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chevy 350 oil pressure

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37 chief

02-23-2005 13:04:26

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I just installed a 350 long block in a 82 silverado. I used 5-30 oil as recomended by the rebuilder. when hot it is only 10 psi, idle and driving 35 psi. I like to see the pressure a little higher, what do you think? Stan

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dr.sportster

02-25-2005 13:15:00

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Re: chevy 350 oil pressure in reply to 37 chief, 02-23-2005 13:04:26

37 chief,relax and enjoy the new motor ,no turning back now.{put ducktape over the guage and forget it.]Everone will drive you nuts.Assume your guage is a little low and go driving.Good Luck with the new motor.

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lucasss

02-24-2005 06:10:15

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Re: chevy 350 oil pressure in reply to 37 chief, 02-23-2005 13:04:26

i built many 350s with stock oil pump that ran 30-35 pounds idle or wide open. could be the thin oil but could be to much brg clearance on cam or crank.seen some motors run low at idle because all the brg clearances are on the max side . i like the hv pump with the standard pressure releif valve spring , keeps you out of this situation. lucas

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Dooley

02-24-2005 04:08:15

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Re: chevy 350 oil pressure in reply to 37 chief, 02-23-2005 13:04:26

Maybe the builder took a short cut and didn't replace the cam bearings. I use HV 55 Melling oil pumps in all my Chevy rebuilds. I run 5W30 for the first 30 minutes at 2000 rpm then drain and change filter with 10W30. My rebuilds idle oil pressure between 20-30 psi and run 50-60psi at 3000rpms.

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Earl S.

02-23-2005 18:07:16

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Re: chevy 350 oil pressure in reply to 37 chief, 02-23-2005 13:04:26

Contact Engineer Vern Schumann he can help you on Chev oil pump problems After 9 am 563-381-2416 Blue Grass, Iowa He has completely redone the Chev small block pumps and cured the low oil pressure at Idle and the other problems in the pump. Earl In Illinois

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Joe (Wa)

02-23-2005 17:54:21

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Re: chevy 350 oil pressure in reply to 37 chief, 02-23-2005 13:04:26

I had the same problem as Yellowdog on a 1989 350, no oil press on the panel gauge @ idle. Put a mechanical gauge in the idiot light switch opening on block behind the distributor and had 19 psi @ idle. Changed the panel gauge transducer that is just above the oil filter and showed 30 psi on that gauge @ idle. Above with warm but not up to op temp oil.

From the 1987 GM service manual engine specifications for 5.7 L (350 cid):

"Oil press 10 psi @ 500 RPM; 30-55 psi @ 2000 RPM".

Joe

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yellowdog

02-23-2005 16:23:44

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Re: chevy 350 oil pressure in reply to 37 chief, 02-23-2005 13:04:26

Take out the sending unit at the block, put in a pressure gauge. Same thing happened to me with my boat engine. Boy was I relieved. Had 0 at idle with dash gauge and 20# at the mechanical one. Put in a"T" at the block and use both. Yellowdog

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02-23-2005 15:26:24

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Re: chevy 350 oil pressure in reply to 37 chief, 02-23-2005 13:04:26

Now that you've got some miles on it switch to 10-30 and be happy..... remember, also-
Ford = high pressure & lower volume; Chevy = lower pressure & higher volume.

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Redmud

02-23-2005 15:26:15

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Re: chevy 350 oil pressure in reply to 37 chief, 02-23-2005 13:04:26

Chief, that pressure ain't right on a rebuild. I have seen Castrol gtx 20w50 boost oil pressure, but when you have that kind of pressure on a rebuild, something ain't right.

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leland

02-23-2005 19:34:55

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Re: chevy 350 oil pressure in reply to Redmud, 02-23-2005 15:26:15

But don't forget a heavier oil can destroy the bearings also use what is recamended . but this is common for most older cars and trucks , you can pull oil pump and install shim and stiffer spring to cure this problem . but don't resort to heavier oil your just fooling your self's.

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Redmud

02-24-2005 11:53:40

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Re: chevy 350 oil pressure in reply to leland, 02-23-2005 19:34:55

Leland, When I built engines, they were to spec. I would assume that this engine was also. I know he put in a new oil pump, because I remember some on this forum telling him to weld the pickup tube to the pump. which is something a good mechanic would never do. there is a problem with a new rebuild, that has a new oil pump and has low pressure. with the engine up to spec and with a new oil pump, 10 pounds of pressure is not exceptable. most engine rebuilders will tell you it is because they don't want to re-lick that engine. easy to say, it's fine,go ahead and give it he!! and hope it gets through the warranty, which it most likely will. But shims under the spring of a new pump is not the way to go. there is a problem with the engine,or in the pressure gauge. Either one should be addressed.

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leland

02-24-2005 20:10:05

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Re: chevy 350 oil pressure in reply to Redmud, 02-24-2005 11:53:40

My point was that pumps can be shimed we have a local machine shop do it all the time after a rebuild to replacment pumps . And the low oil pressure problems were solved by doing this,and they never had hardley any come back, but any shop always eats a few from a missed or hidden problem.

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dhermesc

02-23-2005 14:13:51

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Re: chevy 350 oil pressure in reply to 37 chief, 02-23-2005 13:04:26

5W30 means the oil is the equivilent of 5 weight oil when cold (good for cold starts) and 30 weight oil when hot. Upping the first number (the 5) to a 10 only means the oil will be thicker at start up (slows the oil reaching the top end when cold). I wouldn't mess with the oil for this problem.

10 & 35 psi is adequate but does seem low for a rebuild or new engine. How sure are you of the accuracy of the guage?

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Bob

02-23-2005 13:33:54

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Re: chevy 350 oil pressure in reply to 37 chief, 02-23-2005 13:04:26

I don't use 5-30 oil in ANYTHING except newer vehicles, while under warranty.

I'm surprised a rebuilder would recommend 5-30 for an older-design engine like your 350.

I would try some 10-30, and see if the pressure comes up a bit.

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Coloken

02-23-2005 13:12:12

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Re: chevy 350 oil pressure in reply to 37 chief, 02-23-2005 13:04:26

Dang those rebuilders. Seems they would rather error on the loose side that too tight. I had a 350 like that in a farm truck. Ran it for years and neibour is still running it, so guess it will be OK. I all ways wondered if I should find a large volume (not high pressur) oil pump for it. If they make them.

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Jon H

02-23-2005 13:26:31

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Re: chevy 350 oil pressure in reply to Coloken, 02-23-2005 13:12:12

With only a few exceptions,Chevy not being one of them,10 psi per 1000 rpm is enough for a heavy duty truck or even a race engine. 10 at idle and 30 at 3000 is plenty. A high pressure or high volume pump on a chevy just causes faster distributor gear wear.
A few years ago my engine rebuilder buddy showed me a crankshaft from an engine he was rebuilding.The 350 Chevy crankshaft with 200,000 plus miles in a 1 ton pickup was worn enough to need a .010 regrind,but not burned or heated at all,inspite of having one rod oil hole never drilled from new. The only oil this rod bearing got was what flowed over from the other rod on that journal. Probing the missing oil hole from the main bearing side showed the hole ended 2 inches short of the rod journal.

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VaSlim

02-23-2005 14:19:41

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Re: chevy 350 oil pressure in reply to Jon H, 02-23-2005 13:26:31

Was having the same low oil pressure problem on my 350 and broke the tip off a screw extractor (easy out) trying to remove the broken mounting stem for the oil pressure sender so I could check the pressure with a mechanical gauge. The tip fell into the opening. Where did it go and how do I get it out?

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37 chief

02-23-2005 14:46:44

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Re: chevy 350 oil pressure in reply to VaSlim, 02-23-2005 14:19:41

Sounds like you have the same luck I have. I don't why the things are called easy-outs, they are never easy. Try turning the motor over it might push the part out with the oil. Even if it don't come out it may never cause a problem, but you it would be nice to get it out. Stan

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VaSlim

02-23-2005 15:32:39

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Re: chevy 350 oil pressure in reply to 37 chief, 02-23-2005 14:46:44

Tried that. Pumped out over a quart & searched it with a magnet but didn't find anything. Thanks.

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txblu

02-25-2005 06:02:37

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Re: chevy 350 oil pressure in reply to VaSlim, 02-23-2005 15:32:39

Ok, get some button magnets and put them on the outside of the pan. I know the main magnetic field will be thru the pan steel, but there sould be some fringing of the field that might snag the tap and hold it in place.

As others stated, small heavy metal parts can fall into the pan and never budge especially if there is a little sludge.

The motion of the crank is such that you don't have any lifting action for a part like that, small, slick and very dense for it's size, and the oil pump has an inlet filter screen designed to prevent such items from jamming it.

Now if you dropped it down the intake manifold then I'd worry.

Mark

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ErnieD

02-23-2005 14:18:24

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Re: chevy 350 oil pressure in reply to Jon H, 02-23-2005 13:26:31

I have a 1977 chev 350 that had a cocked rear main half. The sealing tar had hardened into two gobs that kept the one side up by 1/8". It was tipped to the back. I opened the oil pan to find out why the rear main was seeping oil. I broke out the tar gobs, put new standard bearings in and all is better. BTW, it had over 30k mi when I did the job. Oh it was a Corvette with manual shift.

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