Gents, been getting more shakedown miles on my Pontiac. Working through the issues that you often find in a new build, there hav been several. One I could use some help on is normal oil pressure on these Babbitt stovebolts. Running a speedway beehive filter which I believe is intended more for a Ford flathead? Running oil pressure once the engine is warm is about 10psi at cruise and 4 to 5psi at idle. Aware that we’re only oiling the mains and valve train under pressure. Current oil is what I run in all my flat tappet engines, 15w-40 diesel oil. Does the speedway filter allow to much bypass or are those normal numbers for these engines. Did search the archives and found nothing more specific than passing comments on oil pressure. The engine seems perfectly happy with this amount pressure. Al
I don’t have specs , but a Babbitt engine runs in very low pressure . the lines coming and going from your filter need to be a small ID most guys use grease gun hoses I think 3/16th Id.
The filter is a bypass style. If the bypass is too big, you will have less pressure for oil in the engine. But as many previous replies said, these engines do not run more than 15 psi when cold, and 10 psi hot running down the road. Idle may not even register on the gauge much. Original design had no filter, your bypass filter will help keep the oil a but cleaner, but you are still pumping straight oil sump oil into the engine for primary oiling.
I have a 1950 Chevy 3100 with a Babbitt 216. I took the pan down to adjust the rod and main bearings before taking it to Bowling Green with Lloyd. Before the pan came down, I had almost zero at idle and maybe 8 at 2500 RPM. When I finished, 6 aggravating hours later and a strip of plastigage, I had 6 at idle and 15 at 2500, hot with 15w-40. Good enough. Lloydfest will be the last hurrah for the 216. The weekend after Lloydfest, it comes out for a 350/350.
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