low oil pressure

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hairy72

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i have a 318 that i built a few months ago. recently i noticed that when i take off quickly my oil pressure goes to zero then it shoots up. also my oil pressure at idle is 15psi is that normal.
 
sounds like the oil level is low or the pickup is sucking air. did you change the oil pan or pickup? it should be about 1/8- 1/4" off the bottom of the pan.
 
Try revving the engine in neutral. The oil pressure should increase with RPM up to a point and then hold steady once the bypass opens. If you drop pressure as revs increase, especially above 3500 RPM or so, this is a classic symptom of excessive rod bearing clearance. Another quick check... add a quart above the level you run now. If this fixes the problem, you are uncovering the pickup. Don't run the engine hard if this your problem! You will starve it for oil when it needs it the most, dramatically shortening the life of your bottom end.

BTW what is your peak and cruise oil pressure reading? 15 PSI at idle (warm) is plenty.
 
Qiuck answer, try ading 1qt of oil if it's full. If it's not full, make sure it is and see iof the problem persists. If it does, adda a quart. I agree, sounds like an uncovered pickup. Are you sure the oil level is right?
 
the oil is at the full line. what should i do. should i drop the pan and check it out.
 
I had the same problem on my freshly built 340 and I had to put a bigger pan on it. I think it's a combo of things mainly loose bearings and your pumping more oil out of the pan then stock and add on top of that some g forces complicating things. If things were to stock specs a stock pan works great but at add some wear on the bearings and go fast parts and things don't work like they should.
 
id drop another quart of oil in it before pulling the pan. do you have the right dipstick? my pickup doesnt so i always have to add an extra quart to bring it up to full.
 
I've got one doing something similar.

Cold idle pressure about 25-30, hot is 15 or so.
Once revved up to 2500, 50-60 psi when hot.

The bottom of the pan is smashed up pretty bad. Thinking the pickup is too close and choking off oil supply when hot.
 
My dipstick is wrong in my 273. Fresh oil change , add 5 qts. shows 1 over on the stick. Thus the full mark is a qt. low. Good luck
 
i added an extra quart but it is still doing it.
 
If you don`t have baffling in your pan, you should add some. A thicker oil like 20w/50 will increase your pressure some too.
 
It could also be the your pickup tube has loosened causing the pickup tube to swing some and getting uncovered when you turn. I'm not 100% positive but that's what it sounds like to me.
 
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