oil pump/pressure
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,464
Likes: 48
oil pump/pressure
Hello Everybody,
I own a 1984 4 plus 3 Corvette. I just removed the camshaft and found two lobes round. I have the new camshaft in. My question is "should I remove the oil pan and clean it, so that the camshaft fragments do not cause me problems. Can I do the bearings with the motor in the car.
My oil pressure with the car warmed up is always 10/12 psi. I was thinking of not using synthetic oils in the summer. Or should I be replacing the oil pump and other parts.
Thank you
I own a 1984 4 plus 3 Corvette. I just removed the camshaft and found two lobes round. I have the new camshaft in. My question is "should I remove the oil pan and clean it, so that the camshaft fragments do not cause me problems. Can I do the bearings with the motor in the car.
My oil pressure with the car warmed up is always 10/12 psi. I was thinking of not using synthetic oils in the summer. Or should I be replacing the oil pump and other parts.
Thank you
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 135
Likes: 12
I vote to take off the oil pan and check for debris, but I believe if your cam lobes are worn it's been wearing for quite awhile (and the damage, if any has been done).
I'd check the bearings with plastigage while you're up in there to see the status. I've heard you can change bearing while engine is in the car but it's a really tough job. I was thinking about doing that myself (89 vette with 100k miles) but when I saw a bent piston up there, I knew I needed a new engine.
10/12 psi is OK if your are idling at 650 rpm, but I'd expect about 20 psi around 1200 rpm or so.
My vette was getting 10 psi warm at 700 rpm, even with new engine in. Turned out it was the dash oil pressure resistor network - now I'm like 40 psi warm idle at 700 rpm. You can search the site for that discussion thread. It's helpful to hook up an external oil pressure gauge, also looking at the oil flow at idle under the valve cover viewing thru the oil fill hole.
I'd check the bearings with plastigage while you're up in there to see the status. I've heard you can change bearing while engine is in the car but it's a really tough job. I was thinking about doing that myself (89 vette with 100k miles) but when I saw a bent piston up there, I knew I needed a new engine.
10/12 psi is OK if your are idling at 650 rpm, but I'd expect about 20 psi around 1200 rpm or so.
My vette was getting 10 psi warm at 700 rpm, even with new engine in. Turned out it was the dash oil pressure resistor network - now I'm like 40 psi warm idle at 700 rpm. You can search the site for that discussion thread. It's helpful to hook up an external oil pressure gauge, also looking at the oil flow at idle under the valve cover viewing thru the oil fill hole.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8,735
Likes: 412
From: WV
My engine had 12 psi oil pressure at hot idle for years with no problems..A friend of mine has been running my old engine in his truck for 5 years now and it still only has 12 psi oil pressure...If the oil pressure goes up along with the rpms, you shouldn't have a problem.....WW
Last edited by WW7; Jun 30, 2015 at 06:44 AM.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 170
Likes: 24
If you wiped out the lobes on your cam your motor should be tore down and inspected and flushed. The oil pump gears are probably worn and its likely you have metal throughout your motor....that will continue to eat things....cams are VERY hard material and you will likely suffer if it is not corrected...
More than likely at some point your oil filter got plugged enough to allow the bypass to open and this sent metal everywhere. Even with a race motor and bypass plugged - metal will get through...ask me how I know. my cam only lost .004 inch and metal got to my mains and rods with a blocked bypass.
More than likely at some point your oil filter got plugged enough to allow the bypass to open and this sent metal everywhere. Even with a race motor and bypass plugged - metal will get through...ask me how I know. my cam only lost .004 inch and metal got to my mains and rods with a blocked bypass.
