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LME LQ9 408 Oiling Problems... Help Please...

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Old 11-27-2010, 09:35 PM
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Default LME LQ9 408 Oiling Problems... Help Please...

So i was driving to work today an my car was kinda stumbling an hesitating at 2,000RPM so i revved to 2,500 in 4th cruising got a little better, but when i started it up tonight at work i was on the way home and on the highway i throttled softly up the on ramp an the car acted kinda funny an i noticed the oil pressure was kind of low... :/ So i got in it a little more and the oil pressure dropped dramaticly an the motor started making a funny squeaking an a light dry valve train sound... Then pretty much had hardly any oil pressure... ;(... So would this be signs of a bad oil pump being that it seemed like it was sticky an the pan is covered in oil to??? I'm really confused on what it could be, but it never held proper pressure at all around 25 0r 30 at idle and about 45 0r 50 sometimes at wide open throttle... This oil pump has been in the car for 2-1/2 years an it is a LS6 Ported supposedly from texas-speed... I was thinking about upgrading it to either a melling high volume or a lingenfelter pump because a friend of mine had one in his 347 car an at idle it sat right at 40 to 50 PSI an at WOT it had about 60 to 70 PSI... What do you guys think??? I am going to be revving 7600 RPM next year on a single plane set-up an a nitrous kit so i want to do this the right way an get the best bang for the buck. Also the lifters are Ls7's an the rockers are stock Ls3s
Old 11-27-2010, 09:58 PM
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Oil pressure is very subjective. Its not so much dependent on the actual pump as it is the bearing clearances set up in the motor on a "built" motor and the type of oil used. Hell my stock 03 LQ4 has 60 at idle and 80 at WOT with 5w-20. You need to call LME and speak with them about their bearing clearances, the person that built the motor is the one to talk to.
Old 11-28-2010, 12:10 AM
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Originally Posted by 1slow01Z71
Oil pressure is very subjective. Its not so much dependent on the actual pump as it is the bearing clearances set up in the motor on a "built" motor and the type of oil used. Hell my stock 03 LQ4 has 60 at idle and 80 at WOT with 5w-20. You need to call LME and speak with them about their bearing clearances, the person that built the motor is the one to talk to.
I support this statement
Old 11-28-2010, 11:16 AM
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Well when i was running 10w30 in it an the car was fine now that it has 5w30 the car started acting weird oil pressure started getting low an all kinds of dumb ****...
Old 11-28-2010, 11:42 AM
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Yeah i just started it up today an it won't hold pressure i'm sure it was wonderful on the bearings... lol **** ported Ls6 pumps... What oil pumps do you guys run in 402+ applications???
Old 11-28-2010, 04:58 PM
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Stock ported and shimmed, no reason for those higher dollar pumps IMO
Old 11-28-2010, 05:09 PM
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Drain your oil, cut open the filter, and look for any signs of bearing damage like copper-colored flakes. If the oil and filter element look okay, refill with your old oil and see what happens. If normal oil pressure returns, then I'd think you are okay, but if it continues, you may have a problem.

Oil pressure on a performance built engine will usually be lower than a stock engine. A stock engine can have bearing clearances from less than .001" to maybe .002" or so. A perfomance built engine, like from LME, should have bearing clearances considerably larger on the mains and rods, which gives more area for the oil to flow and will consequently lower the gauge pressure.
Old 11-28-2010, 05:15 PM
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Stock clearances should be .015-.018

Most "performance built" motors are .022-.024 or so and should run a thicker oil....
Old 11-28-2010, 10:41 PM
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Get off here and call your builder ASAP........ there is some incorrect statments made here and besides, your not going to be able to fix it per interweb.... This is only going to confuse you more.

The other note here is I tell guys all the time, race motors do not last, 30-40K tops and your wrenching on it...... Guys expect to beat on the valvetrain regardless of how bullet proof you think your parts are, race motors are not built to be daily drivers without expecting to have to open it up a time or two....

As you get older and build a couple of engines, you will learn, about the difference in street vs strip and compromises that must be made.... I just hate to see post like this, because I don't put all the blame on the customer but the shop should say," Hey man, lets build around your intent".....


Epic fail....... and thicker oil will not be your cure.... thickness has nothing to do with protection....


Bozz......
Old 12-01-2010, 11:19 PM
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yes call you builder you dont want to hurt you motor more than it is i heard they do great work im sure they will help you
Old 12-02-2010, 12:24 AM
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Originally Posted by SOMbitch
Stock clearances should be .015-.018

Most "performance built" motors are .022-.024 or so and should run a thicker oil....
.015-.020? God i hope not. I think you mean .0015"-.0020". But as KCS said some stock ls stuff with less then .001" clearence will get sent out. Your "performance built" street motor should have .001" clearence for every one inch shaft diameter. Ex stock lsx rod journal 2.100" would be .0021". For a motor seeing sustained WOT usage .0005" would be added on for more clearence, so .0021 would be .0026" and if you wanted a little tight then .0024". But if you are going to miss bearing clearences miss them a little big. If big only you will know, but if a little too tight everyone will know.

To the OP I would call the builder and see where the clearences are at, hope you get it worked out.
Old 12-02-2010, 09:51 AM
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Originally Posted by 00nbmz28
Your "performance built" street motor should have .001" clearence for every one inch shaft diameter. Ex stock lsx rod journal 2.100" would be .0021". For a motor seeing sustained WOT usage .0005" would be added on for more clearence, so .0021 would be .0026" and if you wanted a little tight then .0024". But if you are going to miss bearing clearences miss them a little big. If big only you will know, but if a little too tight everyone will know.
LOL, that sounds awfully familiar...is there an old man on Antoine telling you all of this?
Old 12-03-2010, 12:14 PM
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Originally Posted by 00nbmz28
.015-.020? God i hope not. I think you mean .0015"-.0020". But as KCS said some stock ls stuff with less then .001" clearence will get sent out. Your "performance built" street motor should have .001" clearence for every one inch shaft diameter. Ex stock lsx rod journal 2.100" would be .0021". For a motor seeing sustained WOT usage .0005" would be added on for more clearence, so .0021 would be .0026" and if you wanted a little tight then .0024". But if you are going to miss bearing clearences miss them a little big. If big only you will know, but if a little too tight everyone will know.

To the OP I would call the builder and see where the clearences are at, hope you get it worked out.
Yep my bad .0015-.0020 is what I meant....

And Bozz if a higher viscosity oil will not help then why do a lot of race motors with bigger clearances run a 60wt oil??

I was told by my builder to run a 15w-50 in this motor because it was built a little looser than stock clearances.......



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