oil preasure

[skrcsmith4]

Whats a healthy (idle) oil preasure reading on a 383.

 

[young99]

I may be wrong believe it is going to have to do with your oil weight/viscosity? I run 20w 50 VR1 Oil in my 383 and my pressure is at a steady 50 when moving and about 25-30 at idle when warmed up.

 

[mopar 3 B]

if your under 20 lbs. with any type oil you have a problem. Mine runs 60 lbs. at idle and 80 at 2800 rpm but that is not normal for stock systems.

 

[skrcsmith4]

Runs at 80 idle with 20/50 oil

 

[lewtot184]

a stock 383 will have had a red 45lb pressure relief spring. pressure may vary a little depending on oil viscosity. street hemi's had a black 65lb relief spring. the aftermarket high volume pumps will have 75lb+ springs. half groove stock main bearings will maintain a higher average pressure thru the rpm band but won't exceed the relief rating. basically if your engine is stock it should run 45-50lbs running pressure; idle may dip to 25-30lbs, depending on oil viscosity. too much pressure isn't good. it's hard on parts and for the most part unnecessary.

 

[mopar 3 B]

a stock 383 will have had a red 45lb pressure relief spring. pressure may vary a little depending on oil viscosity. street hemi's had a black 65lb relief spring. the aftermarket high volume pumps will have 75lb+ springs. half groove stock main bearings will maintain a higher average pressure thru the rpm band but won't exceed the relief rating. basically if your engine is stock it should run 45-50lbs running pressure; idle may dip to 25-30lbs, depending on oil viscosity. too much pressure isn't good. it's hard on parts and for the most part unnecessary.

would you mind elaborating a little more on that last statement!

 

[Photon440]

One problem with oil pressure being too high is that it can blow out the seal on the oil filter. And depending on the design, the oil filter base could be distorted. Some 90's B250 Dodge vans had problems with oil filter casing distortion when the psi went over 80 due to a faulty pump.

 

[mopar 3 B]

One problem with oil pressure being too high is that it can blow out the seal on the oil filter. And depending on the design, the oil filter base could be distorted. Some 90's B250 Dodge vans had problems with oil filter casing distortion when the psi went over 80 due to a faulty pump.

This is why $5 junk oil filters just do not cut it. Have never had a NAPA Gold filter distort, shred or blow a seal. Have blown the backs off of 80# guages, but do not use them any more either.

 

[lewtot184]

would you mind elaborating a little more on that last statement!

eats up the intermediate shaft and shaft bushing. also loads the rotors wearing the pump cover. pressure is resistance to flow. doesn't mean you have more flow.

 

[AR67GTX]

My stock 440 is running about 25 psi at hot idle with 10W-30 oil.

 

[mopar 3 B]

eats up the intermediate shaft and shaft bushing. also loads the rotors wearing the pump cover. pressure is resistance to flow. doesn't mean you have more flow.

That is why volume should always be increased before increase pressure.

 

[skrcsmith4]

what could be the cause of high oil pressure reading. It use to read around 50 until I changed valve covers. (mopar performance). Also changed oil cap and pcv value.

 

[lewtot184]

That is why volume should always be increased before increase pressure.

i agree with that. i think the #1 priority should be to feed the pump.

 

[slepr1]

i agree with that. i think the #1 priority should be to feed the pump.

And how do you do that? Bigger oil pan? Is their a calculation for higher pressure vs oil pan sizing?

 

[lewtot184]

what could be the cause of high oil pressure reading. It use to read around 50 until I changed valve covers. (mopar performance). Also changed oil cap and pcv value.

valve covers shouldn't anything to do with it. probably have a high volume/high pressure pump with heavy oil. change the spring in the pump and reduce the oil viscosity.

- - - Updated - - -

And how do you do that? Bigger oil pan? Is their a calculation for higher pressure vs oil pan sizing?

i've noticed that a lot of the pump castings don't match the feed hole in the block. this needs to addressed. going to a larger pick-up helps feed the pump. try to radius the right angle turn in the pump feed passage in the block. an extra quart or two sure won't hurt nothing.

high pressure is generally a product of a higher pressure relief spring, high viscosity oil, and bearing type/clearances. i think rod side clearance plays into it, but some people will argue this.

 

[major50]

just my 2cents, my 440's oil light keep coming on. new rebuild with 5 qts breakin oil still in. added another quart and light has stayed off. my rule of thumb is 2 pounds of pressure per 100 rpm

 

[AR67GTX]

At idle 2 psi minimum/100 rpm sounds good but that would be 100 psi at 5,000 rpm which is pretty high. Old rule of thumb I grew up with was 10 psi minimum, per 1000 rpm - or min of 50 psi at 5,000 rpm. But I'll admit it's not exactly an engine-specific engineered answer.

 

[mopar 3 B]

Really the best thing you can do for your oiling system is reduce restriction to oil returning to the pan and keeping it in the pan once there so the pump has access to it. 5 qt. will not stay in the pan very long even at 4800 rpm with a stock pump and no mods to getting oil back in the pan.

 

[BL1 70 RR]

My car runs 20 warm and just above 20 cold