Posted by Vaughn [172.68.3.133] on Monday, March 23, 2026 at 15:30:58 :
In Reply to: Re: New Instrument Cluster posted by Keith in Washington [108.162.245.18] on Monday, March 23, 2026 at 13:54:17 :
There are other things that can be done to increase flow/pressure:
- The standard pump operates 35-50psi hot oil with racing engines pushing 65-80psi and that might be a little high for street engine.
- Restrict the amount of oil to the valvetrain if using roller lifters and roller rocker arms, they don't require as much oiling and gives more oil/pressure to other components,
- All small blocks have 7 teeth gears in the oil pump, big blocks have 12 teeth gears. If you've installed a high volume or pressure pump, and the housing cover is 4 bolts, it's just a modified standard pump. If it has a 5 bolts housing cover, it's a big block 12 teeth pump sold as a small block high volume pump.
- There should be no more than .0025 between the top plate or cover and the gears also and machining imperfections on the housing should be addressed.
- You can also drill holes in the idler gear and mill grooves in the cover to minimize gear chatter.
- Radius grinding the cavity in the rear-main cap where the oil pump mounts to enlarge it slightly and smoothly blend into the transfer passage leading into the block.
All this can be done to increase volume/pressure. I doubt you have any issues with bearings or you engine would have sized or spun a bearing before now. You probably have a pump other than std.
Once my engine worms up to 160 degrees using 20-50 Castrol, I'm running a little more than normal pressure at 3,000rpm, 60psi and I haven't had it any higher rpms so I know I don't have a standard pump in mine. I may just live with it until I have a reason to pull the engine.