High volume Oil pump?
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,872
Likes: 12
From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Re: High volume Oil pump? (sb69coupe)
I am not argueing in favor or not on a high volume oil pump. I use one in my bigblock because I like seeing the oil pressure in the 60-80 range. I automatically run a larger oil pan because I like the margin of extra oil. 5 litres or quarts seems small to me for the money I have invested in the motor. I find regardless of which pump you use aftermarket distributors tend to wear the lower bushing so I add extra lube to it. As for lubing the cam gear what's the harm in washing extra oil over it. Also I drill a small hole in the block to pressurize the area behind the cam timing gear where it rubs the block. This is just something I do to make help " maybe" the block and timing gear on my roller cam from wearing.
Run what you like and i will do the same.
Run what you like and i will do the same.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 2,065
Likes: 1,395
From: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Re: High volume Oil pump? (tsw71)
The LT-1 and some of the other hi-perf 327's all used factory installed high volume pumps. I'll agree that it is overkill for mild street motors, but on anything that revs, it is needed.
My oil pump is the stock GM unit (for a LT-1) and it does produce more pressure than a stock 350 pump. Don't know if it is high volume.
For the past 32 years I have had no oiling problems in the engine, like prematurally wearing out parts.
Distributor is still the original.
HOWEVER, in 1971 while doing some 1/4 mile activities, by chance I happened to notice the oil pressure guage. At 6000+ rpm the oil guage would start to fluctuate.
It would NOT do it at 6000+ rpm with moderate acceleration.
ONLY when you pulled strong Gs..
To make a long story short, it was the oil pan.
The stock oil pan on mine was the "long" pan. As I recall, the pickup in this pan is a bit more forward than a short pan.
The problem was, under hard acceleration, the oil in the pan (what was left in there) would climb up the rear of the pan exposing the pickup.
A short pan cured the problem.
Three factors contributed to this.
High pressure pump,
Long oil pan,
Horsepower/traction/high RPM
The point of the story.... Every application can be unique. What works for one may not be the answer for the other.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 2,845
Likes: 2
From: Apex NC
Re: High volume Oil pump? (Barry's70LT1)
The point of the story.... Every application can be unique. What works for one may not be the answer for the other.
I guess it's just my nature as an engineer to question the reasons behind making changes to any design. Unless I perceive a problem, I see no reason to "fix" it. As Barry mentioned, he saw a problem with the oil pressure in his LT-1, and found a fix for it with a short oil pan. That's cool. I agree that it's your car, do what you want, but if it ain't broke.......
:cheers:
Shannon
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,131
Likes: 4
From: May help you? You can sure as hell try!
Re: High volume Oil pump? (redwingvette)
Unless you are running unusually large bearing clearances there is no reason to run a high volume pump. The oil pressure relief valve is just bleeding off the extra volume of oil and and with it the power it took to move the additional oil. I would suspect that any cavitation that is mentioned here is due to an air leak in the oil pickup/tube. I'm a big believer in welding the tube in place on the pump and pickup. Production tubes are just pressed in. In fact, in many replacement pumps, the original pickup/tube is pulled from the old pump and pressed into the new pump. This is really asking for trouble if that joint isn't sealed properly (like sucking on a straw with a hole in it). Vibration can easily work this joint loose over time.
Oversize water pumps are in a similar vein. If you were cooling OK without it, chances are you don't need a larger pump and you are just wasting power moving around extra coolant. If you have substantially improved your engine to the point where it is making a lot of extra power and rejecting extra heat, the larger water pump may be of benefit. Personally, I'd go as large on the radiator and improving airflow through it, before I went to a larger pump. Larger radiators don't sap power.
Oversize water pumps are in a similar vein. If you were cooling OK without it, chances are you don't need a larger pump and you are just wasting power moving around extra coolant. If you have substantially improved your engine to the point where it is making a lot of extra power and rejecting extra heat, the larger water pump may be of benefit. Personally, I'd go as large on the radiator and improving airflow through it, before I went to a larger pump. Larger radiators don't sap power.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 5,768
Likes: 3
From: San Diego CA
Re: High volume Oil pump? (norvalwilhelm)
I am not argueing in favor or not on a high volume oil pump. I use one in my bigblock because I like seeing the oil pressure in the 60-80 range. I automatically run a larger oil pan because I like the margin of extra oil. 5 litres or quarts seems small to me for the money I have invested in the motor. I find regardless of which pump you use aftermarket distributors tend to wear the lower bushing so I add extra lube to it. As for lubing the cam gear what's the harm in washing extra oil over it. Also I drill a small hole in the block to pressurize the area behind the cam timing gear where it rubs the block. This is just something I do to make help " maybe" the block and timing gear on my roller cam from wearing.
Run what you like and i will do the same.
Run what you like and i will do the same.
>Increased time in pan which allows, increased settlement of particulate matter & better cooling of oil.
>Increased quantity of oil means that for the same duration between oil changes, the oil in general will remain cleaner. Assume that your 3000 mile oil change interval creates 3 oz of particulate or other deliterious matter in your 5 quarts of oil - increase that to 7 quarts and the same 3 oz. means the oil is generally cleaner.
>increased oil capacity is a guarantee that your pickup will always be immersed in oil - thus reducing cavitation.
Many engine builders drill a very minute hole in the threaded tap at the end of the oil gallery behind the cam gear - this has nothing to with high volume or high pressure pumps but is merely a method of oiling the timing chain beyond the runoff/splashmethod that it is now. This helps keep temps downon the chain and should increase its life. It's a perfectly good modification to the oiling system.
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 172
Likes: 0
From: Seattle WA
Re: High volume Oil pump? (fauxrs)
My opinion is that stock output oil pumps are totally adequate for our street engines. The increased flow is sometimes required to properly lube the bearings in a loose-fitting race ingine. Of course, with a loose engine, you get to listen to piston slap and smell burning oil during warm up each day. Remember, the oil pressure that the pump puts out is just needed to get the oil to the bearing. Once in the bearing, the oil is actually pressurized to thousands of psi due to the hydrodynamics of the bearing. So, if you don't have big internal leaks, there really is no point to increasing oil flow volume and wearing out your cam drive faster.
Dyna
Dyna
Racer
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 457
Likes: 0
Re: High volume Oil pump? (Dyna)
Dyna,
What is your take on using a higher than normal volume pump, when an Oil Cooler is added....in order to compensate for the added internal friction of the cooler and hoses ???
Thanks,
RR
What is your take on using a higher than normal volume pump, when an Oil Cooler is added....in order to compensate for the added internal friction of the cooler and hoses ???
Thanks,
RR
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 30,995
Likes: 99
From: Ontario
Re: High volume Oil pump? (redwingvette)
During the summer heat, this pump gave me 25-30psi at hot idle and 55-60psi at highway speeds. Castrol 10W-40. It is a standard pump. Quite frankly I do not know what more you can ask for in a street engine.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
