speed_demon24

iTrader: (6)

So I put in a fresh set of springs and wanted to make sure it pulled clean to the 7k limiter, then right around 6500-6700 the oil pressure went from steady 70psi to pretty much an instant 20psi so I immediately got out of it. I know I'm not getting windage with the windage try off the main caps now, so the only thing I can think of is it's sucking the pan dry. I'm running a standard volume pump and 6 quarts total with the canton 242-t pan which comes out to be just over 5 in the pan. I just never heard of anyone sucking the pans dry with a stock volume pump.

Does anyone have any advise besides adding another quart of oil to it?

ls2pontiac

iTrader: (1)

I only have that problem going up a hill and I have the same exact oiling setup you do. WOT, a low gear and even the slightest incline, and mine drops to 20psi at 6000RPM. Not good for the motor. Supposedly just 2-3 sec like that and you'll spin a bearing. Maybe your pickup fell off?

speed_demon24

iTrader: (6)

It's bolted to the pump.

BlownEarDrums

iTrader: (2)

How fresh is the engine? I had a friend who had an oil galley plug come out behind the timing cover and had the same issue your having. Didn't find it till the motor kicked the bucket. But he did have a HV pump and a stock pan which is a no no.

Wicked94Z

iTrader: (26)

don't know man, I threw a $30 milodon tray on mine and it fixed all issues, I'm running a HV pump with only 5 quarts total and the truck filter too.

vtec

iTrader: (1)

what kinda gauge?

speed_demon24

iTrader: (6)

Stock.

vtec

iTrader: (1)

you may have an issue with the pressure sender? maybe double check with a mechanical gauge....

SS RRR

iTrader: (2)

That's probably because it has never happened? If that were the case it would seem there is blockage somewhere. Do what I said and drain a quart just to confirm it is not windage, or absolutely confirm you have an actual 6 quarts in your pan.

quik95lt1

iTrader: (7)

i had a problem with sucking the pan dry last year......im running a heavy weight oil with a high volume and the canton 242t pan on mine.......with 6 quarts in it when i backed off the throttle at the end of the track it would blip to 40 then right back up to 65............if i added a quart it would never do it........im working on oil drain back mods now (chamfering/painting blah blah blah).......sounds like you have a windage issue IMO.....you shouldn't be sucking the pan dry with a stock pump

speed_demon24

iTrader: (6)

It's not loosing pressure like it was when I had a windage issue. It's just shooting to the bottom of the gauge instantly unlike gradually going down like it was windage. And I very highly doubt I'm having windage issues with a stock style windage tray on the mains.

quik95lt1

iTrader: (7)

thats odd then........i wonder if the pickup is clearanced properly to the bottom of the pan.....maybe your too far away

speed_demon24

iTrader: (6)

It was around 3/8" IIRC.

Colin91Z

iTrader: (9)

Are you using a Melling "select" pump? Just curious, cause I was running one and having a similar oil pressure issue 2 years ago. I pulled the motor and found that the bolts holding the pick-up to the pump had backed out slightly. I figured the loctite that Melling applied from the factory to those bolts would be fine, I was wrong. And this wasn't a problem from the start with that motor, so I know I didn't simply forget to tighten them, it took them over a year to work their way loose. It trashed my crank and bearings.

quik95lt1

iTrader: (7)

thats a little far away but nothing that should cause that issue......hmm this is a weird one.......is there a rear pan baffle in ur stock pan? maybe the oil is climbing up the back of the pan on acceleration and starving the pickup?

yea i had one in my motor......i just pulled the motor apart for inspection and a re-ring and re-bearing only to find out that the pump was very close to failure........melling is out and a moroso blueprinted pump is going in.......kind of scary that a $50 pump could have grenaded a motor i got alot of $$$ into ....

speed_demon24

iTrader: (6)

I'm running a melling select. I pulled all the bolts out before I put the pump in and put red loctite on all of them. Did you still have good oil pressure throughout the rpm range and idle when the bolts were loose?

Colin91Z

iTrader: (9)

For a little while, it did exactly what you're saying yours is doing. I refused to believe it was a pump/pickup problem and convinced myself it was a sending unit/gauge issue. Then it gradually got worse to the point where after it warmed up, I could be cruising ~70mph in 6th gear, and the pressure would drop down around 10psi. That when I pulled the motor and found the loose pick-up.

Like an idiot, I didn't replace that oil pump when I replaced the crank/bearings. I did just as you said and put red loctite on the bolts this time around. Ran fine for a year, then last spring I swapped to new heads/SR cam onto that same shortblock....shortly after, the motor lost oil pressure and is now a paperweight. I don't know for sure that the oil pump/pickup is to blame this time because I haven't removed that engine from the car yet, I'll find out soon enough though....

One thing is for sure, I'm building a 392ci SR motor for the car right now, and I will not be using a melling select pump this time.

speed_demon24

iTrader: (6)

Well now I'm pretty sure its the in dash gauge going crazy. Now it's dropping to 0psi around 6-6500. My oil pressure gauge in the pod didn't move but it's not as sensitive as the in dash one.

96TransAmboosted

iTrader: (8)

Anyone run a m99hvs with a canton pan? What pick up do you use ?

SS RRR

iTrader: (2)

I think there needs to be a little more investigation done before coming to the conclusion everything is okay.