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Help for new engine

Hey Guys,

I just got back my new 383 for my 69 RR from my engine builder. I told him I wanted a streetable engine that had 400-450 HP. He put a comp cams roller XR286HR in it. It has edelbrock rpm heads, the whole thing was done. He put a high volume oil pump in it, my question is do I need one or can I use a regular oil pump? Doesn't a high volume pump need special oil pan and other stuff? It has the stock oil pan. I'm thinking it will suck all the oil out of the pan? Thanks!

A high volume pump at 60 psi is not pumping any more oil to the bearings than a standard pump at 60 psi in the same motor. The high volume pump just adds stress to the parts, and additional heat to the oil.

Only if you cannot maintain adequate oil pressure with a standard pump should you move to a high volume pump.
 
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Hi RPM cold can pump oil to the top end and not drain back fast enough but if you warm up first not problem
 
A lot of answers that contradict each other. Not sure what to do....
 
A high volume pump at 60 psi is not pumping any more oil to the bearings than a standard pump at 60 psi in the same motor. The high volume pump just adds stress to the parts, and additional heat to the oil.

Only if you cannot maintain adequate oil pressure with a standard pump should you move to a high volume pump.
I agree that at 60psi the same amount of oil is being pumped, but I disagree that it's adding any additional stress on the engine parts. The clearances in reality determine your oil pressure. A high volume pump just helps keep the pressure up at lower rpms resulting in better lubrication of the engine. Just my opinion.
 
...... but I disagree that it's adding any additional stress on the engine parts.

I should have been more clear. It adds more stress to all the components that drive the oil pump system. A high volume pump will be pumping more oil, just not to the bearings. That extra volume just goes through the by pass and back into the rotor, like a blender. The additional power to drive the high volume pump verses the standard rotor pump will be proportional to the increase in the rotor length, at the same pressure.

....The clearances in reality determine your oil pressure.....A high volume pump just helps keep the pressure up at lower rpms

This is right.

..... resulting in better lubrication of the engine. Just my opinion.

And this is kinda where the I think most folks go, right or wrong. If you have enough lubrication, more is not better, it's just more. I guess the question is what exactly is enough? Clearly, the majority opinion is simply you cannot go wrong with more oil. I can see that, I just don't agree with it in most cases.
 
A lot of answers that contradict each other. Not sure what to do....


Its the internet. Take it all in, and then you'll need to put on your thinking cap and make a decision.

(hint: you'll be fine no matter what you decide)

Good luck.
 
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(hint: you'll be fine no matter what you decide)
If your engine builder decided on a high volume pump, he must have had good reason. You had trust enough to let him build your engine and I know you spent a chunk on that. If you made all the decisions on the parts, that is a horse of a different color. Your description of the build and components sounds good. A little more trust on your side is in order. As @BSB67 said you will be fine. You got a lot of opinions here as you would walking into any shop. Everyone here is trying to help but in the end just ask your engine builder, that is where you spend your hard earned money.
 
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More oil means that oil carries heat away from parts.
If HV pumps were bad why do the factories use them in HP and severe duty apps?
Do they not know what they are doing?
 
More oil means that oil carries heat away from parts.
If HV pumps were bad why do the factories use them in HP and severe duty apps?
Do they not know what they are doing?

I'm not aware of this, but my world is pretty small. Do you have some examples?
 
Your builder hopefully selected the HV pump based on the bearing clearances and used the proper pump driveshaft. The 6-qt hemi pan would fit and still give you good ground clearance. However, if you had a professional do the full build I wouldn't touch a thing. Any changes you make could void any warranties..
Agreed, hopefully a hd shaft with a pinned in drive gear was used. Maybe the builder used full grooved mains and used the hv pump to maintain sufficient pressure. It definitely worked out better than the standard pump with my 440, as suggested by Mr. Renton.
 
Like everything. It's about application. If this is street only? A stock pan is fine. If street/strip? A pan with a baffle (like that of stock hemi pan) can assure more consistent oil volume to upperend. Assuming pump and galleys are fine? (As a new build would almost certainly provide) The only concern is if you have a lot of hard launches. Then the g-force from those launches will pull oil away from the pickup. And can be problematic.

With high horse power motors it become's so drastic that not only the pickup is robbed of oil? The oil actually pools back in the lower crank case. Thus robbing horse power due to the crankshaft needing to turn thru that oil volume. This was solved by using a wet sump and ultimately a dry sump oiling system to an external tank. Suck it all up out of the pan to an external tank. An external return pump provides a constant "Rain" of oil (For lack of a better description.)

So in closing? For your described application? You are fine with stock pan. Enjoy!
 
most bases have been covered here so far! the first question I always have when not hands on is did the builder check all the mains and rods for clearances during the build!
chamferring of the oil return passages and checking for restrictions as in gasket alignment and carefull application of assembly compounds is good insurance.
oil temp/ pressure readings when the engine is broken in/ run hard and returned to idle is my determining factor of build quality!
there are variables, engines with very high cylinder pressures need oil with higher shear ratings and pressure rather than lubricity and volume.
the engine in question here is a mild build with possible repeated high rpm for street use! I would lean towards the option best suited for high oil temp conditions and possible loss of viscosity!
adding extra oil to a pan is a dangerous situation as far as I'm concerned for a street engine that will see redline rpm and return to idle repeadly.if you get the oil too close to the crank,windage can cause aeration of the oil which is certainly an early death for rod bearings when there half full of air and you jump back on the throttle!
Improving oil return and high volume pump is what I'd be after in this engine build. proper breakin is essential
 
most bases have been covered here so far! the first question I always have when not hands on is did the builder check all the mains and rods for clearances during the build!
chamferring of the oil return passages and checking for restrictions as in gasket alignment and carefull application of assembly compounds is good insurance.
oil temp/ pressure readings when the engine is broken in/ run hard and returned to idle is my determining factor of build quality!
there are variables, engines with very high cylinder pressures need oil with higher shear ratings and pressure rather than lubricity and volume.
the engine in question here is a mild build with possible repeated high rpm for street use! I would lean towards the option best suited for high oil temp conditions and possible loss of viscosity!
adding extra oil to a pan is a dangerous situation as far as I'm concerned for a street engine that will see redline rpm and return to idle repeadly.if you get the oil too close to the crank,windage can cause aeration of the oil which is certainly an early death for rod bearings when there half full of air and you jump back on the throttle!
Improving oil return and high volume pump is what I'd be after in this engine build. proper breakin is essential

Yes, all clearances were checked, he gave me a paper with them all on it.
 
A lot of answers that contradict each other. Not sure what to do....


You can ask ten people a question and get ten varying answers......Listen to the Engine Builder and go with his opinion and you should be good to go. There have been countless hours of research into the oil pressure-volume-pan/baffles from the aftermarket and OEM for years and still there are questions.
 
A high pump is not needed the stock pump is incredible. The best thing you can do is increase capacity of pan, and either increase the internal pickup to 1/2 inch or better yet go the external pickup route. Hv pumps and thick oil. (20/50) kill horsepower. Also ALWAYS use the aftermarket tapered intermediate shaft, stock ones shear off with Hv pumps, heavy oil and rpms, trust me been there
 
Unless your going down the 1/4 mile multiple times the way you got it back is just fine.
 
I have a Milidon 9 qt oil pan on my 383 / 500+hp. Never had a problem. Don't freak out. Get a large volume and be worry free. Get a different engine builder too, one that listens.
 
This conversation is off the rails, the entire oiling system would need to be addressed to see any type of noticeable difference for better or worse - good volume & good pressure depend on the system not just 1 part - both are important ! This is a mild street engine, a little extra oil with a stock or HV pump is a good thing for cooling and to prevent the chance of starving that pump and more importantly where the pump sends the oil - if you are overly concerned - start putting a system together - deep baffled pan(w/matching pick-up), a cooler using quality lines , deburr the interior of the engine anywhere it will increase drain back, windage tray, open up the pick-up to 1/2", the quality intermediate shaft mentioned - obviously the bearing clearancing and all the specs on the engine need to be correct , BUT, by changing 1 part like your stock pump to HV alone isn't a huge issue , that pump is not the entire picture - as many modifications go on an engine there is more to it than changing 1 part - if I would change 1 thing to help my engine live in that system ? Add a good oil cooler properly & It increases volume and keeps temps down - it's usually easy to add a temp port for a gauge for monitoring with a more accurate reading if you want in those lines - I hope that helps, it's longer than I planned, sorry about that, point is considering the oiling system - quality parts ! Best luck w/new power under the hood !
 
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