) Sending Unit/Display Failure
Your engine uses a sensor to determine your vehicle’s current oil pressure. However, if the sensor gives an erroneous reading or the gauge you’re looking at fails, you may think your oil pressure is high when it’s not.
Symptoms of High Oil Pressure
Before you start diagnosing the cause of your vehicle’s high oil pressure, you need to make sure that it’s the actual cause of your vehicle’s failure. That’s why we’ve taken the time to go through some of the most common symptoms of high oil pressure here.
1) High Oil Pressure Value (Display)
The most common way to detect rising oil pressure in your vehicle is through the display. Not all vehicles have an oil pressure gauge, but most do. If this indicator rises too high and slides into the red zone, it’s a sure sign that there’s a problem.
2) Oil Leaks
Car manufacturers designed everything in your car to function at a certain pressure and temperature. So if the oil pressure gets too high, it can cause seals and other components to seize, leading to leaks and damage.
3) Engine Overheating
If your vehicle has high oil pressure, it could be that not enough oil is flowing to the engine. One of the first symptoms of this is an overheating engine. Driving for long periods with high oil pressure will cause the engine to heat up.
4) Engine Damage
Oil reduces friction throughout the engine, and high oil pressure limits the amount of oil that can flow through the engine. Increased friction not only creates heat, but can damage various components. If high oil pressure is left unchecked for long periods of time, it can cause the engine to fail completely.
Can high oil pressure damage your engine?
Under no circumstances! High oil pressure will damage your engine, but it’s only a matter of time. The higher the oil pressure, the faster the damage will occur.
That’s why it’s so important to have an engine with high oil pressure diagnosed and repaired as soon as possible. Failure to do so will result in more expensive repairs and possibly an entirely new engine.
Does the Type of Engine Oil Used Affect Oil Pressure?
Yes, the type of engine oil you use can affect oil pressure. This is one of the main reasons why vehicle manufacturers recommend a specific oil type for your vehicle.
If you have too much viscosity, your engine will struggle to move the oil throughout all the different passages, and this will raise the oil pressure. Over time the engine oil will thicken further.
This means that while everything might work just fine right after an oil change, over time the oil pressure can raise further and push outside the normal range of operation.
But if you go with an oil that doesn’t have enough viscosity (even if it’s a good oil), the engine can overheat. Not only that but the thinner oil won’t protect components as well and can leak. Always use the vehicle manufacturers recommend oil type when completing an oil change on your vehicle.
Should My Oil Pressure Go Up When I Accelerate?
Yes, it is completely normal for your oil pressure to go up when you accelerate. However, keep in mind that these jumps should not be erratic and should still stay in a normal range of operation.
If oil pressure continues to rise when accelerating, doesn’t go back down, and increases outside of a standard range of operation, then you need to see a mechanic to determine what’s going on.
