Oil Pressure upgrade

[CountyLineGarage]

Howdy! I rebuilt my 95 Tbi 350 and wondered if the oil pressure I’m getting is satisfactory. It’s around 20 sometimes a little lower once it’s idling warm @around 500-600 rpm. I don’t have any knocking or anything that I’d think would come with a bad bearing. If I must I can drop the pan and throw a high volume pump in to push a little more oil.
- secondary question not sure if it’s related to my oil pressure issue but on startup I have lifter tick coming from one side for a second or two then it goes away I’m assuming once it builds pressure. Any suggestions to getting rid of that as well or is that pretty normal. Again it’s a fresh rebuild as of 2000 miles ago or so. Thanks a lot!

 

[Kran]

20 is more than enough while idling on a factory motor. spec is 1psi per 100rpm i believe

 

[Schurkey]

It’s around 20 sometimes a little lower once it’s idling warm @around 500-600 rpm.

Not a problem at all.

What oil viscosity are you using? I'm running 5W-30 Amsoil XL, the engine has 12--15 psi at hot idle in gear. I'd like more "just because", but I know that the pressure I have is fine.

I can drop the pan and throw a high volume pump in to push a little more oil.

I've got a Melling M99-HVS sitting on a shelf. Too lazy to yank the engine and install it (partly 'cause I know I don't really need it.)
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/mel-m99hvs

I've never run one of those pumps before, and I'm itching to try one. It's essentially a BBC pump and pickup tube, and a driveshaft to suit SBC. I need to affirm that the pickup will fit the oil pan depth; and I know the windage tray needs to be beaten into submission to clear the pickup tube.

I have lifter tick coming from one side for a second or two then it goes away

Might have a leaky lifter. Lifter quality has gone down from the glory days. If it's only noisy for a few seconds, I'd forget about it.

 

[Frank Enstein]

Next oil change try a bottle of ProLong. I've had it fix a lifter tick (hot and cold) 2 different engines. I have tried almost all of the "Snake Oil" products on the market and this is the only one that seemed to make any sort of difference. Smokey Yunick used to endorse the stuff and I can't imagine that man standing behind something that wasn't any good.

Another point, I don't recommend using any "Flush" products unless you are tearing the engine apart tomorrow for a rebuild. A flush product may cause a chunk of crud to come loose and clog a lifter. If the engine is suspected to be very dirty I recommend rapid oil changes to clean out the crud slowly enough to not get caught anywhere. I will use a name brand oil (I use Valvoline or NAPA because it is a light colored oil and it is easy to see a color change) and filter and check it often. When the oil looks dirty put another filter on it and top off the oil. Change the oil maybe every third or fourth filter. When it's clean change to synthetic if you want.

+1 on the 10 lbs per thou. Hot means an hour of driving. It takes oil much longer to reach equilibrium than coolant. If you cold oil pressure needs to change change the first number in the oil viscosity i.e. Too low cold with 5w30 next change use 10w30. The same with hot pressure only change the second number. Too low hot with 10w30 then use 10w40.

Synthetic oil is more viscosity stable and generally speaking will have lower cold pressure and higher hot pressure.

 

[stutaeng]

What are going by? The guage in the cluster? LOL.

That guage is more or less a relative measure...more like LOW, MEDIUM and HIGH.

Maybe you are using a mechanical guage with real psig values?

 

[Schurkey]

Next oil change try a bottle of ProLong. I've had it fix a lifter tick (hot and cold) 2 different engines. I have tried almost all of the "Snake Oil" products on the market and this is the only one that seemed to make any sort of difference. Smokey Yunick used to endorse the stuff and I can't imagine that man standing behind something that wasn't any good.

I'm a fan of Smokey, too. Never tried ProLong, though.

Sounds like a sex aid.

I don't recommend using any "Flush" products unless you are tearing the engine apart tomorrow for a rebuild. A flush product may cause a chunk of crud to come loose and clog a lifter.

Hydraulic lifters make good oil filters. The passage into the lifter is relatively large. The passage out of a lifter is microscopic. Crap goes in, can't get back out again.

What are going by? The guage in the cluster? LOL.

That guage is more or less a relative measure...more like LOW, MEDIUM and HIGH.

Plenty of truth to that.

My '88 K1500 takes a certain part number of sending unit. They last a few years. I'm on my fourth one now. Every one reads a little different when new. When they fail--which as I said is fairly frequently--they can read too high, too low, or just plain leak.

There's a bunch of companies that sell this sending unit, but far as I can tell, only one company making them, and then packaging 'em in different boxes. The distinguishing feature is a stripe of green paint near the electrical terminal. They're junk, but what can you do except buy from a "lifetime warranty" brand and keep the receipt.

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=1136624

 

[GoToGuy]

Factory Service states minimum at hot idle is 6 psi. You say " high volume oil pump" which is just more fluid being moved. But your concern was 20 psi being adequate. So you would want a higher pressure pump not higher volume. Did you rebuild yourself? What brand quality lifters? Pressure fiil before install. All correct preloads before, and if you desire hydraulic preload at idle? Pull valve cover recheck lifter clearance if real concern.

 

[Schurkey]

Until the pressure relief valve opens, more volume IS more pressure.

Thus the pump I linked-to earlier--huge volume, ships with high and low-pressure springs for the relief valve. I'd use the low-pressure spring.

Brings the low-rpm pressure up, while not being a huge drag on the engine at higher rpm.

 

[Schurkey]

Double post, sorry.

 

[GoToGuy]

At what psi does the bypass valve open. At what Engine rpm does it achieve psi to open the bypass valve. Does indicated pressure remain constant after reaching bypass valve opening pressure.