Another oil pressure thread
01-08-2009, 10:50 AM
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Another oil pressure thread So my oil pressure is great when I first start up and begin driving around. My temp only goes up about a quarter of the gauge, unless I'm forced to sit and idle long periods of time. When I idle, naturally my temp goes up to about half the gauge. This is when my oil pressure drops to what looks like close to 0 (on the stock gauge).
I had to fix a blown head gasket a few months back, but the mechanic said he tested and re-tested my oil pump, and swears that it's fine. All he said was to come back if the car starts overheating. Well I'm not overheating, and I'm not getting any lights when it happens, so should I be worried?
I had to fix a blown head gasket a few months back, but the mechanic said he tested and re-tested my oil pump, and swears that it's fine. All he said was to come back if the car starts overheating. Well I'm not overheating, and I'm not getting any lights when it happens, so should I be worried?
01-08-2009, 12:00 PM
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according to the service manual, at idle the suggested pressure is really low. i dont know the exact # off the top of my head, but its in there if you have one.
01-08-2009, 12:06 PM
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As long as you have 10 psi for every 1000 rpm's you should be in the clear. With my old engine, the oil pressure would be at 40+ psi at start up, once it warmed up, it would sit at or just below 20 psi, which is actually the beginning of the red hash marks on the gauge. But it would increase with rpm's. If yours does the same, this is normal. With my new engine, the oil pressure is much higher. 
01-08-2009, 12:33 PM
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from the GM service manual they recommend atleast:
6 PSI at 1000 RPM
18 PSI at 2000 RPM
26 PSI at 4000 RPM
Keep in mind those are the minimums
your oil pump probably is fine because they rarely rarely go out especially on a Gen 1 or 2 SBC
more likely than not the clearances are getting on the wide side, what weight and brand oil do you use?
for comparison reasons my stock internal motor with 117,000 miles with Mobile 1 0W40 runs about 45-50 PSI when you start it up cold and once it warms up it stays at about 20 PSI on the gauge at hot idle
6 PSI at 1000 RPM
18 PSI at 2000 RPM
26 PSI at 4000 RPM
Keep in mind those are the minimums
your oil pump probably is fine because they rarely rarely go out especially on a Gen 1 or 2 SBC
more likely than not the clearances are getting on the wide side, what weight and brand oil do you use?
for comparison reasons my stock internal motor with 117,000 miles with Mobile 1 0W40 runs about 45-50 PSI when you start it up cold and once it warms up it stays at about 20 PSI on the gauge at hot idle
01-09-2009, 10:21 AM
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Thanks, yes the needle does sit right above the red marks. It just didn't seem right to me.
I have Royal Purple 5w-30 in there right now, which I'm leaking like crazy, because I'm pretty sure the car was on conventional before I bought it.
I have Royal Purple 5w-30 in there right now, which I'm leaking like crazy, because I'm pretty sure the car was on conventional before I bought it.
