adjusting oil pressure

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440+6scamp

440+6scamp

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I think my oil pressure is a little on the high side. My gauge is pegged. The gauge doesn't have #'s so I hooked a mechanical gauge to it. If I remember correctly (been several months), it was 70-75 at idle. The car smokes a little from time to time. I think I traced it down to oil entering the carb at the PCV hose. The hose is 30" long and te valve cover has a baffle. I also have a lot of trouble getting the valve covers to seal. Does it sound like the pressure is too high? What should it be and how can I lower it (spring in the pump)?
 
Sorry, this is a rebuilt 440. I've got 450 miles on it.
 
I just fired mine (440) about a month ago with a high volume pump and have 75 to 80 at idle. Same as the one right before it. I built mine tight so I expected the pressure to be that high. My sons 360 I built 3 years ago is still running 65-70 at idle with 15,000 miles. I wouldn't worry about it. JMO.
Are you using cork gaskets? Maybe over tightening them. I'm running rubber cover gaskets and no issues.
 
My 440 idles at 80-82 ish with 15/50 synthetic oil and a restrictive oil filter, maybe change to a straight 30 weight and try a different filter-not knowing which you have so Im just guessing and see what happens but what you have isnt gonna hurt anything.
 
I do have cork gaskets. I silconed the gasket to the cover as well as around the bottom 1/2 of the head (just 1/2 of the head so I can get the cover back off). I'm also using hold down bars that spread the bolt load out. I have the factory stamped covers. I would like to use more rigid AL ones but I don't have room w/ my custom headers. I'm not over-tightening the bolts... barely get them snug. I resnug them every other time I run the motor. The covers seal for awhile but eventually become saturated and start leaking again.

Someone told be I can put a restriction in the PCV hose to cut down on oil getting to the carb. I'll try that.
 
That is insane oil preasure! If your 70-80 PSi at idle hot in drive your using alot of power to turn that pump. I would be worried about Blowing the oil filter apart at the seam when I cranked it cold. The rule of thumb is 10 psi per 1000 RPM at normal operating temp.
 
Very simple solution,replace the relief spring with a one of less tension and check the PSI.Melling sells different tensions of springs to set the pressure for the type of oil you wish,mrmopartech
 
try this with the gaskets. remove the old ones. tap the under side of the bolt holes to get them flat. apply silicon to the valve covers. sit them on a flat surface, gasket down. place a board on the two of them together. place a heavy object on them, like a brick or something of that weight. let them dry for several hours. apply grease to the gasket surface and install them. bolt them on with criss cross pattern. tighten them has you have been doing.
 
SGBARRACUDA said:
That is insane oil preasure! If your 70-80 PSi at idle hot in drive your using alot of power to turn that pump. I would be worried about Blowing the oil filter apart at the seam when I cranked it cold. The rule of thumb is 10 psi per 1000 RPM at normal operating temp.
Click to expand...

My 09 hemi isn't even that low running 5w-20. It runs about 25-30 at normal operating temp in gear. I'm running 20-50 racing oil in my 440 with the racing filters. Not really worried about splitting a filter.
 
Thanks for the gasket tip Bob.

I've looked for different oil pump springs but only found one that is supposed to increase the pressure.
 
Take the oil pump off and disassemble it to make sure there's no debris in or burrs on the relief valve. It should not have anywhere near that at idle, even with tight new bearing clearances and an HV pump. You should have around 40psi at idle with an HV pump, and around 85 above 2500. With a standard pump (which is what should be on it if it's a rebuilt fresh 440) with the HP spring it should have around 15-20psi at idle, with 75psi above 3000. You're using a TON of power to turn the pump when there's that much pressure.

On the valve covers, instead of using RTV, use 3M weatherstrip adhesive to glue them to the covers. It is oil proof and holds much tighter in about 2 minutes.
 
1970duster440 said:
My 09 hemi isn't even that low running 5w-20. It runs about 25-30 at normal operating temp in gear. I'm running 20-50 racing oil in my 440 with the racing filters. Not really worried about splitting a filter.
Click to expand...

I wasn't worried about splitting a filter either. Until it happened on a 289 I built along time ago,The bypass valve in the new TRW pump was stuck and it blew the filter apart at the seam in my driveway and my girl friend drove it about 15 miles until the engine made so much noise she shut it off. But the damage was done.
 
I just changed the cam. I plan on breaking it in tonight. I'll hook a mechanical gauge up to it and see exactly where it's at.
 
Well, I believe I found the cause of the high oil pressure. Apparently when you buy a high pressure pump you will have high pressure. Imagine that.

I'll replace the spring w/ one from a stock pump and see what that does for it.
 
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