Oddfire oil pressure?

[kapri]

The engine in the T is all up and running with about 500 miles under its belt. He started it the other day and oil pressure seems low all of a sudden? It's been 20 lbs hot ticking over with 40 at revs ( standard relief spring put in with high volume oil pump rebuild kit ). Now it's dropped to about 35 at revs and about 10 on tick over ? Will teh 60lb spring raise pressure lowerdown as well ?

Anything that may be causing it youcan think off ? No knocks or strange noises at all.I'm incline dto think it's dodgy gauge but don't want to cook it (again ) over something simple .
Decent early SE spec 20/50 oil ,with added ZDDP to stp the cam wiping, and new filter when it was started .

[cammerjeff]

The 60 psi spring will raise it up, but I would hook up a direct reading test gauge before I did anything else, if it isn't an indication problem, something made it lose 5 psi, my 78 evenfire with the same oil pump and spring runs 15 psi at hot idle, and 45 psi over 2000 RPM, I don't think to 10 psi is an issue if everything else is ok, I had a 83 evenfire that idles at about 2 psi and came up to 20 at 2000 rpm, and it ran that way for over 10 years!!!! It would even make the Oil idiot light come off and on!!!!

!st I would make sure it isn't an indication problem, them if you aren't leaking any oil from the oil gallery plugs, I would check what oil pressure is getting to the upper end, the Odd fires oil the rockers through the cam shaft pedalstles correct? I would find the cap for that oil passage and hook a gauge up there and see what it has. If it is below 5 psi I would worry. Over that I wouldn't.

The only place I could see you loosing 5 to 10 PSI suddenly would be a bad relief spring, are you taking the oil pressure reading at the stock location near the pump? Maybe a bad filter?

[kapri]

Thanks.Sorted it today, oil pressure reading was coming up slowly . Took the pipe of the back of eth gauge and cranked it threw the oil about 6 inches. Took it off at the block end and crankedit, threw it 6 feet ! Blew the oil line through and ,currently all back as was ...PHEW!

[cammerjeff]

Great news!!!

[kapri]

Just an update to say the engine is running real fine but we are still breaking it in . Only clocked about 600 miles on it so far and the 10 inches of snow we've had lately means traction is an issue without even thinking about lack of roof or heater

[kapri]

WOW ,is it just over 3 years since I was on here last ? They say time flies quickly when you get older !!

Back to pick your collective brains please .

Oil pump issues again .Oil pressure has dropped and it's down to the oil pump body, rotor to body clearances of almost 0.010" at the worst places on the 'slave' cog.

It ended up showing up as lifter clatter at high revs

I've been hunting the 'net for him and can find repair kits but not complete front covers ? Are they avaialble still at all / are they the same as the V8 Buick and same question for them.

Thanks
Kev

[cosvega76]

I've been hunting the 'net for him and can find repair kits but not complete front covers ? Are they avaialble still at all / are they the same as the V8 Buick and same question for them.

Thanks
Kev

These aren't cheap, but they're brand new:

http://www.taperformance.com/proddetail ... od=TA_1530


Chuck

[cammerjeff]

I have been told by many Buick Guys to never reuse a Buick Front cover, but I have done so with out issues.

It may help to also look for Buick 350 front covers, they will work also

They are also available on E-bay for a little less, and for the Oil pump kit are you using the High Volume Kit, or just the High pressure kit? everything I have read says to use the High VOLUME kit.

Below are a few Ebay links to front covers

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1978-1987-V6-3- ... bf&vxp=mtr

http://www.ebay.com/itm/V6-BUICK-FRONT- ... 93&vxp=mtr

Here is a High Volume Oil Pump Kit, it uses taller gears and also a spacer plate for between the oil pump housing and oil filter adaptor.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Melling-K-20IHV ... 5a&vxp=mtr

[kapri]

We were running a high volume pump conversion on the cover but are now back to a low mileage standard cover we found we had 'in stock' .Checked rotor to body clearances at 0.0015" so OEM standard .

After changing everything over took it for a test run and clatter is still there

Starting from cold oil pressure is 40psi dropping to 20 psi once hot ( so did the previous pump ) . Once he takes it for a run the oil pressure can be zero on his return but absolutely NO noises on tickover, used a stethoscope all over and sounds fine.

No noises at all when revving up stationary .

However at a steady 3000 rpm he's getting this clatter . Is there anything that could be allowing oil to return straight to sump ?
Does anyone have an oil flow diagram so I can try to see what is happeningplease?

[OldsStarfire]

Did you check to see if the oil was pooling in the valve covers? Sometimes gasket mismatch causes the drain back holes to be partially clogged.