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SBC Oiling mods? Hight RPM for more than 1640'

Richard150MPH

Veteran Member
Thought about putting this in my El Camino build thread but it should apply to more than just my build.
I am going through a couple of books I have but not certain they will have what I am looking for.

Goal is "Better" oil pressure and control at all times.
So more than the measly 10-15 PSI after break-in that seems so common.
But not so much at RPM that seals get blown, "Crank Winding" robs power, the valve seals are overcome, etc.
Looking for cleaner flow, not just more or higher pressure.

Interested in any hints.
This is not drag race which is clearly the main focus of many Chevelle owners, more like GT/Road Race.
 
The guy that build my Engine (GEN1 SBC 406) Mark Jones, does his own oil mods. He also sells pans with his mods done. This is with a Standard oil pump. I do not know what his mods entail as I have not taken his engine down. I have over 10K miles on it in a year and a half and I would call that broke-in. I get 80psi on startup, 65psi warm and cruising, 40psi oil hot and idle.

Aren't you going LS? There are some small items to get a higher oil psi and distribution. Most recently done to my my Sons 5.3 and he gets 60psi on start, 50psi when cruise, and 40psi at hot idle.

As for Seals pushing out, this comes in to play with setting up your engine to properly breath, whether its breathers, Pumps, or PCV, but an evacuation system to help relieve that pressure.
 
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Gen 1 high nickel 4-bolt 333".
Seems a standard pressure high volume pump and a bit of blending at the pump mount and oil filter passage should be sufficient.
There are also some tricks with magnets to keep suspended metal particles out of the oil.
Screens mounted in the oil return galleys.
But the most important seems to be a crank scraper, windage tray and properly baffled oil pan.
May have to make some of that on my own as it seems EVERY off the shelf piece is clearanced for a stroker build.
My build is a shorter 3.25" stroke, so the clearance would be too great to be fully effective.

There may be more tricks I am not aware of, why I posted.
Grumpy Jenkins has a lot posted but his page is a headache to read as so much of his information is repeated over and over.
 
Great infor Rich !

Yes a lot of good info out there though. I think the majority now go for a standard volume pump with the yellow spring to get the pressure they want. After that the purple if needed more. Another good piece of info is to install the windage tray, and then fill the pan with oil while NOT installed in the car. That way you ensure you are NOT filling the pan past the windage tray. My 7qt pan only requires 6.25qt to be 1/4 in under the tray. Install pan snuggly to the block with gasket just with a few pan bolts. Insert dipstick, pullout and remark where your new oil fill height is with a Dremel.

To keep more particles out, yes I use magnets. a large magnet on the bottom of the pan near the drain, and a large one on the bottom of the oil filter.
 
Another good piece of info is to install the windage tray, and then fill the pan with oil while NOT installed in the car. That way you ensure you are NOT filling the pan past the windage tray.
My 7qt pan only requires 6.25qt to be 1/4 in under the tray. Install pan snuggly to the block with gasket just with a few pan bolts. Insert dipstick, pullout and remark where your new oil fill height is with a Dremel.
To keep more particles out, yes I use magnets. a large magnet on the bottom of the pan near the drain, and a large one on the bottom of the oil filter.
Have windage trays been replaced by built-in screens and scrapers ? I believe so.
Seems like all the good oil pans have built-in screens. Forget those old trays and extended main cap bolts ! :)
Unless you already have the old setup and don't want to spend another $300 on an oil pan !
 
Exactly. Grumpy Jenkins said pressure is more important than volume. You need 10 psi pressure for every 1000 rpm.
70 psi for 7000; 60 psi for 6000
You don't even need that. Some of the Stocker guys I know that race only have 30psi of oil pressure at the end of the track and some I am told can have as low as 5psi at the end but they do click it off real quick.
 
HV pumps are even worse for road racing... pump all the oil into the valvecover in a long high-rpm corner and it can't drain back until you're out of the corner.

LOTS of blown up engines in the Carousel at Road America for this reason.
 
Even for standard pumps some are going to be better than others.
There should be some out there with lapped gears for less than $400.
Certainly not using a $20 special.
Recommendations?
 
If you have a GM pump that's in good shape, I wouldn't hesitate to use it. Pull it apart make sure the gears are good, check the end clearance on the gears.
 
Even for standard pumps some are going to be better than others.
There should be some out there with lapped gears for less than $400.
Certainly not using a $20 special.
Recommendations?
Nothing wrong with a stock melling pump with a high pressure spring.
Oil pumps are very reliable. After all, they operate submerged in oil !
 
Last year in a 400 I sold the original pump would put out 35psi max and the engine never had a problem. Before I sold it I put in a new Melling M-55 std. vol. oil pump. Now when I spun it over with my drill I had 60psi so the old pump was just that, old.
 
Finally got a pan and pump ordered.
Went with a semi-custom Kevco 1091-RR and 10553 oil pump.
This was one of the less expensive options but still about $550.00 for everything.
No one has pans in stock but this one should be here in about two weeks.
 
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