I've been running a big block oil pump for a couple of years now, ever since I bolted on my Circle Track oil pan.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...-and-pics.html
I had planned on reverting back to a high pressure, high volume small block pump when I next dropped the oil pan for a cam change. Well, Hot Rod just ran an article that says that the big block oil pump isn't the horsepower hog everyone thought. The big block pump saps less power than a small block high pressure high volume pump. So now I am thinking of keeping the big block pump. I really like the steady 50-65 lbs oil pressure no matter what, and the big block pump does an excellent job pumping the oil up to the oil cooler mounted in the nose. So, keeping the big block pump a good idea?
Bee Jay

 

What more could you want?

 

Sure. Why not? If it's working for you, then why mess with success? Using the BB and Z/28 pump on SBCs has been going on for 40 years...long before Internet wisdom prevailed.

 

Most people went with the BBC pump years ago because the base SBC pumps only had a 5/8" intake.

Now Melling, with their "Select" line makes some SBC pumps with the 3/4" intake as well. I use a M10555 pump with a 7 qt winged pan. It uses the old original heavy castings too. I run 65 at rpm and 45 at idle. My pan looks the same as yours, but my scrapers etc are all in the pan.

The other diff is the number of teeth, a BB pump has 12 and a SB pump has 7, so theoretically the flow will be a little smoother and the impact on the drive will also be smoother, but I doubt that realistically makes much difference.
The other difference is the BB is a 5 bolt design and the SB, 4 bolt.

There is no free lunch and to produce flow at psi, both take about the same hp. From correspondence with Melling, it is a maximum of 15hp at high rpm.

There is really no need for a high pressure pump, the 25% high volume pumps come with a 70psi relief.

If you want the best in oiling, add an accumulator, you can searh for reasons, they are justified, but maybe not to your needs.

No reason for you no to keep the BB pump since you already have the pan and pickup set up for it. Make sure you run less that a real 70 psi at rpm, you don't want to run over relief sustained.

 

bj
Curious ... did you ever address left turn CT config w/ mods or accumulator etc? That's a real nice car.

 

Your answer is in your tex, it works well for you and that pump is a good choice with your oil cooler also. So what was your quistion?

 

I was a quart low when I saw the slight pressure drop. The beauty of this oil pan is that there is some sort of sensor plug that you can pull and know exactly what your oil level is.
Bee Jay

 

Most CT remove OE dipstick-tube & plug OE hole.