WELL I FIRED UP THE 440 TODAY AFTER IT HAS SAT FOR ABOUT 2 YEARS, MY OIL PRESSURE WAS ABOUT 85psi AFTER IT WARMED UP, EVERYTHING ON THE MOTOR IS STOCK, AS FAR AS I KNOW, IS THIS PRESSURE TOO HIGH, I WOULD HAVE BEEN HAPPY TO SEE 40-50psi, I AM GOING TO TRY ANOTHER GUAGE, ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY IDEAS?
First thing to fix is you need to unstick that caps lock key on your keyboard. That is hard to read. First look at the guage, then see if its a high pressure pump.
I dont know a thing about a hemi. But thats some damn good oil pressure if its warmed up. My chevy is that high when its cold but comes down to around 40 when warmed up.
What weight of oil are you using? Keep in mind that when the coolant temp gauge hits 180* F or so, the oil is still cool and should back down to 45-55# after ten minutes or so of driving in moderate weather.
I am using 10W40, After the temp guage came up to 180 we left it running for about 10 mins. or so while we were playing with the timing, and the carb, it felt like the oil should have been up to temp by then, maybe i am looking for something wrong when there isn't? still need to try another guage, couldn't find one tonight. Oh sorry about the "caps" problem, i'll try to do better.
Did you build this engine????? 85 psi is ok at startup.......would feel better if at temp. dropped to about 55 to 60.........gotta be careful.....don't want to twist off the driveshaft. The byp*** spring is probably stuck. Before you pull the pan.....get a good, manual guage and screw it into that hole.....if its still high better check things. Blowup a oil filter or blowout the seal at the base of the filter......that could be dangerous going down the highway @ 85 MPH......
I'm curious if the oil pressure goes up with revs and goes higher than 100 psi. I still haven't figured out (read as got around to) an engine that I rebuilt that did that. Thanks, Kurt
Even cold my engine fires up at 45psi and only goes down to about 20psi if its at idle but after i get driving again it goes back up!I'm running a 6 cyl. and 10w30 oil(56 chevy 235 6cyl.)!I don't know i'm any help or not but i would check that gauge first because that should be fairly easy,just don't do it of it's hot!Hot oil burns you know!
Its not the gauge. Its not a small block chevy. Any mopar with a high volume pump will give you similar oil pressure. Its fine.
The 57 Chevy engine in my Old Roadster used to have 65PSI at startup and drop to 45PSI at idle. When warm the pressure was still 65 and same at speed, that running 10W30 oil. Engine was bored to 292, solid lifter hot cam, 11.5:1 pistons, single 4bbl. Never missed a lick and fast as hell but I always kinda worried about that pressure.
I think you have a non-problem. As noted, you can blow the - spin on type filter - cannister out if you're getting over 100# or so. When it's real cold (read 26* F) in the garage, my 462" Buick engine will fire up a little high on the RPMs due to the electric choke and oil pressure will approach 95-100#, but a quick tap on the throttle will get it off the high idle cam on the carb and it'll settle in at about 700-800 RPM and 80#. Idling for 5-10 minutes in the driveway won't bring oil temps up to any great degree. It takes some time on the road to do that. I don't have any problems hitting the freeway and running 55-60 mph, coolant at 160-180* F and 60-65# oil pressure. Kind of interesting to watch the oil pressure back down to about 45# while holding a steady 60-65 mph. Takes a while on a cold day, not too long on a hot day, but even at 90* F temps it'll be at least 10 miles at highway speed before the pressure settles in to where it should be. A couple of weeks back, 90* F @ 70.... (Left to right - Fuel press, Oil press, Tach, Vacuum, Speedo, Coolant temp, Trans temp.)
Is the pump h/val h/pres? I built a Ford 428 years ago that would peg a 100# gauge at start up. ran down the road @80 Had a rattle in lower at 10,000 dropped main caps. had a wash line thru the center of all mains.
As far as i know the motor is stock, i got it in a 30 ford rpu, it ran fine so i never felt the need to rebuild it, i am not sure if it has a high output oil pump or not, (not really sure how to tell the differance), another guy told be that the check valve may be stuck, and that since it is mounted outside on the block it's an easy thing to take appart to check, and not having any fenders helps too. i'll get time early this week to take it out and check it. thanks for the info. maybe i'll get some pictures out there soon as well.
high volume pumps use a taller gerotor in the pump, requiring a longer housing. Of course I don't have the dimensions in front of me but you could probably find them from 440 source or melling or something. There is likely nothing wrong with the byp***, it just isn't capable of venting that much fluid when the oil is cold and has a high viscosity.
Well i added a brand new stewart warner mechanical guage, it reads the same as my old stewart warner mechanical guage, i pulled the relief valve and spring appart, and didn't see anything odd in it, it came right out with a magnet and slides in and out very smooth, so i put it all back together . then i found the i d tag on the pump, "M63HP" so i am guessing that is a high output pump, so maybe this is a "non-problem"?
Was talking to the folks at TRW today about some racing specs...on a restor. job today........was looking at the computer......saw the number you listed.....had one of the old racer friends of mine look up the number in one of their old, old catalogs......and cross referenced it.......its a high pressure unit............. After you get some wear on the bottomend and the clearance opens up some.....you'll get some pressure drop when the engine gets warm.................
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