HV Oil Pump Pressure???

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Apr 14, 2003 | 02:46 PM

Draginslayer

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Intermediate

Joined: Mar 2003

Posts: 43

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From: Glendale AZ

HV Oil Pump Pressure???

What is a good pressure to run at with a HV Oil Pump.
I have been told from 40-70 is good and anything higher can be bad for the engine, but my guage reads closer to 60-100. Is there something wrong with it or is the guage broken.
Any help with this issue would be appreciated.

Apr 14, 2003 | 03:01 PM

norvalwilhelm

Race Director

Joined: Nov 2000

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From: Waterloo ontario Canada

Re: HV Oil Pump Pressure??? (Draginslayer)

Cold my engine pegs the needle at 80 pounds and only after a few miles will it start to come down. Hot the motor idles around 50 and goes to 70-80 while cruising. This is with 10-30 oil.
I might not need this pressure but I feel better seeing the pressure at the top end of the scale.

Apr 14, 2003 | 03:39 PM

PatsLs1vette

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Joined: Jul 2001

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From: absecon nj

Re: HV Oil Pump Pressure??? (norvalwilhelm)

i agree with norval,mines approximately around the same thing as his,i even shim the bypass with a washer to build it up some.

Apr 15, 2003 | 01:46 AM

Draginslayer

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From: Glendale AZ

Re: HV Oil Pump Pressure??? (patsnitrovette)

Yeah, I agree with your range of pressures, but will having it to high hurt anything. Maybe I can use some thinner oil to bring it down a tad.
Also, Has anyone had any experience with synthetic motor oil and should it be used on our engines? I thought I heard someone tell me one time to never use it on older engines.

Apr 15, 2003 | 07:12 AM

PatsLs1vette

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From: absecon nj

Re: HV Oil Pump Pressure??? (Draginslayer)

Im one of those guys that have seens great results on motors then run synthetic as far as wear goes,ive always broke our race motors in on conventional oil then switched to synthetic after that.But for older motors,one guy that i built a 383 for daily driver /weekend strip car has 108,000 on it now switched to synthetic when he got about 78,000 on it and hasnt noticed any kind of problems.

Apr 15, 2003 | 07:50 AM

vettfixr

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From: Sewell NJ

Re: HV Oil Pump Pressure??? (norvalwilhelm)

Quote:

About the same here. I'd rather have more than less. More oil flow will keep the bearings cooler. The down side is that there is more oil being blown around inside the engine. Unless you're constantly living at the top end of the tach it's not really a problem with the oil being blown around.

Apr 15, 2003 | 09:10 AM

zwede

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Joined: Sep 1999

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From: Plano TX

Re: HV Oil Pump Pressure??? (vettfixr)

I'm of the opposite opinion. More is not better. Higher oil pressure and volume means greater load and wear on the distributor gear, the risk of sucking the sump dry and large amounts of oil splashing around in the valve area.

Previous owner installed a HV pump on my 454 and it was 55 hot idle and pegged the gauge at speed. I took it out and installed a regular pump. My idle pressure is now 35 PSI hot idle and 60 at speed.

Regarding synthetic oil: I've run it in the 454 for several years now and haven't noticed any ill effects. The engine has 40k miles on the last rebuild and looks extremely clean inside.

[Modified by zwede, 8:11 AM 4/15/2003]

Apr 15, 2003 | 07:07 PM

bb69

Drifting

Joined: May 2001

Posts: 1,651

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From: Holly MI

Re: HV Oil Pump Pressure??? (zwede)

I will side with zwede on this one. I completely rebuilt my engine and put in a HV pump. The oil pressure is always high, and a lot of oil is pushed out the the breather. I had to go with tall valve covers, so my stock line from the cover to the air cleaner base doesn't fit. This means all the oil leaks down onto the cover and exhaust. Needless, to say, I have a stock volume pump that I will be putting on in the next couple of days.