Just put in my New 355 LT1 Camaro. I put in a high volume oil pump. For a couple of weeks (almost a month) the oil pressure gage was reading well above 40PSI and it would rise when I GET On the Gas. My Roller rockers were off and I had them adjusted. Today. Now the oil pressure reads at 20psi at idle. And it does not rise when I Get on the GAS. So is this normal. Im Kinda of scared now. Thanks
CHris

 

Mine is 20 psi at idle, 40 when cold at idle. But it will always rise when given gas. Not sure what that could be.

 

It should be more than 20 psi when you get on the gas. High volume oil pumps have been known to suck the pan dry on hard acceleration. I think alot has to do with the pump your useing. I'd replace it back to a stocker and see what happens.

 

I think I may be experiencing the same problem. My motor (4 months old) also has a HV oil pump with welded pickup. At hot idle I have 25 psi and above 2,000 RPM 50-70 psi. From a slow roll(1st or 2nd gear) the pressure drops to ~40psi instantly and stays there until 3rd or 4th gear. However from a 60 MPH roll, I can drop it in third and run it through the gears with the pressure rock solid at 70 psi. It's very strange. Adding or removing a quart of oil has zero effect. I used ARP main bolts in the build, so the stock windage tray is gone. Is it possible that under high acceleration all the oil is climbing the back of the pan? Any thoughts or comments? Ideas? Fixes? Hopefully someone can help us out. I just don't see how the pump could suck oil that fast, and if it did, it would be in all gears.

 

izzyz28,
You are having the stock oil pan blues.The oil IS climbing the back of the pan.There are several remedies.They make a baffle to go under the pump,but IMO it is to high to do much good.You could look at an aftermarket pan and get an idea where the baffle is and put one in the stock pan,or get a aftermarket pan and be done with it.If you get another pan get their pickup and put it no more than 1/2" from the bottom.
You are right,the pump IS NOT sucking the pan dry,that's a tale that came from the '60's.

 

Finally I have an answer. I'll get an aftermarket pan and be done with it. Should I switch back to a stock volume pump with the white spring or just leave my pump alone? When I was building the engine I spent a little time looking for an aftermarket pan but I couldn't find much. Do any of you guys(and girls) have a pan that you would recommend? Part #'s would be very helpful. Hopefully something $300 or less.

LT1CST, are you running a stock pan as well?

 

I would be worried. Maybe you got something sucked into the pump pickup. Some RTV, maybe?

 

I would start by putting the windage tray back on. There was someone on the board recently, that found some ARP studs that would work. Try a search.

Seems like if it was a pan problem, adding a quart would have had some effect. You also might be getting some pump cavitation.

Hard for me to believe that it is a pan problem, when so many people are running one without issue.

 

Thanks Shoebox. I'll probably still end up replacing the pan and pump since it's going to take some work to get the pan off in the first place. I'll probably get an aftermarket windage tray too, or at least reattach the stock one.

Has anyone experienced this problem and then remedied it???? What did you do to fix it? Man, this is really weird.

 

When I first put my 383 together I used ARP main bolts that didnt have the windage tray provisions, I read up and figured since I wasnt going much over 6000 rpm it wouldnt matter, I also added a HV mellings pump.

The car would hold a rock steady 40 psi driving around town, hammer it and the pressure would drop to 20 or less after a sec and then climb back up in time.

I had an oil leak so I went in and added the Milodon diamond stripper tray with their main studs. The problem went awy (dropping pressure), but I didnt like the no higher than 40 psi anytime, so I put a stock new pump I had bought earlier and never used in with a white spring. The pressure is rock steady with it as well and climbs to 65-70 psi under acceleration, drops to 25 psi at idle when warm.

 

Sweet WS Sick! That is what I am looking for! Would you happen to have a part # and really make my day?

 

Which part #s do you need and I'll look over my receits for it?

 

I really need the Part #'s for both the windage tray and the studs. I am assuming you are still running the stock pan, but if you aren't, can you get me the part number for your pan too. By the way, did you have to do any adjusting/trimming of anything to get the windage tray to fit?

Thanks in advance !

 

Here again is the guide to oil pumps you need 10 psi for everything 1,000Rpm's you spin, so to have a high volume pump that pushes over 65PSi is a waste on the street.

 

AIGHT Fbods. My GM tech Guy figured it out. When I was doing my Roller Rockers. (prolly three to four times since the motor was put int) I lossed alot of oil. We started it to see the oil pressure GAGe. Nothing. It was reading 20psi. We put 1qt of OIL in the motor. And WAA BAMM the pressure jump up to 40psi. We put one more qt in. and WAAA BAMM it went back to its normal 60psi. Damn I had a BAD scare there for a min there. BUt the whole things is cuase it was low on OIL. Runs good now. It holds 40 psi on IDLE and it climps on Aceleration. Thanks Guys
Chris

Chris