I just finished doing a heads and cam swap on my 97 SS and after driving for approx 60miles to break the motor in I put my foot into it - I went through 4 gears from a standing stop and shifted at around 5500rpms - nothing crazy, I just wanted to see how the new heads and cam would respond. I normally shift it at 6100rpms at the track.

After coming to a stop the engine shut off -I restarted it and it had low oil pressure but if I revved the engine it would boost the oil pressure up. I drove it home and then drove it into the shop in the morning to have the rockers re-adjusted and I drained the oil and put on a new filter - I started the car and the oil pressure was good again, I let the engine run for a few minutes to get hot and it was still good - I took the car around the block and it started to loose power and I had to keep my foot on the gas to keep it running when I came to a stop and it was starting to make a growling noise.

I brought it back to the shop and drained the oil and found copper in the oil. We removed the engine and sent it down to the machine shop and all the mains are wiped out and #8 rod bearing is wiped out - it is clear from the damage that the engine was starved for oil. I know the engine had lots of oil in it and there was no debris found on the pick-up screen, the pump was checked and it is pumping fine.

The only logical explanation I can come up with is that the pump drained the pan of oil - is this possible and if so when I rebuild my motor should I use a standard GM oil pump or is there something else better. The pump that was in the car was a Melling High Volume. Input is appreciated. By the way the oil pan is the factory original and the car has the optional oil cooler on it from SLP when the car was built.

Sorry for the long post - all your feedback is appreciated.

 

Stock oil pump will do just fine.
I sure hope this doesn't start the, "Your bearings spun because you opened up your motor and did a cam install..." yenta type tales...

 

Did it have the baffle installed?
A stock pan with a HV pump seems to be a problem,especially if ya changed the spring.The pump ain't the problem it is the oil capacity and the return rate of the oil. Ya need to get a pan or a standard pump and put the baffle in it.
Oil wants to climb the back of the stock pan during acceleration and away from the pickup and that ad's to the problem. A good after market pan with baffle's and trap door's will solve the problem.