I guess I just never noticed it before.
"normal" oil pressure?
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 10,089
Likes: 14
Chevy doesn't employ an oil pressure regulator on these engines. So you should expect to see oil pressure varying with RPM. Gen I engines used a pressure regulator, and pressure would stay close to 30 PSI from idle to redline. Chrysler's original Hemi regulated oil pressure at 60 PSI. Etc. But the LS2 just lets oil pressure fluctuate. This saves Chevy a few cents per engine. It doesn't pose a problem unless you heavily load the engine at low RPM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,611
Likes: 5
From: Thousand Oaks California
Engine lubrication is supplied by a gerotor type oil pump assembly (5). The pump is mounted on the front of the engine block and driven directly by the crankshaft sprocket. The pump gears rotate and draw oil from the oil pan sump through a pick-up screen and pipe. The oil is pressurized as it passes through the pump and is sent through the engine block lower oil gallery. Contained within the oil pump assembly is a pressure relief valve that maintains oil pressure within a specified range.
Pressurized oil is directed through the engine block lower oil gallery to the full flow oil filter (4) where harmful contaminants are removed. A bypass valve is incorporated into the oil pan at the oil filter boss, which permits oil flow in the event the filter becomes restricted.
Oil is then directed from the filter to the upper main oil galleries (1). Oil from the left upper oil gallery is directed to the crankshaft bearings (6) and camshaft bearings (7). Oil that has entered both the upper main oil galleries also pressurizes the valve lifter assemblies (2) and is then pumped through the pushrods to lubricate the valve rocker arms and valve stems. Oil returning to the pan is directed by the crankshaft oil deflector. The oil pressure sensor (3) is located at the top rear of the engine.
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Team Owner
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 82,175
Likes: 1,319
From: McKinney TX
St. Jude Donor '21-'22-'23-'24
The oil pressure in my 06 C6 will run about 50 psi under just medium acceleration when the engine is not yet warmed up, but drops to about 40 psi when keeping a steady speed. After warmup, the slight acceleration will show 40 psi, while steady speed will show about 30 psi. These numbers are while about driving in town.
