Well finally fired up my 331 Caddy motor this week. Have a low oil pressure issue. The oil pump was packed with ***embly lube at the time of the build. We used a drill to prime the pump and was able to get about 12-15lbs of pressure. Hooked up an after market Moon gauge (used one) on the interior ,fired the motor at got 7 lbs of pressure, then switched over to the original gauge and it read 4-5 lbs of pressure. Only ran it a few seconds because of the low pressure. Motor has all the stock parts except for an after market oil filter cannister. I had a restricter installed on the return line that drips onto the timing chain. Which reduces the flow of the return line BUT the other cannister line has a larger diameter than the original. Plan To use a new SW gauge to check oil pressure and maybe install original cannister with original lines that have a smaller diameter than what is on there now. (aftermarket) Anyone have any thoughts?????
I would agree with Steve, can't imagine oil splashing in the valley for another reason with just the pump turning.
One possible explanation of oil spraying up into the bottom of valley; if it's like an early Olds, those have an oil spray hole in each rod that sprays the bottom of piston. So, if the crank throw oil hole was lined up perfectly with one of these rod spray holes, would it spray up enough to get up there? on the filter. If you think it is p***ing too much flow, try plugging the hole that feeds the inlet side hose to the filter. A run for a few seconds with a known good accurate gauge should tell.
In the back near the distributor hole. Read on line should be a plug in that area. Ging to take a small mirror and look tonight
If you look down the distributor hole, about 2" down from the distributor mounting face, there should be a plug/welshplug about 1/2" dia cup style that plugs up the (your drivers side) lifter oil gallery that runs thru to the front of the block. You get access to it through the rear of the block through another disc style plug. Did you or your M/C shop take it out to clean out oil gallery when rebuilding the block? It would be an easy one to miss while rebuilding.
Pulling ****** tomorrow . Can access the 1/2 pug that's missing through a 1 1/16 plug in the rear of the block. Doing the plug Thursday. Thanks for your input.
Does it look like there is enough room to pull the transmission, and also be able to get the bell housing off? anyways, when you do get the trans off; I never read on your thread if you put the full face gasket between trans and bell. It needs one one more thing; even if the trans and bell can be removed...is the firewall going to block a clear path to the big plug on the block? I don't recall how Mark did the firewall/and removable trans cover.
Frank I think the housing will come off. We'll see tomorrow **** no I didn't put the gasket. Forgot. I think I know where I put it. I hope ?? Where can i get one if not? Pretty sure we can get where we need to get through the housing to the plug..???
If you don't have the trans out yet, the gasket would look almost like the entire front face of a Muncie/or T-10 trans. Yes, that will work. Make a tracing by holding the material up against the bell housing face.
I don't know if this applies to the Caddy or not, but on the early Olds Rocket engines, the oil gallery plug by the distributor hole has a small hole (~1/16"dia.)that shoots oil onto the distributor shaft.
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