Oil Pressure
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Instructor
Joined: Sep 2020
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Oil Pressure
Hi everyone, I did read through some the past comments but after I added a quart of oil and it might be just me being OCD but it seems like my oil pressure is off. It generally has ran 38/40 but the last few days it has ran like 33 ish to 35. Is that a concern and even when I give it gas it goes to maybe 38. I am using 10/30 mixed with some mystery oil. It is a 350 with updated headers, exhaust and a very mild cam. The idle is good about 750 and it runs great. I am still battling the after fire but other then that it runs great. I did notice a small crack in the hose that runs out of the front of the carb to the valve cover which I will replace this weekend but it is a minor crack.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 121
Likes: 9
1976 is the year.......
Last edited by mikem83; Jun 15, 2021 at 11:00 AM.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 13,082
Likes: 3,399
From: SW Florida.
hotter is lower oil pressure. the oil is thinner and the clearances grow a little as the metal expands more. your easiest to monitor. idle stone cold, and idle at running temp. cuz every time you look at oil pressure any higher, you are moving and trying to figure rpm's temp and oil pressure while trying to avoid denting the front of your car....
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 121
Likes: 9
hotter is lower oil pressure. the oil is thinner and the clearances grow a little as the metal expands more. your easiest to monitor. idle stone cold, and idle at running temp. cuz every time you look at oil pressure any higher, you are moving and trying to figure rpm's temp and oil pressure while trying to avoid denting the front of your car....
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 13,082
Likes: 3,399
From: SW Florida.
they say 10 lbs per 1000 rpm. so anything above 10 psi at idle is still acceptable. our cars got less miles than most. people didn't jump in them late for work and tear out of the driveway before the oil pressure came up very much. the bottoms ends are frequently very good even though 40 years old. on the other hand, we are the ONLY people driving a chevy v8 that could have the original plastic-toothed timing chain.
