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Continental C-85 questions, oil pressure & temperature

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Dana

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 3, 2007
Messages
13,324
Location
CT, USA
The Continental engine manual says the oil pressure should be 10 psi min at idle, and 30-35 normal (with a note that up to 100 is OK during run-up with cold oil). When I start mine cold, it goes right to 60 and stays there (the needle may be pegged, not sure about that). Once the engine is warm, it goes down to 50 or so at idle. Should I be concerned? The engine has around 300 hours, compression is good, oil consumption seems OK though I haven't run it all that much. I haven't checked the gauge itself but it does go down to zero when the engine is shut down.

On a related note, my oil temp has been maxing out at around 175° on a 60° day. 180° is generally accepted as the minimum to boil off all the moisture (though the manual says 150-180 is normal). I remember Wag and others used to sell a snap on "blanket" to insulate the kidney oil tank on these engines, but it doesn't seem anybody sells them any more? Did they really help?
 
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