Which oil pump?
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Pro
Joined: Feb 2006
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From: Jacksonville , NC
Which oil pump?
Finishing up the parts buy and disassembly of my small block in prep for my 383 build. Would like to get opinions on the pluses and minuses of each pump which oil pump to use, high pressure, high volume or standard. Engine should be making good power/torque up to 7000 rpms but don't expect to be running it up over 6000........ much. Stroker kit is an eagle street strip kit with lunati 60102 cam. Thanks for your input.
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If the clearances are *normal* the Z-28 style pump works fine. This amounts to a stock pump with a high pressure spring in it. They are usually listed as a Melling M55A. Melling makes just about everyones pumps until you get into mega $$ stuff. Do a search on Melling pumps and study about the changes they've made in the last few years to the housings. They thinned them out in the base pumps and now direct you to buy the *select* line that still have the heavier castings. Try to find one of those for some added insurance.
If you have loose clearances, solid lifters with extra EDM oiling to the lifters face or roller axles, or just like a higher pressure at idle...then go the HV. There are a gazzilion horror stories out there about HV pumps. Contrary to popupar belief they won't wear out your dist gear too fast, they won't suck the pan dry (unless you have terrible drain back). A HV just produces a higher pressure at lower speeds. If it has a 60-70 psi spring in it..it still only moves enough oil to make 60-70 psi...it can just get there at a lower rpm than a stock pump will. The stock one will move enough oil to make 60-70 psi easily..it will just need a few more RPM to do it.
If you use the stock pump with a HP spring it will have the same idle oil pressure as a stock pump...but will give a higher pressure at high RPM.
JIM
If you have loose clearances, solid lifters with extra EDM oiling to the lifters face or roller axles, or just like a higher pressure at idle...then go the HV. There are a gazzilion horror stories out there about HV pumps. Contrary to popupar belief they won't wear out your dist gear too fast, they won't suck the pan dry (unless you have terrible drain back). A HV just produces a higher pressure at lower speeds. If it has a 60-70 psi spring in it..it still only moves enough oil to make 60-70 psi...it can just get there at a lower rpm than a stock pump will. The stock one will move enough oil to make 60-70 psi easily..it will just need a few more RPM to do it.
If you use the stock pump with a HP spring it will have the same idle oil pressure as a stock pump...but will give a higher pressure at high RPM.
JIM
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Joined: Sep 2001
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From: Unreconstructed, South Carolina
melling p/n 10552 pump makes 110% volume of stock (not +25) .... has hi-grade gears, shafts extended into cover & uses a bolt on screen.
10552 is a select pump w/ strong casting
many HV pumps (like 10552) move more volume via a longer pair of gears ... that's where the xtra volume comes from. pressure diff derived from diff spring(s) .
10552 is a select pump w/ strong casting
many HV pumps (like 10552) move more volume via a longer pair of gears ... that's where the xtra volume comes from. pressure diff derived from diff spring(s) .
Last edited by jackson; Mar 1, 2008 at 04:11 PM.
