T56MaxTorq
Well-Known Member
Hello all, having a no oil pressure condition with my 360 that has seemed to worry me more and more and need a little guidance on what to do with the engine as I have multiple problems. This is going to be a long post so please bare with me.
A little history first, bought the car a little over a year ago and it has always had low oil pressure at idle, about 10 or so psi. While driving, pressure ranges from 30-40 psi. I had 20w50 in it. #2 intake lobe went flat from a bad rocker/bent pushrod, changed the cam and rocker/pushrod. Cam break in was a full success and it's a MP solid flat tappet cam. Changed the oil and filter several times (I didn't have the time or space to pull the engine and clean everything) Switched to 10w40 for the winter months. Plus a zinc additive.
I have been doing body work on the car and dont drive it around at all, the oil pressure problem scares me. I've only driven it around the block and it will build oil pressure (about 30-40psi) while driving only. Pressure drops off to 0 while still. I've always thought it was the gauge because the gauge really jumps to 30 when driving. I've swapped gauges and it's accurate.
I don't know what's going in there but I feel I should pull the engine and change the pump and main bearings.
Onto the other problem, recently pulled a valve cover and find a milky white sludge all under it. Only the cover is milky. The oil doesn't look like a milkshake, it looks normal. Unsure if it's just from the short running times from just pulling the car in and out of the garage for body work. Ran a compression test and all cylinders are very good (135-140psi) for this altitude and a 69 degree IVC. Ran a compression leakdown test and it failed every cylinder, 20-40% leakage. Air escaping from the oil breather. Not sure if I performed the leakdown test correctly. First, engine was not hot when it should have been. Second, my leakdown tester supplies air to the cylinder at about 40psi, this is where the second gauge zeros out and then I disconnect/reconnect the hose from the cylinder to the gauges. Majority of cylinders leak down 40%. Shouldn't the initial pressure be a lot higher?? If I crank the first gauge pressure to say..50 psi, the second gauge pegs out and I can't get an accurate percentage of leakdown.
My goal, as optimistic as it may be would be to keep the engine running for the body work, that's a real luxury. And to have normal oil pressures, and run the engine til it's dead while I build an engine from scratch on the side (forged pistons, eddy heads, the works) This thing runs great though, starts every time and has good power, I just don't understand these problems, they should have killed any motor by now, especially with this high lift cam. I know this is a lot of info and I appreciate any and all suggestions, thank you.
A little history first, bought the car a little over a year ago and it has always had low oil pressure at idle, about 10 or so psi. While driving, pressure ranges from 30-40 psi. I had 20w50 in it. #2 intake lobe went flat from a bad rocker/bent pushrod, changed the cam and rocker/pushrod. Cam break in was a full success and it's a MP solid flat tappet cam. Changed the oil and filter several times (I didn't have the time or space to pull the engine and clean everything) Switched to 10w40 for the winter months. Plus a zinc additive.
I have been doing body work on the car and dont drive it around at all, the oil pressure problem scares me. I've only driven it around the block and it will build oil pressure (about 30-40psi) while driving only. Pressure drops off to 0 while still. I've always thought it was the gauge because the gauge really jumps to 30 when driving. I've swapped gauges and it's accurate.
I don't know what's going in there but I feel I should pull the engine and change the pump and main bearings.
Onto the other problem, recently pulled a valve cover and find a milky white sludge all under it. Only the cover is milky. The oil doesn't look like a milkshake, it looks normal. Unsure if it's just from the short running times from just pulling the car in and out of the garage for body work. Ran a compression test and all cylinders are very good (135-140psi) for this altitude and a 69 degree IVC. Ran a compression leakdown test and it failed every cylinder, 20-40% leakage. Air escaping from the oil breather. Not sure if I performed the leakdown test correctly. First, engine was not hot when it should have been. Second, my leakdown tester supplies air to the cylinder at about 40psi, this is where the second gauge zeros out and then I disconnect/reconnect the hose from the cylinder to the gauges. Majority of cylinders leak down 40%. Shouldn't the initial pressure be a lot higher?? If I crank the first gauge pressure to say..50 psi, the second gauge pegs out and I can't get an accurate percentage of leakdown.
My goal, as optimistic as it may be would be to keep the engine running for the body work, that's a real luxury. And to have normal oil pressures, and run the engine til it's dead while I build an engine from scratch on the side (forged pistons, eddy heads, the works) This thing runs great though, starts every time and has good power, I just don't understand these problems, they should have killed any motor by now, especially with this high lift cam. I know this is a lot of info and I appreciate any and all suggestions, thank you.
