The V8 Owners Forum -

Hi All,
I know this has probably been done to death, but,
I have finshed putting together my engine, 4.0 block/pistons, unleaded heads, Edelbrock 500, P6 front cover, uprated oil pump gears & Mocal take off plate (type e I think) remote oil filter mounted under crank pulley horizontally.
All starts, runs like a dream & sounds gorgeous, but, oil pressure is worrying me, approx 1800rpm = 20-25psi, 500rpm tickover = 5psi? & oil light flickering or on.
But as soon as you raise the rpm, back up to 20-25psi oil light goes out.
Its filled with 20w/50 oil.
The gague I testing with is an old one but seems to work ok.
How much oil capacity should there be in there including the remote oil filter hoses?
Any help much appreciated.
Cheers, Lee.

Filter holds the same, so it's just the plate and hoses. Not a lot more really.

500rpm is pretty slow. They don't seem to make a lot of pressure
Does it shoot up when its cold starting?

The gauge depends on the range of reading. 150 psi one is a bit rubbish at the bottom end of the scale. I've been fooled by instrumentation before now

There are different pressures available for the oil pressure switch, and I have known them go 'bad'.

If the tickover was set to 600rpm (or more), then the light would always be out, and you probably wouldn't worry.

I would think the pressure is about right (maybe a tad low but not much) for a hot engine.

Chris.

The pressure will be dependent on the clearances and skill employed to assemble the pump gear conversion kit, The quality of the parts in the kit, the wear present in a cover that at best is 36 years old, and security on its seat of the relief valve.