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The normal operating oil pressure read on the dash gauge should be 12-20 psi. 30 psi indicates defective gauge, stuck pump relief valve, and/or plugged oil press lines. I think that I would check the oil press with a proven 0-30 PSI gauge first. The pick-up point for that gauge is from the block oil gallery after some pump output oil has been shunted to the front main bearing & #1 conn rod brg, the front cam bearing and on into front gear housing via the governor mechanism. From the oil gallery there are 3 paths (4 paths if you have an oil filter) 1 ea to pressure lube the center and rear main brgs and on to #2,3, & 4 conn rod brgs. The remaining path is up through the block to the rocker arm tube via the center support, lubing the valve running gear and then running off the top deck down the pushrod tubes lubing lifters, lobes and the center & aft cam brg as it returns to the crankcase. The only path you can check with the engine running is to the top deck lube. Idle the engine with valve cover off, should have oil dripping off all 8 rkr arm brgs. Oil should drain freely pass the lifters, stacking oil indicates sludge. Given the nr of oil paths, obvious engine wear, and the low gpm of this type pump, it doesn't seem likely that a frozen pump relief valve could produce that kind of press but in the absent of a lot of sludge and everything else checks out I suppose it's possible. Go to the link, click on page G2 J1 for lube system and the following pages for oil pump & relief vl. Joe
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