OIL Pressure check?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2025
Posts: 328
Likes: 40
OIL Pressure check?
Just purchased an 08 Z06, Fully forged bottom end,cam, PRC heads (7k mi on build) and trying to check everything out.
- cold start (70 degrees) = 70psi
-Hot idle (190 oil temp/200ish coolant) = 28 psi
-Hot cruising = 50psi @ 3,500 rpm
-Hot spirited driving (4500-5000 rpm) = 54-56 psi????
pressure increases fairly linear until 4000 rpm+....then doesn't seem to steadily increase as rpm increase (haven't tried running it much higher as a result?
BAD SENSOR or A PROBLEM??
- cold start (70 degrees) = 70psi
-Hot idle (190 oil temp/200ish coolant) = 28 psi
-Hot cruising = 50psi @ 3,500 rpm
-Hot spirited driving (4500-5000 rpm) = 54-56 psi????
pressure increases fairly linear until 4000 rpm+....then doesn't seem to steadily increase as rpm increase (haven't tried running it much higher as a result?
BAD SENSOR or A PROBLEM??
Heel & Toe
Joined: Apr 2025
Posts: 20
Likes: 14
From: Idaho
If they took the time and money to build the whole motor I can almost guarantee they used a high pressure oil pump from Melling or Katech, your pressures you are seeing are totally normal and healthy. Check your motor build sheet if you got one, I'm sure its there.
Pressure is not going to climb much past 4500-5000 or roughly 60 PSI because the bypass valve on the pump is starting to open. There is a 60-psi and a 70-psi spring shipped with all Melling pumps, couldn't tell you which one they used but I assume they used a 60 which is fine.
What oil weight are you running? I run 0w-40 and sit around 35 hot idle, but I have a wet sump.
Pressure is not going to climb much past 4500-5000 or roughly 60 PSI because the bypass valve on the pump is starting to open. There is a 60-psi and a 70-psi spring shipped with all Melling pumps, couldn't tell you which one they used but I assume they used a 60 which is fine.
What oil weight are you running? I run 0w-40 and sit around 35 hot idle, but I have a wet sump.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2025
Posts: 328
Likes: 40
If they took the time and money to build the whole motor I can almost guarantee they used a high pressure oil pump from Melling or Katech, your pressures you are seeing are totally normal and healthy. Check your motor build sheet if you got one, I'm sure its there.
Pressure is not going to climb much past 4500-5000 or roughly 60 PSI because the bypass valve on the pump is starting to open. There is a 60-psi and a 70-psi spring shipped with all Melling pumps, couldn't tell you which one they used but I assume they used a 60 which is fine.
What oil weight are you running? I run 0w-40 and sit around 35 hot idle, but I have a wet sump.
Pressure is not going to climb much past 4500-5000 or roughly 60 PSI because the bypass valve on the pump is starting to open. There is a 60-psi and a 70-psi spring shipped with all Melling pumps, couldn't tell you which one they used but I assume they used a 60 which is fine.
What oil weight are you running? I run 0w-40 and sit around 35 hot idle, but I have a wet sump.
Heel & Toe
Joined: Apr 2025
Posts: 20
Likes: 14
From: Idaho
If you think 5w-30 is to thin go to a 40 weight oil if that gives you piece of mind, in theory you might lose a tiny bit of HP but probably wont notice it.
I know a few guys who run GP1 15w-40 at the track who used to run VR1 20w-50, but this was in Vegas where its a very hot climate, and they only ran it for a weekend at the track.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 4,651
Likes: 1,834
From: Erlanger, Kentucky
As for oil pressures, those oil pressures are excellent.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2025
Posts: 328
Likes: 40
Safety Car
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 4,651
Likes: 1,834
From: Erlanger, Kentucky
Yes.
Unless the builder of the motor specifically built the engine with looser bearing tolerances specifically to be able to run a thicker oil.
If the builder assembled the engine with standard LS bearing tolerances, then 5w30 or 0w40 is what you should be using for normal street driving oil temps.
Track the car and push the oil temps up into say 240 or 250F, then a 20w50 is okay to use as it will thin out at the higher temps.
If you have a build sheet for the engine or can contact the builder, that would be the best way to verify the proper oil.
Also, just wanted to add that on the Z06's they use a dry sump system. It runs higher oil pressure than the wet sump engines. So 70 psi or higher at cold idle is normal. Hot idle of 28 is also normal. And the oil pressure not going above 55 psi or so when going up in RPM's is because of a pressure relief valve (I think) opening to prevent too high of pressure. All of this is normal.
Unless the builder of the motor specifically built the engine with looser bearing tolerances specifically to be able to run a thicker oil.
If the builder assembled the engine with standard LS bearing tolerances, then 5w30 or 0w40 is what you should be using for normal street driving oil temps.
Track the car and push the oil temps up into say 240 or 250F, then a 20w50 is okay to use as it will thin out at the higher temps.
If you have a build sheet for the engine or can contact the builder, that would be the best way to verify the proper oil.
Also, just wanted to add that on the Z06's they use a dry sump system. It runs higher oil pressure than the wet sump engines. So 70 psi or higher at cold idle is normal. Hot idle of 28 is also normal. And the oil pressure not going above 55 psi or so when going up in RPM's is because of a pressure relief valve (I think) opening to prevent too high of pressure. All of this is normal.
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2025
Posts: 328
Likes: 40
If they took the time and money to build the whole motor I can almost guarantee they used a high pressure oil pump from Melling or Katech, your pressures you are seeing are totally normal and healthy. Check your motor build sheet if you got one, I'm sure its there.
Pressure is not going to climb much past 4500-5000 or roughly 60 PSI because the bypass valve on the pump is starting to open. There is a 60-psi and a 70-psi spring shipped with all Melling pumps, couldn't tell you which one they used but I assume they used a 60 which is fine.
What oil weight are you running? I run 0w-40 and sit around 35 hot idle, but I have a wet sump.
Pressure is not going to climb much past 4500-5000 or roughly 60 PSI because the bypass valve on the pump is starting to open. There is a 60-psi and a 70-psi spring shipped with all Melling pumps, couldn't tell you which one they used but I assume they used a 60 which is fine.
What oil weight are you running? I run 0w-40 and sit around 35 hot idle, but I have a wet sump.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 6,007
Likes: 723
Just purchased an 08 Z06, Fully forged bottom end,cam, PRC heads (7k mi on build) and trying to check everything out.
- cold start (70 degrees) = 70psi
-Hot idle (190 oil temp/200ish coolant) = 28 psi
-Hot cruising = 50psi @ 3,500 rpm
-Hot spirited driving (4500-5000 rpm) = 54-56 psi????
pressure increases fairly linear until 4000 rpm+....then doesn't seem to steadily increase as rpm increase (haven't tried running it much higher as a result?
BAD SENSOR or A PROBLEM??
- cold start (70 degrees) = 70psi
-Hot idle (190 oil temp/200ish coolant) = 28 psi
-Hot cruising = 50psi @ 3,500 rpm
-Hot spirited driving (4500-5000 rpm) = 54-56 psi????
pressure increases fairly linear until 4000 rpm+....then doesn't seem to steadily increase as rpm increase (haven't tried running it much higher as a result?
BAD SENSOR or A PROBLEM??
5-30 if it matters
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2025
Posts: 328
Likes: 40
I was feeling/reading these #'s were low....upon further info, I guess I'm ok. Appreciate the info.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2022
Posts: 1,466
Likes: 418
From: Ruskin, FL
One thing you will find on the forums is that EVERYONE will provide different advice on oil weight and brand and tire size and brand. There's a reason LS engines run such thin multi-weight motor oil.
Someone above said to contact your builder and seek their advice on oil. That's the best advice you're going to get.
just my advice on it 😉
Someone above said to contact your builder and seek their advice on oil. That's the best advice you're going to get.
just my advice on it 😉
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2025
Posts: 328
Likes: 40
One thing you will find on the forums is that EVERYONE will provide different advice on oil weight and brand and tire size and brand. There's a reason LS engines run such thin multi-weight motor oil.
Someone above said to contact your builder and seek their advice on oil. That's the best advice you're going to get.
just my advice on it 😉
Someone above said to contact your builder and seek their advice on oil. That's the best advice you're going to get.
just my advice on it 😉