High oil pressure?

[Pvt Parts]

Originally Posted by Ed Wright

But, those were Fords. And sbc = Small Block Chevy, which has a great oiling system, unlike the early Fords. Myself, and many others building small block Chevys use the STD volume pump, modified for LESS volume. I also limit mine to 40 psi @ 8500 RPM. Bearings always look like new. Just replace them when I start to feel guilty about running them so long. If you ever build a sbc, call Larry Stewart Sr about buying an oil pump.

Takes a while for the newbies to catch on Ed. I was doing the same thing to my pumps back in the late 70's and 80's. And we're not talking about changing the bypass spring.

[Ed Wright]

Originally Posted by Pvt Parts

Takes a while for the newbies to catch on Ed. I was doing the same thing to my pumps back in the late 70's and 80's. And we're not talking about changing the bypass spring.

Wish I could think of the guy's name that got me thinking correctly about sbc's oil pumps. He was a Modified & Comp engine builder from New Mexico in the '70s. Wish I could think of his name now. (I’m old) Had the pick up tube fall out of the oil pump in my ’56 Chevy at Albuquerque NM. Too much blowing sand & dirt to pull the pan there! I just loaded up. He was asking what happened, and told me I should be pulling the spring and braze the pick up in place, then ask how much oil pressure I had? I proudly announced “65 psi!” He said, “And a high volume pump?” I said “Yes!” He then screwed my head on straight about pumps and pressure. I have an old rear main cap, tapped for a fitting, flexible hose and oil pressure gauge. I bolt the pump to it, drop in the parts washer and spin it up with a ½” drill. What I see there, I see in the car. Been doing it this way since that day. Before synthetic oil too. <G>

[BlueOval Ralph]

McClintock?

Originally Posted by Ed Wright

Wish I could think of the guy's name that got me thinking correctly about sbc's oil pumps. He was a Modified & Comp engine builder from New Mexico in the '70s. Wish I could think of his name now. (I’m old) Had the pick up tube fall out of the oil pump in my ’56 Chevy at Albuquerque NM. Too much blowing sand & dirt to pull the pan there! I just loaded up. He was asking what happened, and told me I should be pulling the spring and braze the pick up in place, then ask how much oil pressure I had? I proudly announced “65 psi!” He said, “And a high volume pump?” I said “Yes!” He then screwed my head on straight about pumps and pressure. I have an old rear main cap, tapped for a fitting, flexible hose and oil pressure gauge. I bolt the pump to it, drop in the parts washer and spin it up with a ½” drill. What I see there, I see in the car. Been doing it this way since that day. Before synthetic oil too. <G>

[Ed Wright]

Originally Posted by BlueOval Ralph

McClintock?

Sounds right.

[BlueOval Ralph]

ran a Street Roadster

Originally Posted by Ed Wright

Sounds right.

[Ed Wright]

Originally Posted by BlueOval Ralph

ran a Street Roadster

Yep. That's him.

[Pvt Parts]

Originally Posted by Ed Wright

Wish I could think of the guy's name that got me thinking correctly about sbc's oil pumps. He was a Modified & Comp engine builder from New Mexico in the '70s. Wish I could think of his name now. (I’m old) Had the pick up tube fall out of the oil pump in my ’56 Chevy at Albuquerque NM. Too much blowing sand & dirt to pull the pan there! I just loaded up. He was asking what happened, and told me I should be pulling the spring and braze the pick up in place, then ask how much oil pressure I had? I proudly announced “65 psi!” He said, “And a high volume pump?” I said “Yes!” He then screwed my head on straight about pumps and pressure. I have an old rear main cap, tapped for a fitting, flexible hose and oil pressure gauge. I bolt the pump to it, drop in the parts washer and spin it up with a ½” drill. What I see there, I see in the car. Been doing it this way since that day. Before synthetic oil too. <G>

Mike Keown got me up to speed on the pumps. I was getting the good synthetic from Alaska and overseas before it was available here. I worked at one of the largest Chevrolet Dealers in Indy when I got out of school. The 302 cid Z28's did have a problem with pumping the pan dry. A lot of it could have been abuse.... not enough oil to start with and too many rpm's. They'd usually spin 1 and 2 or fly apart. I remember getting a repair order to check a Z28 for a blown engine. You never know what the customer told the service writer. It could be anything. I got in the car and was going to drive it into the bay when I noticed the beam of a connecting rod sitting on top of the console. You see it all when you work in a large dealership.

[Ed Wright]

Originally Posted by Pvt Parts

Mike Keown got me up to speed on the pumps. I was getting the good synthetic from Alaska and overseas before it was available here. I worked at one of the largest Chevrolet Dealers in Indy when I got out of school. The 302 cid Z28's did have a problem with pumping the pan dry. A lot of it could have been abuse.... not enough oil to start with and too many rpm's. They'd usually spin 1 and 2 or fly apart. I remember getting a repair order to check a Z28 for a blown engine. You never know what the customer told the service writer. It could be anything. I got in the car and was going to drive it into the bay when I noticed the beam of a connecting rod sitting on top of the console. You see it all when you work in a large dealership.

I know guys that raced those things off the warantee book. LOL Probably the hardest driven new GM cars ever.

[Pvt Parts]

Originally Posted by Ed Wright

I know guys that raced those things off the warantee book. LOL Probably the hardest driven new GM cars ever.

Of course, they had 5 year 50,000 mile drivetrain warranties back then. Rumor was that the Zone reps for Chevrolet and Chrysler were showing up at IRP on the weekends taking license plate numbers. There was a lot of other funny business going on back then as well.

Ex: A buddy drives in with a '69 Z28 complaining about chattering and whining noises coming from the rear end. With a little "persuasion", the stock 3.73 and carrier unit comes out and a new #4 carrier, bearings, clutches and 4.10 r&p goes back in.

You saw that kind of thing happen quite often. I had buddies that worked at Chrlysler dealers and the same thing went on there too. Bob Glidden worked at the Ford dealer right down the street from me. I can't speak for what went on there.

The dealer I worked at had 2 brand new '69 ZL1's sitting out front. Wish I had one of those now.

[Ed Wright]

Originally Posted by Pvt Parts

Of course, they had 5 year 50,000 mile drivetrain warranties back then. Rumor was that the Zone reps for Chevrolet and Chrysler were showing up at IRP on the weekends taking license plate numbers. There was a lot of other funny business going on back then as well.

The dealer I worked at had 2 brand new '69 ZL1's sitting out front. Wish I had one of those now.

If we did we could retire, right?