oil pressure question

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Slappy

Slappy

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This is my first big block. I have been told there are different springs that can be put into the oil pump to obtain different pressures. Is this true? Where can I get the springs and are they color coded or something? According to my gauge im running 100psi which is to high. Im fighting a couple of oil leaks. Im going to put an external gauge on it tonight to verify the gauge I use is reading correctly.
 
Slappy said:
This is my first big block. I have been told there are different springs that can be put into the oil pump to obtain different pressures. Is this true? Where can I get the springs and are they color coded or something? According to my gauge im running 100psi which is to high. Im fighting a couple of oil leaks. Im going to put an external gauge on it tonight to verify the gauge I use is reading correctly.
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summit sells stock pressure springs and high pressure springs. mine was running 85 at first , but after the oil gets hot and parts break in , it will drop off. get you a good manual gauge to verify exactly where it is. 100 psi usually means your clearances are tight, but it will wear in. what oil pump are you using? a stock pump is plenty fine if this not a race motor. I recently pulled a stock pressure spring out of an old pump and it was purple
 
Or it could mean your oil preasure by pass is stuck. I built a 289 years ago that this happened to and my girl friend fired it up to drive to work. Turns out the oil filter blew off in the driveway and by the time she got to work the motor was toast.
 
SGBARRACUDA said:
Or it could mean your oil preasure by pass is stuck. I built a 289 years ago that this happened to and my girl friend fired it up to drive to work. Turns out the oil filter blew off in the driveway and by the time she got to work the motor was toast.
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very true
 
SGBARRACUDA said:
Or it could mean your oil preasure by pass is stuck. I built a 289 years ago that this happened to and my girl friend fired it up to drive to work. Turns out the oil filter blew off in the driveway and by the time she got to work the motor was toast.
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that is exactly what happened to me when i rebuilt my 318...I let the rebuilt engine sit installed in the car for 2 months out side, under a tarp of course...after I completed the wiring it was time for start up and cam break in....once started, oil pressure was immediately at 100 psi and blew the seal off the oil filter. oil was everywhere...I pulled the pan and pump, sure enough, pump was seized. put a new HV oil pump on and all was well. :)
 
Im gonna check with my mechanical gauge after work and I will post my findings. Thanks for the help.
 
Bought the truck used. Not sure on pump or how many miles are on the engine. I pulled pan to re-seal and it looks pretty fresh in there.
 
ok I put the gauge on. Cold at idle 100psi (pegs the gauge) Off idle cold 120 psi. at 180 deg oil pressure at idle is 70psi off idle is 90psi. Any suggestions?
 
wow didnt know they had adjustable ones. Looks like this might be the ticket! Thanks
 
If I were going to pull the pan, I would replace the pump. If not remove the spring and the valve to make your it isn't stuck or hanging up.
 
SGBARRACUDA said:
If I were going to pull the pan, I would replace the pump. If not remove the spring and the valve to make your it isn't stuck or hanging up.
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You don't need to remove the oil pan on a bigblock to change the oil pump.
 
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