Berg Oil pump "relief" cover...does it work?

For those of you with full-flow external filters and / or external coolers: is this "integral relief valved" oil pump cover ( part # gb-239 ) from Gene Berg a good thing or not? Anyone using one? Do most people just let their oil pump produce full pressure output direct into their external filter? I'm using the heavy wall Wix racing filter, braided SS lines, etc but I also wonder about the external oil cooler pressure capability, too.
CB's website doesn't list one like this which kinda makes me wonder. According to the Berg website, these covers limit the pressure going out of the pump to approx 100 lbs at all times: it appears to just return excess oil & pressure thru the relif valve in the cover back into the inlet side of the oil pump gears. I'm getting ready to finish my plumbing and saw it on their website....
not sure why anyone would want more than 100 lbs oil pressure "ever", but maybe??? More Volume maybe, but more pressure??
Doug

"Pressure" drops as the length of the passage increases.......You might need additional pressure if you mounted a remote cooler or filter at some extreme distance from the pump......Added "volume" would not overcome the pressure drop......Just a thought....

Berg site has a "Tech Info" write-up about the oiling system which includes the relief cover. Did you read it? If not, I can post a link to it.

Not to stir the pot andI have the utmost respect for Leon's advice but pressure does not drop along a length of sealed tube/pipe/cooler because oil does not compress. Too much oil pressure is no good for any situation.

I have a Berg pressure limiting cover installed on my full flow system. You can read all about it here:

http://speedstershop.com/viewtopic.php?t=349

I installed a temporary oil pressure gauge on my engine in the Fall right after I full flowed it and found that on cold days (around 40F in the morning - that's cold for me) the pressure went to 117 lbs. when first started up and then dropped to around 60 when warm. That was when I was still running 50 wt oil - I'm now running 10W-40.

When you have very thick oil (anything thicker than 40 weight) and you start a VW engine, the oil pump can put out as much as 300 lbs pressure - easily enough to detonate most oil filters and a lot of external coolers. There is a pressure relief valve in the engine case, but if you've full flowed the case you bypass that relief valve until the oil returns to the case, then it goes through the relief valve (which limits it to 125 psi) and on to the VW oil cooler tower (on top of the engine. THAT is why the internal oil tower doesn't explode when cold - it has a pressure relief.

If you full flow the case, add an external filter and cooler, then you run the risk of running up to 300 lbs. oil pressure through your filter and external cooler. Does a big BANG! and oil all over your floor say something to you? If it does, then get a Berg pressure limiting oil pump cover to limit your external pressure to 125 psi and you'll be fine.

Short answer, yes it works. I have one on my type1, built by Jake. He puts them on every motor with an external cooler. Everything Gordon said on this should be heeded.

BTW, the ONLY filter to use is the Wix 51515R(R for racing-high pressure), can be ordered at your local NAPA store.

Wix makes oil filters for NAPA, so getting the Napa equivalent to the Wix 5151R is OK (that's what I use, too).

If you use a regular Fram or something (non-racing), there is nothing quite like the sound of a spin-on filter rupturing and blowing several quarts of oil all over your pristine garage floor. If you're lucky, the filter with hold and you'll just rupture an oil hose. If you're less lucky, the filter will hold but your external cooler will rupture, instead, and THAT's always a bigger clean-up job than just the filter.....

8>(

Gordon, up here the filters used to be printed with NAPA's logo and part #, I think it was 1515R. Now when I order them they come through with the Wix printing and part numbers. I buy four and then I'm good for a couple years.

Bruce......My appologies.....I stand corrected.....My mind was figuring frictional losses in an open flow system....My bad...sorry.

...the oil may not compress, but the hoses may expand (compliance compensation)...I'm just saying...

compliance compensation? --Now I'm in over my head.

Gordon and others, thxs for the reccomendation on the Berg "relief valve" oil pump cover....I've ordered one and gaskets from Gene Berg and a CB Max 5 oil pump as I collect parts for my next motor. Your response and Email link were great: I had read it a while ago, but went back and saw the reference & pic to the relief valve cover..nice "how-to" article. I can't imagine popping a filter and the resultant mess and heartache for someone sitting on a flatbed AAA with their dead Speedster...so the relief valved cover makes huge sense. Even at a max of 100-125 lbs oil pressure with the Berg cover, I can't imagine why anyone wants it that high on a cold engine before it warms the oil and the OP stabalizes once hot: it's just one more unneccessarily high parasitic load on our little engines that's not needed..unless they are masking a worn engine / low oil pressure with a high pressure pump to compensate for worn bearings, etc. Bursting a filter is bad enough, but popping my oil cooler and the resultant mess and work to replace it convinced me!
Cheap easy insurance....
Thxs
Doug

Bruce...I just made that up, but it sounded good! :-)

I'm now curious to see what it would do for a engine with the Type 4 oil cooler on it. in the stock location.

I would still like to see someone come up with some kind of a nonrestrictive flush mounted oil filter kit in the factory stump..

a (Perfectly Flush mounting).. kit,

A kit that has a redesigned pickup pipe and redesigned cup that lets it recess up in the case more..and holds a quality high micron filter.

That is a doable upgrade. That's way over due.......

Easy.

Just buy a type 4 engine.

Everything you asked for, including the recessed, flush-mounted oil filter, is included in a type 4, right from the get-go.

Just ask your friend, Jake.

Gordan!! Leave that can of worms closed.. Look at the cost $$$$$$$

This is a great post, and timely too. Another excellent piece of information for those of us who wrench ourselves. As some of you may know, I just had my engine overhauled and did the free flow oil thing. They installed a larger pump, not sure of the exact size. Well amoung others things, the pressure blew my new oil filter gasket out and it sprayed oil all over my, was clean, engine compartment. Not to mention the street, driveway and garage. Anyway, I guess the guy who did my work didn't know about Gene Bergs relief cover. Well, the bad news is I am going to take it all apart again. The good news is, I have learned what and how to fix the problem. Thanks again guys!!!!!

That cover can be changed quite easily without pulling the engine. Take a look at my article on the other site and you'll see how it all goes together.

gn

Gordon - I don't intend to pull the engine. It's just all the new plumbing and tin. I just did it to replace oil pump cover gaskets because of a slight leak. I just wish I had read this post before I put it back together. Oh well, it will be a snap this time.