Someone needs advice - Oil pressure problem on Cape York

[Cuppa]

Hi folks, a couple are in strife with their TD42 up near the tip of Cape York. They are camped at Roonga Point which is an isolated spot about 30kms from the nearest (but limited) mechanical services at Bamaga. I think it's a '94 TD42

The wife wrote (on Facebook) :
Hi guys, my husband & I finished the old teletrack a few days ago. We got to the tip yesterday but on the way there we noticed the engine oil pressure was extremely high (it got to 6). We got to Bamaga & topped up with new oil (our car is a Nissan Patrol TD42) but it hasn’t dropped since we noticed it climbing from 4-6 between the old teletrack & Bamaga. We are currently sitting at Roonga Point wondering if we can drive or not without damaging something. If anyone can offer any advice or recommendations that would be great! Thank you ��

I suspect that either they have an oil pressure gauge which has been affected by water??? OR blocked filters. If it were me I would be looking at the dipstick to see if I could determine any oil contamination & removing the filters .... but I carry spare filters & oil, I'm guessing they may not or they'd probably be doing the same.

Would a blocked breather cause this? If so where would look for the breather?

Obviously they are hoping not to need an expensive recovery if they can do something themselves, but I have no idea how 'mechanical they are.

What would you do in their shoes? I think if it were me & I could confirm no water in oil & no blockage, I'd have a look at the oil pressure sender unit & ensure it was dry & give it a spray with WD40 ......... but what would be the best way to confirm there is no blockage?

I have given them a link to this forum, but I know from first hand experience the phone signal at Roonga point is pretty hit & miss.

Please share your thoughts & I'll try to pass them on.

[MB]

Pop the oil cap on the rocker cover maybe and see if oil is making its way up top to gravity down around again hopefully and travel lightly to Bamaga


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[jff45]

Sounds more like an electrical/resistance issue with the gauge. If they only had an oil pressure light like most cars they probably wouldn't have a problem at all.
You don't often hear about high oil pressure being a problem.
Hope the local mechanic has a real oil pressure gauge for testing.

[nipagu7]

the breather is the bypass pressure hose from the top of the rocker cover back to the intake system . if it was blocked i would think you would see oil weeping from oil seals before you would see such a rise in oil pressure . personally i would change oil filters and go from there . if they did a oil flush and oil change before there trip , they may not have flushed enough gunk out and what was left may have continued to loosen up and eventually made its way to the filters . the zd runs higher oil pressure , i would chance it and drive to town to get filters if they cannot find some one willing to bring them in for them . yes , it could be a gauge issue as well , bad earth ?

[Cuppa]

The woman posted to say they are now sorted but hasn't answered my query about what the problem was. Irritates me when folk ask for help, receive it, but don't say what the solution was. Feels like just using others. Don't suppose it'll stop me trying to help when I can though.

On the oil sender possibility. When I fitted my oil pressure gauge I tee'd it off the same line as the factory sender unit so kept both. When corrugations shook the Redarc sender to bits & the gauge alarmed showing zero pressure I knew I was ok 'cos the oil pressure light was not lit.

[Hodge]

The woman posted to say they are now sorted but hasn't answered my query about what the problem was. Irritates me when folk ask for help, receive it, but don't say what the solution was. Feels like just using others. Don't suppose it'll stop me trying to help when I can though.

On the oil sender possibility. When I fitted my oil pressure gauge I tee'd it off the same line as the factory sender unit so kept both. When corrugations shook the Redarc sender to bits & the gauge alarmed showing zero pressure I knew I was ok 'cos the oil pressure light was not lit.

Firstly glad they're sorted, albeit curious what the issue was. And that is also one of my absolute pet hates across forums and on A LOT of Facebook groups. A poster has a problem, and after, sometimes a lot of people put in the effort to type an answer, suggest fixes etc... Poster goes quiet, eventually re-surfacing later with a simple "All good", "All fixed", quiet often without even a thanks or disappearing entirely, let alone explanation what actually happened...

[Cuppa]

Firstly glad they're sorted, albeit curious what the issue was. And that is also one of my absolute pet hates across forums and on A LOT of Facebook groups. A poster has a problem, and after, sometimes a lot of people put in the effort to type an answer, suggest fixes etc... Poster goes quiet, eventually re-surfacing later with a simple "All good", "All fixed", quiet often without even a thanks or disappearing entirely, let alone explanation what actually happened...

I just got a PM from the woman this evening, so I spoke too soon about her lack of response. I think they were overwhelmed by the variety of responses she got, some good, some not so good. They managed to do an oil & filter change, & cleaned up the sensor connection, with no change. Managed to get a RACQ person out who couldn't find anything wrong & suggested they drive down to Bamaga & go the mechanics there tomorrow, which is what they are doing. They (& I) are thinking it must be the sensor itself (rather than the connection).