Question: Oil pump specs

[G Winter]

I don't know how long you have run the engine since the initial rebuild but I would think an oil flow restriction would very quickly manifest itself in a bearing failure.
Have you checked the oil pressure at the front of the engine?
that would tell you a little on restriction.If you really do have a problem with valve cover leak, are you cleaning all the oil from the surfaces? Seems like oil between a sealing surface creates a path.

Glenn

 

[Kid_Again]

OK, I read these posts. Thanks, got it. I'll post a picture of my current oil pump in a few. It looks like the more robust pump but will have to check the paperwork to see if it's Melling.

I am meticulous in wiping every drop of oil off before I take a ride and assess the the mess when I get home so I think I'm pretty consistent in my observations. How do I check oil pressure in the front of the engine?

I take your point about a restriction leading to permature bearing failure but the observation of consistently high oil pressure readings with two different gauges, oil infiltration into the intake manifold that I fixed and oil leaking from the oil filter and valve covers is driving me nuts.

Perhaps you'll see me and the block on Ghost Hunters. Frikkin' thing is either haunted or I have missed something REALLY simple. Thanks for the help, guys.

VNV is now betting that there's something wrong with the bypass valve at the top of the oil filter.

 

[Kid_Again]

OK, here's my current oil pump that I bought from SummitJegs. It does not look like a "weak" pump (if anything, it's on steroids). You can see the wear pattern on the gears (very few miles) and the spring specs out to what JohnZ says is the real deal.

Go figure.

 

[Kid_Again]

After just finishing my morning coffee...and reading the above... it was enough to send me running to the out house to relieve my colon....otfl

Yeah, I think the Armed Forces ALMOST got it right with the .223. Since I prefer MORE POWER, I like a TAD bit bigger case behind the pill. I use a 65 grain (I think) Hornady soft spire point boat tail bullet behind as much powder (forget which) that I can fit into the case.

The rifle is a single shot falling block Ruger with a Bushnell 24x scope that is a tack driver out to 300+ yards on a calm day (small bullets can drift a LOT). Makes varmit's little heads go "POOF" in a little pink cloud.

>SNIFF< It's beautiful man.

 

[Tom Bryant]

You should get a more accurate oil pressure reading at the front of the block since you are reading pressure at the farthest point from the pump instead of directly off of the pump at the rear. There should not be any significant drop of pressure from rear to front. The galley plug at the front is just in back of the water pump just below the intake. See picture. Connect your line kit as you would at the rear or get a good oil filled direct mount guage that you can screw directly into the hole from Summit, Jegs or Moon.

Tom

 

[Kid_Again]

You should get a more accurate oil pressure reading at the front of the block since you are reading pressure at the farthest point from the pump instead of directly off of the pump at the rear. There should not be any significant drop of pressure from rear to front. The galley plug at the front is just in back of the water pump just below the intake. See picture. Connect your line kit as you would at the rear or get a good oil filled direct mount guage that you can screw directly into the hole from Summit, Jegs or Moon.

Tom

Now THAT is one hell of a tip.

Thank you very much! I WONDERED what that plug was for.

 

[JohnZ]

Now THAT is one hell of a tip.

Thank you very much! I WONDERED what that plug was for.

You'll only find that hole/plug on a Flint block - Tonawanda and McKinnon blocks didn't have it (difference in machining processes).

 

[Viet Nam Vett]

You'll only find that hole/plug on a Flint block - Tonawanda and McKinnon blocks didn't have it (difference in machining processes).

Can you say ...383 short block...

 

[Viet Nam Vett]

Now THAT is one hell of a tip.

Thank you very much! I WONDERED what that plug was for.

Heh... I called you ...check your office phone messages... got a line on an old block.:eyerole

 

[Kid_Again]

You'll only find that hole/plug on a Flint block - Tonawanda and McKinnon blocks didn't have it (difference in machining processes).

I didn't know there was such a thing as a McKinnon block.

Thanks!

 

[Tom Bryant]

You'll only find that hole/plug on a Flint block - Tonawanda and McKinnon blocks didn't have it (difference in machining processes).

Now there's another good tip. I didn't know this.

Tom

 

[JohnZ]

I didn't know there was such a thing as a McKinnon block.

Thanks!

McKinnon Industries (St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada) was the third source for SB V-8's - they supplied the Oshawa plants and several of the northeastern U.S. Chevy plants. Later re-named "St. Catherines Engine Plant", which is where all the Corvette "LS" engines (and many other passenger and truck "LS" usages) have been built since 1997. McKinnon-built small-blocks had a "K" prefix on the stamp pad.

 

[dwsjr50]

Thank you

I have been following this thread since the beginning. I also have the St. Catherines 327 ci block Stamped 0100397 with the original heads in a 1971 Monte Carlo. It has been rebuilt but the block has not been decked. I also have been fighting the valve cover leaks and the intake has some small leaks also. I have settled on an old set of valve covers from my old 1977 Caprice classic. Moroso permaseal gaskets and a 1/8 coating of Permatex have cut the oil leaks down considerably but the lower right corners still leak. Maybe 1/2 dozen gasket
changes on valve cover gaskets and 3 different sets of intake gaskets using Edelbrock non egr intake and permaseal intake gaskets.
I have a Moroso standard oil pump 65 psi at start up, 25 psi at idle 800 rpm. I have been using Amsoil 5w-30 + Eao-24 spin on filter. I also have the early style cannister setup with the Mr. Gasket adapter and have drips around the seal on start up. I am also considering a crate engine.


Thanks again,
Donald

 

[G Winter]

The way I have stopped some valve cover oil leaks is to not use a gasket. Clean both surfaces perfectly clean. Then clean with brake cleaner, be sure there is no trace of oil.Put a continues 1/4 in bead of RTV silicone on the cover gasket surface. Lay the cover on the head gently. Install bolts just that they are started. Wait an hr the gently tighten the bolts just to the stopping point . Allow to dry overnight before starting engine.

Glenn

 

[Kid_Again]

I have been following this thread since the beginning. I also have the St. Catherines 327 ci block Stamped 0100397 with the original heads in a 1971 Monte Carlo. It has been rebuilt but the block has not been decked. I also have been fighting the valve cover leaks and the intake has some small leaks also. I have settled on an old set of valve covers from my old 1977 Caprice classic. Moroso permaseal gaskets and a 1/8 coating of Permatex have cut the oil leaks down considerably but the lower right corners still leak. Maybe 1/2 dozen gasket
changes on valve cover gaskets and 3 different sets of intake gaskets using Edelbrock non egr intake and permaseal intake gaskets.
I have a Moroso standard oil pump 65 psi at start up, 25 psi at idle 800 rpm. I have been using Amsoil 5w-30 + Eao-24 spin on filter. I also have the early style cannister setup with the Mr. Gasket adapter and have drips around the seal on start up. I am also considering a crate engine.


Thanks again,
Donald

WOW

Nice to know that I'm not alone. The only difference that I can see between your problem and mine is that on my engine, the oil pressure NEVER gets below 40 psi unless I shut off the engine. My engine is a Flint engine.

I should know whether my problem is fixed or not within a day or so.

I may be praying to the crate engine gods soon.:BOW