CLASS RACER FORUM - oil pressure problem

I agree with the others....could be a pickup to pan clearance issue or a windage issue. Another thing that wasnt mentioned is this...I have seen pipe pugs with tiny holes drilled in them for BBC to oil the chain....is it possible you didnt install an oil plug or you have put one of thses plugs with the tiny hole in it by accident?

If u have to try a new pump get a Mellings M55A pump...the best afordable alternative to a high dollar race pump. Thats what I have in my 377 Street engine with a Mowtown block and crossed drilled crank.....60+ psi of oil pressure and ive turned it well past 9000 RPM.

Also check the clearance between the front main cap and the timing cover...if its too tight oil will get trapped in the cover and not drain back to the pan. Mowtown blocks have a super thick main cap and some aluminum covers (even tin covers) come close to the cap. I know on a jesel front cover we actually had to machine a relief in the cap and the cover to allow the oil to pass by.

I also know that my oil pressure is as responsive as my tach.....when I rev it up the oil pressure moves just as quick but I always thought that was because of the priority oiling built into the block. Also not sure what pan you are running but there is a 1/4 pipe tap on the pan rail that is not level with the pan rail...im assuming if you didnt have this plugged you would have zero oil pressure but who knows. It doesnt go in all the way and the pipe plug actually needs to be ground down a bit to get the pan on...ive seen some big "bath tub" superstock pans that would cover this but im just brainstorming. Hopefully you can figure this out. One more thing...Usually if the filter is colapsed the oil pressure gets locked at a certain psi or is very sluggish and low...Ive had this happen with a Fram and a Quakerstate filter.....switched to a wix race filter and now I put them on everything.