Oil pressure
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 448
Likes: 55
From: Fishers IN
Oil pressure
What are you guys seeing for oil pressure?
I have a non z51 car so just a base engine.
At start-up-idle, the oil pressure is 40 pounds and after the engine is hot the idle pressure crops to 30-35lbs.
This seems rather low to me. I know this is a different engine from the past, but still a small block 327; and all of the previous Vets I have owned and driven; the oil pressure was always higher than these readings.
Maybe this normal for this engine; what is your opinion?
I have a non z51 car so just a base engine.
At start-up-idle, the oil pressure is 40 pounds and after the engine is hot the idle pressure crops to 30-35lbs.
This seems rather low to me. I know this is a different engine from the past, but still a small block 327; and all of the previous Vets I have owned and driven; the oil pressure was always higher than these readings.
Maybe this normal for this engine; what is your opinion?
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 13,733
Likes: 66
From: Hurst, TX USA
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 222
Likes: 6
From: Daytona Beach Florida
mine is at 35 most of the time. I am old and old school and like to see 60+ pounds and less than 180 degrees on water temp but I guess these new engines running at 220 degrees with thin oil and low oil pressure are the thing now.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 49,286
Likes: 3,916
From: Best Island in the U.S.
St. Jude Donor '12 thru '17
60+ psi oil pressure and <180* water temp is fine for old carbureted motors, not for modern computer controlled EFI motors.
Oil pressures in the OP are fine.
Oil pressures in the OP are fine.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,596
Likes: 120
From: East Tennessee
Couple things at play. GM moved the oil pressure sender from the rear of the engine to the front to make sure the sensor is seeing the oil pressure after the last main bearing. According to GM that drops the reading 7-10psi from the LS engines.
Second the oil pumps are variable displacement with a pressure control valve thats controlled by the ECM, high oil pressure = horsepower so at low RPM/load the pressure is kept lower than high rpm/load.
Compared to C5 and C6 Corvettes the oil pressure appears low, but normal.
Second the oil pumps are variable displacement with a pressure control valve thats controlled by the ECM, high oil pressure = horsepower so at low RPM/load the pressure is kept lower than high rpm/load.
Compared to C5 and C6 Corvettes the oil pressure appears low, but normal.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2004
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