Sorry, I have a Camaro dash with no markings for oil psi.

When I had a Melling high volume pump in my 383, the oil psi sat at the halfway mark at idle (pointing straight up).

After my last rebuild I went with a standard volume pump. The oil psi was at the 1/2 way mark for the 30 min break in but since then it has always been at the 1/4 mark at idle which is where it used to be when it was a stock 350.

Does this sound about right?

 

Which pump did you run?
Does it have the high pressure spring in it?
Mine supposedly came with the "white" high pressure spring but to one installed in mine is yellow.

 

my oil gauge points down...... lol

how's the gauge scaled? like i have no idea what psi you are even running, need a regular oil pressure gauge?

350s and 383s generally run 20 min at like low idle and 40 is usual, rebuilt with high vol pump, like mine, gets up to almost 100

 

What oil filter are you using?

 

I'm using the long Wix oil filter with a standard volume Melling pump.

 

Did you give your engine builder a call to see what they think about the issue?

 

It was his first time doing an LT1. He's done countless SBCs and they make huge power reliably.

He didn't seem concerned.

 

Did he by chance tell you what he set the bearing clearance at?

 

First 4 main journals: around 3 thousandths. Last main journal: around 3 1/2 thousandths

 

1-4 are a little more loose than some like but still in spec and I don't think its going to be a problem...5 is within spec.

What weight oil are you running or did the builder recommend a weight to you?

The more I think about it...everything seems right. The "12 o'clock position on the gauge is 80 psi....so if the needle is between straight up and flat then you'd be at about 40 psi which is good. Even 30 psi is still good.

 

Thanx dude.

I'm running 10W40 dino oil right now. I want to put on 3000 miles before switching to Mobil 1.

 

The "white" spring on the same engine setup will not affect pressure at idle and lower engine speeds when the oil is hot and thinned out. That has strictly to do with bearing clearances and the weight of the oil. At higher engine speeds and above ~55psi, the white spring will generate more pressure then the stock spring.

Jason