Bluffman

1967 convertible, L79 motor, when I start the car the oil gauge reads just above the 30 at idle, when I give it gas it goes up between the 30 and 60,
But does not peg the gauge at 60. The engine does not burn oil or leak oil, is the gauge just being a 51 year old gauge or should I be concerned. Ian

NightshiftHD

Sounds like normal oil pressure to me. It won't peg at 60 unless the engine is stone cold. If you replace anything, I would consider your 50+ year old oil pump, but with 30-60 psi of pressure you have nothing to worry about on a small block. Bill

Bluffman

Thanks bill, I saw a video of a 67 and when he gassed it the needle pegged at 60, so that’s what brought up the question. ����

Nowhere Man

That’s becouse most engine rebuilders put the wrong oil pump or relief spring in the pump.

davekp78

An L-79 should have an 80lb gauge. Mine had an incorrect 60 lb when I got it and it would peg when cold.

Powershift

Maybe it SHOULD, but many factory L-79 cars had only the 60 psi gage from the start. MAYBE the very early 1965 L-79 engines had the 80 psi gage, but after that they were all 60 psi for this engine.

My 1967 327/350 HP car is one of those with the 60 psi gage...........VIN #14845.

Larry

Nowhere Man

Not in 66-67. Only the solid lifter cars got he 80lb gauge

Critter1

With one exception. A 66 390 HP 427 would have had an 80lb gauge. The only 63-67 hyd lifter engine I can think of that had that gauge.

Nowhere Man

Always forget about that one Thanks

SWCDuke

GM's spec for all year L-79 oil pressure is the same as the base engine, 40-45 psi at 2000 with the engine fully warmed up. Look at the AMA specs. GM does not specify idle oil pressure, and it is highly dependent on idle speed, so a base engine at 500 will show less than a L-79 at 750.

As previously stated you have an incorrect pressure relief spring, and maybe an incorrect (high volume) rather than standard volume oil pump, which are common "engine builder" mistakes.

Duke

Bluffman

Thanks for all the info. Ian

davekp78

You guys are right. Don't know where I got the idea that a L-79 should have the 80lb.
I apologize for my error.