<VV> Oil Pressure Question

[Bob Gilbert]

Hi Bob,

 

Good advice - thanks.

 

My next step is to check the end plate clearance, if only to reassure myself
that I did it properly. Right now, assuming the gauge is accurate, hot idle
is just under 15 PSI so I'm not too concerned about any serious internal
engine problems. Later I'll check the hot pressure at 4,000 RPM. 

 

Regards,

Bob

 

 

From: BobHelt at aol.com [mailto:BobHelt at aol.com] 
Sent: May-07-12 9:20 AM
To: bgilbert at gilberts-bc.ca; virtualvairs at corvair.org
Subject: Re: <VV> Oil Pressure Question

 

Hello Bob,

May I suggest that you are delving into the black unknown here with your
inquiry? 

There are no specs for pressures made via end plate clearances, and highly
unlikely that there is any VALID experimental data either. Set it to the
specs and forget it.

 

In addition there is no pressure spec for 2500 rpm.  So I suggest you stick
with the known specs and data, The important data point is what pressure do
you get at a normal idle speed with a HOT engine and spec'd oil grade? More
too...If I remember correctly, the original spec was for a minimum of 4 PSI.
but the oil light is controlled by the snap switch and there are several
types in use with different pressure activation points. So the best thing is
to install an accurate pressure gauge and measure the pressure at a hot
idle. That is your basic criterion. it should be about 10-15 PSI min.

 

Then if you are interested, measure the hot pressure at 4000 rpm and see
what you get. The spec varies slightly from engine to engine (em vs late
basically). But 40 PSI is about max. If the idle pressure is around 10-15
psi, then you can stretch the pressure relief spring slightly to increase
the max pressure. The max pressure is NOT critical though as long as it is
in the 40 PSI ballpark.

 

IF and I say IF, your pressures are low, look first to the camshaft bearing
clearances. Then to the endplate clearance.

 

Good luck,

Regards,

Bob Helt

 

In a message dated 5/7/2012 7:58:06 A.M. US Mountain Standard Time,
bgilbert at gilberts-bc.ca writes:

Assuming for the moment that the engine is OK and the problem is with the
oil pump, is it in fact OK to run with 20 PSI? Given that GM engineered the
oil pressure light to come on at about 5-6 PSI, then could one assume that
anything over that is "good enough". Is it ? 



Put another way, 45 PSI of oil pressure sounds better than 35 PSI and that
sounds better than 25 PSI and so on but does it really make any difference -
assuming that the motor is in good shape?

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