1984HO

iTrader: (1)

ive got about 400-500 miles on my new 350 (lt1 cam, ported 193's etc) i only replaced the bearings and ported the heads no machine work done anyway

the following are the oil pressures

1 at idle cold @1000rpm 60psi

2 warm at idle in gear(650rm) 35-40

3 warm at idle in park (900 rpm) 50-55

those seem normal no nioses and the engine runs super smooth with that lt1 cam

anyway when im really pushing it during WOT runs (for tuning) ive noticed the oil pressure fluxuates a little

thru first gear the oil pressure will go from maybe 65 down to 55
then when the engine shifts into second it will go back to 65 then pull back down to 55 but will not go below 55

it is a stock pan with a melling hv pump the pickup is the correct one set 1/2" from the bottom of pan and the oil is slightly over full castrol syntec 10-30 oil

does this seem normal for those of you with stock pan engines my 305 had a moroso pan with the baffles and stuff so i never noticed this

thanks for any help im not really too concerned but figured id ask

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

Sounds OK, except for the part about the OP dropping at higher RPMs. I'd say your engine is fine, you just used the wrong oil pump.

If it was me, I'd lose the HV pump. That's probably the root cause of the problem. If your engine is built to anywhere near stock specs (.002" or less clearances on the crank, no full-grooved bearings, no cross-drilling of the crank beyond stock, no oil spray bars on your solid-roller valve springs, no pressurized oiling of the axles in your solid roller lifters, etc.) then the HV pump is doing more harm than good. Get it out of there.

redliterunner

I'll go along with that. Sounds like you have no reason to be running a high volume pump. Lots of people think it sounds like a really smart idea on a stock motor, but it's usually just a waste of power. Spending very much time at high rpms could be sucking your stock capacity pan practically dry, causing the fluctuations you're noticing.

1984HO

iTrader: (1)

while noermaly i would not have opted for the pump, it came in the engine so i felt it would be a waste of time to replace an already reputable oil pump, at this point im leaning toward it be more of a oil control problem since it seems to be brought on by high rpms following a corner and it only happens when hot (or that is when its is most noticable ) there are no noises and like i stated above the oil pressure is normal the rest of the time
the high oil pressure at idle is also a function of the oil cooler as well i believe this engine deosnt see 5000 rpm's often and cruises at 2250 on the highway where oil pressure is at 60-62 psi hot

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

= a fancy word for "wrong pump"

It's not a "function of the oil cooler". it's a function of all the oil being forced off somewhere besides where the pump can pump it, because it's the wrong pump.

You're right, it's most likely totally fine the rest of the time; the engine itself sounds like it's completely OK. And as long as you drive it easy, if you "baby" this motor that it sounds like you didn't build/buy for the purpose of "babying", it'll live forever. On the other hand, how many times or how long, do you think your motor will survive at 6500 RPM with inadequate oil being circulated because you have the wrong pump in there?

It's your call. Your motor. Your money. Either leave it like it is and take a risk and/or not enjoy the full benefit of this motor you've got; or put the right pump in it and take full advantage of the product you're paying for. Your choice.

I know what I'd do (and have done in the past before I learned to quit making that mistake...). But that's just me, and as you may have figured out by now, if you look up "****-retentive" in the hot-rodder's dictionary, that's a picture of ME you'll see there on that page. And YES, that expression IS spelled with a hyphen.

Sonix

iTrader: (1)

having too much oil volume would do nothing but suck up a few HP, it wouldn't actually CAUSE less oil at higher RPMs would it? I would think it'd pump more oil, which wouldn't do any harm, since you'll have a heck of a time draining your stock pan on planet earth here.

well, once you're done "tuning", you probably won't be going WOT in your 3rd gen camaro sports car anymore right ?

1984HO

iTrader: (1)

well maximum engine speed is 5200 this enigne after all has ported 193's (swirl port) therefor the engine is predicated on low speed torque and a rock solid idle with decent power ( Lt1 roller cam)
i guess what im asking is there a way to differntiate what the underlying cause may be

what makes me think that pulling the pan dry is not the cause is that the oil pressure falls rapidly and will just "pop" back up almost like an air pocket which as i understand it would not be caused by pulling the pan dry it would be caused by an interuption in oil supply to the pump ie... aeration of oil due to the crankcase being over full of oil being pulled from pickup, which would be a pan problem
the oil maybe over full becuase this was an enigne not origonally out of a comaro so i have no idea what the original oil capicity was

im also thinking of changing the oil and using a larger filter right now i have the crappy little pf47 (i think that is the number) it is the short one maybe 4 inches tall or so