1992 oil pump

[trinity5007]

having trouble. anyone ever get a bad oil pump? i have a 1992 4.0, " rebuilt" the block new bearings new rings, new gaskets, honed cylinders full valve recut and head job, compression varies 135 to 145. figured while I'm in there new oil pump, but.... ever since first fire up oil pressure is up there. i started with a mecheanical gauge. it read 85 pluss psi.but engine ran perfectly. no ticks no weird noises nothing, if wasnt for the guauge you wouldnt know different. figured its fine. fast forward 7000km.  swapped out to oem guages. oil pressure still reads high, maxes out the gauge when running above 1500rpm. loads of oil in the top end. when you shut if off you can hear it pouring down. so not plugged filter.  lots of power. engine seems to be happily broken in. decent fuel mileage 400km to a tank 6.5 inch lift with 31s, however I'm concerened the high pressure is going to cause issues. i can hear a mild tick now when its running. I'm thinking lifters? maybe the pressure is too high? I'm not sure. could be exhaust leak too. its tough to narrow down. i have never seen a pump push that much oil before. it was a stock spec replacement. but its an engine tech brand. thinking chinesium? either way i don't think the pressure relief in the pump is working proper. thoughts? spec in my haynes book is 12 psi hot idle. 45 psi above 1500 rpm. 

[AZJeff]

So what you are saying is that the oil pressure is 85psi or more all the time, and you have confirmed that with both the factory dashboard guage and a separate mechanical gauge?

 

If that is the case, I think the pressure relief valve in the pump must be defective.