Was wondering if your oil pressure changed at all. Seems like a lot of LT1s have low oil pressure and was wondering if this is part of the problem.

Going to hopefully be pulling mine apart to do an LT4 conversion and was wondering if I should change the pump out while down there.

I don't want to go into the bandaiding problems or anything like that, don't think the bottom end has any problems, just curious.

 

At idle I run about 20psi, under throttle 40+. Thats the stock oil pump with 183K. Never been inside engine, minus having the valve covers off.

 

i have been contemplating the same thing

i was thinking either a meling h/v or just a clevite 77 stocker

when i pulled the motor i still had 25 at idle and 45 50 at cruse

just a precautionary measure i was going to take

 

I get as low as the red mark or slightly above at idle. The service manual and Chilton's book rate oil pressure at 6psi@1000 rpm. Everything else is normal.......20-30psi@1500-2000rpm and at 5500 I get 55-60psi. Lately I've been **** about my voltage and oil pressure but my voltage is perfect and although I payed little attention to my oil pressure before that past 3 weeks, this is actually how its been and according to info on this site and repair manuals, my oil pressure is normal and i've never hada single problem.

To answer the question about changing the oil pump, some people seem to do it others dont. In another thread some one mentioned that oil pumps dont generally fail. The pickup gets clogged more often than an oil pump failure. Then again my friend's 87 Mustang GT's oil pump died on him and we had to replace it in his driveway over the course of a week. So IMO, I would throw in a Melling h/v. A little more oil pressure couldnt hurt and you shouldnt have to worry about the oil pump for a long time.

 

I changed the oil pump on my one Trans-am. It had 68,000 on it and I hit a rock in the road and it ripped off the oil pan. So I changed it since I was down there. I put a high pressure mellings in it. Well I had 170,000 on it when I blew a head gasket from running 10 lbs of boost from a Vortech. I beat this motor silly. I ran nitrous through it before I put the supercharger on. Best et' 11.80's. When I tore it apart, The bearings where still in great shape. The crank just needed a polish. So as far as I can say, The new pump extended the life of my motor alot! If I didnt blow a head gasket, I would still be runnin her.

By the way, If you do change the pump. Put a tack weld on the pick-up tube to pump. I blew one motor up as the pick-up tube literally vibrated off the pump from running at 6500 rpms through the gates so much. I new I lost oil pressure when I took it apart and the pick-up was in the pan and every bearings at least spun or was melted out.

 

I recommend changing it. The way I see it its added insurance just in case. I just changed mine out this past week for a Moroso blueprinted high volume high pressure pump.

http://store.summitracing.com/partde...rt=MOR%2D22112

When cold the motor will show 60psi normal driving 40 at idle until it warms up. Than its about 50psi WOT and 30psi idle

 

preciate the replies guys, conversion should be on my doorstep this afternoon when I get home from work!!!

looks like i will replace the pump while I'm at it, oil pressure was a little low to my liking when I tore it down.

thanks.