After installing a Mazdatrix oil filter pedestal in my 1994 RX-7 with 41K miles on it and bringing the car up to operating temperature, my oil pressure readings were ~15psi higher than with the stock oil filter pedestal. At WOT with the new oil filter pedestal, I have ~100 psi, idle pressure is ~30psi and normal driving condition pressure is ~70psi. I cannot figure out why I am running higher pressure and if this is cause for alarm. I neither changed my oil nor my filter when I replaced the oil filter pedestal and I run dino oil 20w-50. Ambient temperature for these readings was 70°. Nothing foreign fell into engine during the pedestal swap. I made sure the two o-rings on the bottom of the pedestal were properly seated into the channels without slipping during the installation. I do not have an oil temperature gauge. With the high pressure, I am not leaking any oil. I searched the archives and found that my oil pressure readings are within normal limits. The service manual (D-5) only states that the oil pressure for running the engine at 3,000 rpm at operating temperature should be 50psi minimum. However, I cannot figure out why my oil pressure increased and is the sudden pressure increase a problem? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Did you notice if the pedestal oil passages were uniform and open ? Were they they same disameter as stock ? No casting material hanging in there ?

Later

 

I was thinking the same thing. Higher oil pressure isn't necessarily bad.

 

The passages were open, clean, uniform and unobstructed. Both passages were larger than the stock passages which would lead me to believe that would decrease the oil pressure although the o-ring channels appeared to be the same circumference as the stock pedestal. The design issue I questioned, but would have no effect on oil pressure, is that the passage closest to the banjo fitting only had a 2mm wall between the point in the passage closest to the exterior wall and the exterior wall of the filter pedestal. The stock fitting had about a 1cm wall. Since oil pressure is still within limits, there are no oil leaks and my car is running great, I am just going to chalk it up to "FM:" Freakin' Magic.