Oil filter VS oil pressure?

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Superelbert

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Hi!

I have a mildly tuned 318 in my car, an old one which has probably never been rebuildt.

Its probably well worn, something I suspect from how the oil pressure behaves.

I run 20-50 oil, and when starting from cold, the oil pressure is great with arround 25 psi on idle and up to 70 with some throttle.

When the engine gets warm, this deteriorates noticeably, and at idle, the pressure gauge needle is barely above zero, and if the engine stumbles a bit, the oil lamp blinks.

As I'm contemplating a future HEMI III upgrade, I just want the engine to last a couple of seasons more without sinking money in to it.

Now to my point:

I am currently running a tall AC delco filter for no other reason that they hapened to have it at a nearby AC delco parts store.

Could changing to a different brand filter improve the oil-pressure somewhat, or is it really all the same?

Br,
 
Filters do not affect pressure. The oil system has two bypasses, a pressure relief which determines maximum pressure, relieves at that point, and dumps oil back to the pan

The second one bypasses the filter when back pressure in the filter becomes too great, and this is normal operation. If this should somehow plug or fail, usually (with a good pump) you'll bulge or rupture the filter can. On Mopar/ Ford filters, this bypass is in the filter itself.

I don't know how AC/ Delco filters are nowadays, they used to be "fair."

For me, it's Wix (NAPA). Hastings if you can get em, Purolator and a couple of others. Fram is NOT on the list.
 
ac delco filter also bypasses, 67dart273 is wright, the filter wont affect your pressure. your oil light comes on with a stock sending unit about 5 lbs. to bump pressure at idle one suggestion is to set the idle as high as you can stand it. but if it was mine i would use STP or Lucas oil stabilizer. both of these will help the pressure at idle and that thing will probably last till your ready for your project motor
 
Thanks for the reply guys!

I thought that perhaps some filters had less pressure drop across them than others, perhaps allowing me to pick up 1 or 2 psi extra. Guess I'll be allright with the occasional blink of the oil lamp then...
 
if the oil pressure climbs when you rev it up a bit, maybe the oil pump is getting worn too.
 
Well, I don't suspect the oil pump as I dropped in a brand new one some years ago, which by the way didn't improve matters much, so the old pump was probably quite OK. (Had the oil pan off and a new pump wasn't that expensive, so I could just as well do it)

I wouldn't ber surprised if the bearings are well worn, this is an old engine! :)
 
Replace a quart of oil with a quart of Lucas oil stabilizer. It helps to mix a quart of oil with it to help thin it down some. You'll be pleased with the results, this is exactly what Lucas is made for.
 
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