Cobra4B

iTrader: (9)

Back in January '07 I completed my cam install in my '01 Z06. At the time I was running HPDEs with the car so I decided to install a LS4 high volume pump. Prior to the cam swap I had installed a Dewitts radiator w/ left side EOC. On some cold mornings I'd get a very quick LOW OIL PRESSURE message on the DIC as the system built pressure (with the stock oil pump)... all the more reason to install the higher volume pump.

I've put 12,xxx miles on the car since doing the work on it and everything runs great, car made 430+ rwhp and 390+ rwtq on multiple dynos in my area.

That said, it's wierd to see the oil pressure gauge nearly pegged on a cold day. Once the car is up to temp (usually seteady around 210 oil) I see 48-50 psi at idle and mid 60's at cruise. At WOT I'm in around 80 from what I've seen.

I run Amsoil 5w40 w/ a K&N oil filter. Just curious if there are any side effects to having this much oil pressure. Car takes 8 quarts w/ a filter change when I crack the lower cooler line to drain during an oil change.

Thanks,
Brian

EDIT: The pump did it's job wonderfully on track... even w/ the oil maxed out in the mid 270s on a 100 degree day at VIR I still never saw below 50psi.

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

sounds like the oil pressure is great. mine is 60 on cold start up 70+ on WOT and 40-45 on hot idle and i have a standard pressure melling replacement pump.

Cobra4B

iTrader: (9)

I guess the thing that prompted this thread was driving it around yesterday in the mid 20s around here... the oil pressure gauge is pegged up at 80 most of the time until the car gets hot.

heavymetals

iTrader: (3)

Only problem is possibly blowing out the pressure sending unit.

(I have been through two so far in my V)


Other then that sounds like your good.

drz

iTrader: (3)

Low oil pressure isn't necessarily bad. How low are we talking? Is the shortblock all stock or built by a competent engine builder? Just because the pressure is low doesn't mean oil isn't flowing, especially if the bearing clearances are on the "safe" side. Larger bearing clearances will reduce oil pressure but still pass the same or more volume. If the shortblock is stock, then you can expect to see moderate oil pressures, and really low pressures (>40 wot) might be an indication of a sticking releif valve or worn pump rotors.

On the other hand, high oil pressure can be an indication of excessive oil volume flow through the motor, which is not usually good for a track car, a wet-sump ls1 track car especially! Excessive pumping volume will cause more oil to be caught up in the upper parts of the motor at sustained mid/upper rpms and result in lower pan levels and aggrevated airiation, making the danger of sucking air into the pickup more accute.

For a track car especially, I'd be weary of running excessive oil pressures for fear of pumping the pan dry. High pressures don't really help anything usually, so normal pressures are safer in a motor that already has bad oil control problems.

99Hawk6spd

iTrader: (2)

Not to steal your thread, but I've been having issues with my car cutting out, and this happened a little while after I switched to Royal Purple oil. It just dies sometimes, and I noticed my oil pressure is much higher than it was before I was running RP. Is there anything that would cause the motor to cut out with high oil pressure? Everything is stock, and I figured it was an external(to the motor) problem, but now I'm not sure. I'm seeing 85psi sometimes when I get on it.

Link to my other thread with a more detailed description of the problem:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...tting-out.html

eallanboggs

iTrader: (1)

If the pressure excedes the spring tension in the pressure relief pistion in the pump the excess will bleed off back into the oil pan.

-Joseph-

iTrader: (12)

I used the same pump in my 5.3L Tahoe when I replaced the oil pump; pressure is about 70psi cold and 50psi when really hot. I would have rather used one of my TSP pumps, but I had this one laying around and it was a take-off from a 6.2L engine, so it was free.

If too much pressure is a concern, you can put in the lighter LS1 pump regulator spring and it will come down about 10-15psi, at lower engine speeds anyway. I believe the pump can supply more volume than it can bleed off after a certain RPM point (or drain-back). The Active Fuel Management (DoD) vehicles that use this pump have an extra spring-loaded valve in the oil pan that directly dumps excess oil back into the oil pan when not needed. I'm not sure exactly the pressure point it opens at though, probably something like 70-80psi if I had to guess, as the pump can easily supply 100psi in a tight motor otherwise; out of the box.

David426

My 02 Z06 idles at 38-40psi and gets up to 80psi at wot. I am kind of concerned too

ProductionS14

Bumping an old thread but recent development - Today I get in my car to drive home from the shop and the oil pressure is, at idle, 85+psi. Cruising it sits around 95psi, but I have seen up to 114 psi. Car is a 2002 C5 Z06. The dial gauge is pegged out at 80, digital display shows the readings I gave above. Oil temps during this time range from 135F to 200F, coolant temps 196F to 205F. Ambient temp is 96F. Hopefully its just a bad sensor, but you turn off the car and keep the ign on, and the gauge slowly bleeds down to 65, 55, etc to zero. I use Amsoil 10w40. Prior to this at idle it was around 35psi, cruising 45-50 and under WOT ~60psi. Does anybody speculate that having that high of an oil pressure scavenge all oil from the sump and cause cavitation etc... I know in most cases an increase in pressure is a decrease in volume so that might not be an issue... perhaps that much oil pressure could be bad for bearings or valvetrain components. I'm just brainstorming. Hopefully its the oil pressure sender and not the oil pressure relief valve stuck shut... If I have to replace my oil pump I'm gonna have to do a cam... and a radiator... and some fans...

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

not sure here what to tell you here except start with the sending unit. Otherwise, start cam shopping