The oil pressure was at 30 on the cam break-in. But, once i restarted the motor, the pressure with 10w-30 was only at about 8-10lbs, on idle. But that was a rough idle. I have a electronic stock gauge. I want to change the sender and get a mechanical gauge. However, it did jump up to 30 lbs whenever i brought the rpm's up to about 2,000 rpms. I know it never went that low in the past, I don't know if its just the sender or if I have a problem. The oil pump only had about 1,000 miles on it, so i took it apart, and inspected it....that's why I re-used it in the new motor. It was an expensive one, and it worked fine when the pistons broke, (even after they broke).
anyway, I am using a PH-5 oil filter, which I've heard may have sometype of check valve in it....could that be the problem? BTW< the oil presure is good till the block heats up all the way. any suggestions.? -J

 

I think you have a problem somewhere in your engine. when I was breaking in my engine, the oil pressure was shooting up to the roof (above 80PSI). and on the other hand i had high volume oil pump.
there is alot of reasons that will cause low pressure, but I think your pick up screen fell off, or your clearances little big, but I would check first the oil srending unit.

 

I don't think the p/up screen fell off...and i thought my clearences were pretty much in spec...what clearences could i have missed? what could affect it like that.....not to mention, it is fine before it warms and as long as the rpms are up over 1,500.

 

Can't be the pick up screen. 70% of the time the oil pump is submerged in oil and a pickup screen is almost not even necessary. Either your oil pressure sensor is malfunctioning or your oil pump got some foreign object jammed into it. Check your gauge for accuracy then go from there.

 

i think i missed the front oil galley plugs behind the cam gear.....IF they were out, would I still get some pressure (8 at idle and 20-30 while at 2-3,000 rpms? I don't recall ever putting them in. Are they always freeze style plugs....cause I found three 1/2" threaded "leftover" parts. Any tests I should do first? Will the timing cover come off w/out pulling apart the oil pan? can i get to the cover /out removing accessory brackets?

 

They're usually ½" freeze plugs. A few blocks have the threaded type.

If all 3 of those were left out, you'd have basically ZERO oil pressure to anything all the time. You MIGHT MAYBE see 8-10 psi at high RPMs, but it would be zero at idle. It would be catastrophic.

I'd suggest checking your gauge accuracy before getting yourself all wound up over tearing the engine down. If it's not in any obvious low oil pressure distress, it probably doesn't have low oil pressure. Verify the gauge FIRST.

 

suggestions on a gauge? do they make a test gauge? what parts store would have it? Should I test it at the lower port by the oil filter. But I am thinking it would make some pressure maybe, because I am testing it at the lower port by the oil filter. Plus, I pulled a valave cover and it doesn't seem to be getting that much oil to the rockers....there is oil in there,....but they seemd a little dry. I do have a high flow oil pump,...so maybe it's making some pressure even with them out? -JJM

 

Try a new gauge sending unit.

The gauge isn't what breaks, 99.999% of the time; the sending unit is almost always the culprit.