Oil delivery starvation
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Feb 2023
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Oil delivery starvation
Hello I hope everyone is doing well. Quick question, I drive a c5 baseline ls1. I am having oil delivery / starvation problems after putting a mellings high pressure high volume oil pump. I have read that a bigger oil pan is needed to keep from sucking the oil pan dry. Does anybody have a preference on a bigger oil pan? Or any other options that have worked?
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
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From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
NO! You most likely have a damaged pick up tube O Ring. Its VERY easy to cut/improperly install that O ring.
I know its a PITA but (if were Me) I would pull off the front cover and before you touch that tube, Use a mirror / Scope or something to carefully inspect that O ring and see if its budged, or damaged. Remove the tube from the pump and examine the O ring. I bet, that's your issue..
Which O ring did you use? Green or the Orange one?
If the O ring is good, I would drop the lower section of the pan (if you have a two piece pan) and inspect the oil pick up screen for debris..
I know its a PITA but (if were Me) I would pull off the front cover and before you touch that tube, Use a mirror / Scope or something to carefully inspect that O ring and see if its budged, or damaged. Remove the tube from the pump and examine the O ring. I bet, that's your issue..
Which O ring did you use? Green or the Orange one?
If the O ring is good, I would drop the lower section of the pan (if you have a two piece pan) and inspect the oil pick up screen for debris..
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Feb 2023
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I don’t have any debree in the pickup tube. I took the bottom part of the pan off a while back, probably 1500 miles ago and it was ok. I may have just done something improperly. I had a really hard time bolting the pickup tube to the pump. I used the green one
NO! You most likely have a damaged pick up tube O Ring. Its VERY easy to cut/improperly install that O ring.
I know its a PITA but (if were Me) I would pull off the front cover and before you touch that tube, Use a mirror / Scope or something to carefully inspect that O ring and see if its budged, or damaged. Remove the tube from the pump and examine the O ring. I bet, that's your issue..
Which O ring did you use? Green or the Orange one?
If the O ring is good, I would drop the lower section of the pan (if you have a two piece pan) and inspect the oil pick up screen for debris..
I know its a PITA but (if were Me) I would pull off the front cover and before you touch that tube, Use a mirror / Scope or something to carefully inspect that O ring and see if its budged, or damaged. Remove the tube from the pump and examine the O ring. I bet, that's your issue..
Which O ring did you use? Green or the Orange one?
If the O ring is good, I would drop the lower section of the pan (if you have a two piece pan) and inspect the oil pick up screen for debris..
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 1,964
Likes: 696
From: Avon Lake OH
I tend to agree with Bill that it is unfortunately the O-ring that is damaged. The Melling #10296 will not suck the C5 oil pan dry. BTW, the Improved Racing oil pump pickup tube brace/clamp is very handy as well.
https://www.improvedracing.com/oil-s...l?gad_source=1
https://www.improvedracing.com/oil-s...l?gad_source=1
Pro
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 622
Likes: 169
From: Montgomery Texas
The #10296 pump only provides an 18% increase in volume. It's perfectly compatible with the OE oil pan and there is no need to worry about pumping the oil pan dry with this particular pump.
Check that you have the correct o-ring for your pickup tube. I have GM p/n 12557752, but it all likelihood it has probably superseded to something else. Extreme care is required not to damage the o-ring.
Per @jhrinsin consider the pickup tube brace from Improved Racing.
Per @BC, backtrack and double check your work.
Also, what spring do you have installed for the bypass valve? Did you ensure that the bypass valve operates smoothly and is free of swarf?
Check that you have the correct o-ring for your pickup tube. I have GM p/n 12557752, but it all likelihood it has probably superseded to something else. Extreme care is required not to damage the o-ring.
Per @jhrinsin consider the pickup tube brace from Improved Racing.
Per @BC, backtrack and double check your work.
Also, what spring do you have installed for the bypass valve? Did you ensure that the bypass valve operates smoothly and is free of swarf?
