Black_57

I saw that it's possible to increase the oil pressure of the oil pump by adding a couple washers to the cap that a spring rests against.
Detailed here:
I am have a new crate LS3 still on the engine stand that I will be putting in a 57 Chevy. I have already swapped out the oil pan to use the TSP oil pan... It's still easy for me to be able to pull it off while it's on the engine stand.

Is it possible to access the oil pump where I can add the washers to increase the oil pressure with just the oil pan off vs removing the timing chain cover. (I'm not looking to do the other stuff, just adding the washers)

I do not recall if it's accessible with oil pan cover off and do not want to take off the timing chain cover as I am under the impression that a alignment took is needed/recommended when installing the timing chain cover.

Thanks

G Atsma

You're talking about the pressure relief valve which is on the oil pump, which can only be accessed by removing the crank dampener and front cover.
You need to read up more on how these engines are built..
You would then know how to align the timing cover and oil pan.
You might have to actually buy a book or two...

Che70velle

iTrader: (6)

Heres the skinny...pump has to come off, no way around it. The pressure relief valve in the pump is a bear to get out. It’s located under a cap with an Allen head on top of it that’s installed with loctite. It’s imperative here that you don’t allow anything so much as a hair into this part of the pump. Any foreign dirt substance will cause the plunger to stick and you have zero oil pressure. Not trying to talk you out of this, as it’s a really easy mod to do, just giving you advice here.
A lot of folks will tell you that you have to re-align the pump when you re-install it...not true. I’ve had conversations at length with engineers both at Melling and in the industry and that entire alignment conversation concerning shimming the pump is bogus. Here’s why...the crankshaft isn’t centered in the bearing journal when the engine isn’t running. It’s going to be down likely, or could be over some. Only time the crank is 100% centered in the bearing is when the engine is running, and there’s oil pressure present to form the hydraulic wedge that keeps the crankshaft centered. Once engine is turned off, oil pressure decreases as engine speed slows down and crank has the freedom to get pushed down from cylinder pressure as engine slows to a stop. A Melling engineer told me this himself as I had my theory’s and wanted answers about this subject.
Front cover alignment is necessary and is easy to do yourself without buying tools or books. Just set the front cover on the engine and run a couple fasteners in just to keep it from falling on the shop floor, not tight at all, just start them. Go ahead at this time and install the damper, and seat it. Now That the damper is on, the cover is aligned to the damper hub. Go ahead then and rock the cover side to side...while it’s rotating on the damper hub...and center it up with pan rails. Once it’s centered with pan rails on each side, run all of your cover bolts in and torque them to 22 ft. Lbs.
Oil pan goes back on last step and must be aligned at rear of bellhousing flange. Bellhousing bolts to rear of engine block AND rear of oil pan. If rear of oil pan isn’t aligned with rear of engine block, the bellhousing won’t sit flat and you’ll either break the bellhousing or hurt the oil pan upon installing the transmission. Again, this step is easy as long as you understand your aligning things, not just bolting things together. Use a dab of UltraGrey silicone at the four pan corners, where the oil pan meets the front and rear covers. This entire process should take you a few hours since engine is on a stand. I could do all this in an hour, but I’ve done this once or twice...or dozens..or more.

CattleAc

iTrader: (7)

Why do you want to do this to a brand new engine...???

Woodylyf767

Is it a cruiser or a drag car?

An oil accumulator will do more for you than a few extra PSI would. It would cost a bit, but you wouldn't have to pull the HB off.

You can rent the appropriate pullers and whatnot from autozone if you can't justify buying them for a quick job.

Also about shimming, I'd be careful. There was a member on here (I believe it was kfxguy) that shimmed his pump and got his pressure relief stuck. Destroyed his bearings immediately. If yours is new it should be less likely to stick.

I'd be hesitant to really mess with a crate engine especially if they spec'd the oil pump for the application and/or it has some form of warranty

Black_57

Thanks for the advice, kind of what I was hoping vs being told to read a book. Warning about debris is good to know.

The thought was that this is a easy mod to do as people where not happy that the engine had 35 psi.
I admit that I was used to my SBC running at 65~70pis.

Brand new crate engine from GM but it's been 2 years since it was purchased and I am the second owner so there isn't really a warranty left but I get what you are saying. :-)

Black_57

Sorry, I thought I replied earlier, I am guessing it was in a proof mode and I thought had posted it.
Anyways the car is a cruiser. I had the thought that making having the pump run at higher oil pressure would be "better". On my SBC I was used to seeing it run at 65~70 psi. Plus with the engine out and on stand now would be the time to do it.

I guess I need to be educated, is running a new LS3 at a higher oil pressure beneficial.
Truthfully at this point I am about to just skip it.

Che70velle

iTrader: (6)

No. For a max effort race deal, yeah, but for a cruiser with occasional wide open throttle blasts, no.