Posted By: mshred
UPDATE- High oil pressure after tubing lifter gallery - 06/25/14 06:03 AM
So some of you might rememeber my lengthy thread from not too long ago about my very low oil pressure issue. I ended up tubing my block as per the mopar performance manual, got it all cleaned up and assembled and went to go prime the engine on the stand today. The only changes I made were- tubing the block, removing the restrictors I installed feeding the rocker shafts in the Indy heads, and removing the high pressure spring from my high volume pump and re-installing the standard pressure spring.
Using a quite weak air powered drill, pressure pegged the 100 psi on the gauge instantly, with little to no drop at all. Oil is getting to the heads and draining back sufficiently. I am thinking that possibly now with the lifter gallery tubed the oil pressure is much higher since there is less area for oil to bleed out/fill in.
Has anybody had this issue before? I am certain the cup plug was installed the correct way on the oil pump. At this point I am going to try installing the standard volume pump, but just wondering if this is normal after tubing the block and if it could be something else I have looked over?
Posted By: W5DART66
Re: UPDATE- High oil pressure after tubing lifter gallery - 06/25/14 06:18 AM
Sounds like pressure release is stuck in the pump. Just takes smallest speck of dirt or scratch to stick them.
Posted By: MR_P_BODY
Re: UPDATE- High oil pressure after tubing lifter gallery - 06/25/14 02:47 PM
Put the standard pump on and see what you get...
so all of the massive leak was in the lifters
Posted By: mshred
Re: UPDATE- High oil pressure after tubing lifter gallery - 06/25/14 03:29 PM
If the bypass is being stuck open, is that something I can check for when removing the pump? How can I see if that was the problem- pull the cup for the bypass spring out and the spring and take a looksie?
Other then running the engine on an engine stand (And it is not totally buttoned up yet), how would I be able to see what the hot oil does? I have had 70 psi cold before in other motors, but never 100. That just seems way too high cold, even with 10w30wt oil like I used to prime it.
And yes, it did end up being the lifters that were causing my pressure loss. I still kept the intake off when I was priming just to watch drainback from the heads and to see if the mod worked in blocking the oil from the lifters. The cam bearings at #2 and #4 are draining losing oil, but it must be normal and I just did not know what to expect when watching oil coming from the full groove cam journals since the oil pressure is now quite high.
Posted By: SB412DUSTER
Re: UPDATE- High oil pressure after tubing lifter gallery - 06/25/14 04:05 PM
The oil pump runs at half engine speed and most drills usually turns faster than that, So what you are seeing may not be what it will be when it is running
Posted By: pittsburghracer
Re: UPDATE- High oil pressure after tubing lifter gallery - 06/25/14 04:34 PM
Glad things are looking better Matt. My thought on this is IF you are sure you are going to run a roller cam why wouldn't you want to do this procedure? Its not that hard to do and its controlling where you want the oil not where it wants to go. I did it on the 360 block that I am running now and using a dinky 550 lift solid cam. Its going on its third season with a standard oil pump and 10-30 Brad Penn oil. With the tubed galley you are also protected should a lifter ever pop out of the lifter bore and trust me I've seen it happen.
Posted By: CompWedgeEngines
Re: UPDATE- High oil pressure after tubing lifter gallery - 06/25/14 05:57 PM
STandard volume pump first.
Posted By: sshemi
Re: UPDATE- High oil pressure after tubing lifter gallery - 06/25/14 09:28 PM
Not unusual for melling hv pumps to give too much pressure.
Think ive had 2 or more of them.
Posted By: mshred
Re: UPDATE- High oil pressure after tubing lifter gallery - 06/25/14 10:13 PM
I know the pump turns at half engine speed, but the gauge pegs 100psi almost immediately.
I never did this mod before I put the engine together because to be honest, I never really even knew about it...I thought with "drop in" roller lifters there was no need to modify a thing.
The Melling HV pump that I put in is not a brand new untested pump, it ran all last season in this motor. So that is why I am thinking maybe the HV pump is going to now create too much pressure (yes, I did drill the holes up from the mains to the tubed gallery). I guess I can try the standard volume pump that I already have and see what happens. Hopefully everything will be ok and I can drop the engine back in the car this weekend or shortly after.
Posted By: justinp61
Re: UPDATE- High oil pressure after tubing lifter gallery - 06/25/14 11:39 PM
My 408 had quiet a bit more oil pressure when I primed it than it does running.
Posted By: n20mstr
Re: UPDATE- High oil pressure after tubing lifter gallery - 06/26/14 04:26 AM
Heat the oil on your stove, check the temp get it to about 120 or 150. Dump it in the valley then try it
Posted By: CRIKEY
Re: UPDATE- High oil pressure after tubing lifter gallery - 06/26/14 11:38 AM
your reading is inaccurate if you are not turn the crankshaft.
Posted By: mshred
Re: UPDATE- High oil pressure after tubing lifter gallery - 06/27/14 04:40 AM
I always do turn the crank when I am priming the motor...made no difference.
Anyways, I installed the standard volume pump and standard pressure spring back in, no other changes...same oil, same temperature, I got 70-75psi on the gauge. Bolted the intake on, and this thing is finally ready to go back in the car.
I am keeping my fingers crossed that this is the last stupid roadblock I encounter this season. If I tear into the engine to change anything over the winter other then broken parts, someone please come and knock me on my ass! LOL...I am done working on issues and just want to race and dial this combo in
Posted By: b1dartsport
Re: UPDATE- High oil pressure after tubing lifter gallery - 06/27/14 01:29 PM
I have always tubed all my small blocks with solids or solid rollers. The other added benefit is that when you go to check bearings when freshening the motor you are going to be pleasantly surprised on how good of condition they will be in after a lot of runs or street miles-Randy