I have a 383 that I had built recently. It has a 7 qt B&B (Stefs) drag race pan with their pick up. Problem is when the car gets up in the higher RPM range my gauge drops real low, maybe even zero. It has a melling pump. How can i tell if its a HV pump or am I starving for oil? I have one of those fancy lokar braided dipsticks in it for a SBC and it reads full. Should I add another qt and see what happens? Can't reach the builder, he is MIA but a reputable builder. Someone mentioned that the pump spring goes into bypass and thats why the gauge reads zero? It an Auto Meter pro-comp gauge with an electrical sending unit installed in the top of the back of the block.

 

How close is the pump pickup to the pan floor ?

I would be using another gauge ( cheapy mech gauge ) to confirm that is actually happening and is not a gauge error

 

YES its really common for guys to install a HV oil pump and not carefully verify the oil pan to oil pump pick-up clearances
http://forum.grumpysperformance.com/...0&p=4597#p4597

 

I am wondering if they took the time to weld or braze the pickup tube to the pump, och!

 

i agree with all the advice above.

IF, you still have problems,...and your block was at a machine shop,...check to make sure they put the oil gallery plug back in at the back of your block. it should be roughly 8 1/4 to 8 1/2 inches down from the top of the block where the intake bolts on. use a piece of wire or a coathanger to check it. if they left that out, youll have all kinds of oil pressure issues.

 

http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/u...67/oilplug.jpg

 

redneckjoe,
Am I looking at pulling the intake manifold off to verify this?

 

im sorry, i pasted a pic for you but it left a personal link to the guys pic on it, so i took it down. ill try to get you a better pic if needed.
idk how much room you have, but you should be able to get in there.

 

 

Ah, Back of the block where I have my OPSU. Will check it out.

 

I am hoping everything works out for the better keep us posted.

 

Yeah me too. The build only has about 300 miles on it. It's only been in the higher rpm range a few times, maybe 6 times. Cruising around, the oil pressure is great. I have a low oil pressure warning light installed in the dash branched from the OPSU, but I can't watch the gauge and the light at the same time. Will keep you guys posted. And as always, thanks for all of the advice from "The Hive"