ATTENTION, Check Your Oil Relief Spring

Ok, I am going to bite the bullet here.

I am asking that EVERYONE check the oil pump relief spring that they are using. It is located next to the oil filter, and is accessed by removing the 1" nut. This can be done safely with the engine off and without losing any oil or the prime on the pump.

If you have a Red, Yellow or White spring in there, I am encouraging you (to the highest extent possible) to immediately discard it. And use a TA adjustable regulator which comes with a stock (Black) relief spring.

Those relief springs are the direct cause of the following problems/failures:
1. Distributor drive gear wear
2. Distributor gear wear
3. Distributor gear pin breakage
4. Oil pump shaft breakage
5. Wear on the face of the block from the cam being driven rearward.

Those Springs are also the primary (but not sole) cause of front cam bearing wear. They also cause most of the wear in the oil pump cavity or on the face of the pump cover.

The reason this simple piece causes so many problems and headaches is the coils on the spring are too heavy, which causes them to coil bind when the relief valve should be opening. This then hydraulics the oil pump which then loads the front of the camshaft.

With a stock oil spring and an adjuster or the spring shimmed up, you can achieve the higher oil pressure that you are looking for with out the coil bind promblem. By putting additional pressure on the stock spring the valve will stay closed longer, thus delivering more pressure to the engine. When that pressure is exceeded and the valve needs to open, the stock spring allows the spring to open fully without coil bind.

 

The last oil pump kit I bought (a few months ago at Napa made by Melling) had only the white spring. It seems like years ago, there were many springs provided. I have read that the only spring you should use is the plain, stock spring. Until you explained WHY a couple of weeks ago, Dave, I had never heard the reason why, and was planning on using the white, "Stage 1" spring provided in the kit.

I ordered an adjustable regulator and plain spring from you last week. Stubborn me sometimes won't heed advice unless a reason is given. Thanks for helping me avoid a potential disaster. :beer

 

I have an adjustable regulator that I should put in. Just one question what is a good baseline setting for the regulator? I guess by Measuring the amount of stud sticking out. I do not want to much or little pressure.

 

I think this is the reason I'm changing my cam now :af: I took the distributor out to rebuild it and found the gear starting to get grooved I looked in the distributor hole and the cam gear looks worn as well. I will be ordering an adjustable before I change the cam. Thanks for the info.

 

Since the relief valve doesn't impact idle pressure. Because when the oil and timing cover are cold it will make more pressure than the relief valve can bleed off and when the engine is hot the relief valve opens higher than idle oil pressure. So, the adjustable regulator is installed in the neutral position, no additional tension on the spring. Then fire the engine and and bring it to operating temperature. Begin to raise the engine RPM and monitor oil pressure, maintain between 10-15 psi per 1000 RPM (go to the high side + for full race combos). If the pressure is low, shut down the engine and turn in the adjuster a few turns and check again. Keep repeating this process until you have adequate pressure at the maximum RPM the engine will run to. Even if it is high in the lower RPM's to get enough at the higher RPM's that will be ok. So for instance at 5000 RPM 60 psi is ideal for most street/strip combos.

 

Bad memories.

This brings back bad memories.
I wrecked 2 cams, 3 distributor gears (One was a bronze gear), 1 front cover, 1 oil pump, 1 carb. and 1 distributor in the same year.
I wanted to take the engine and tie it to my boat. Not to mention I was a phone call away from ordering a BBC 572.
The 3rd time the gear failed was under full throttle and flames shot out the back off my 3 inch exhaust about 5 feet! Now that was a Back-Fire! The 2nd time it was just after a full throttle load and I was idling down to coast and the car back fired a few times and quit. The 1st time it happened I was putting in a bigger cam and noticed wear on the cam & distributor gears like a razer.
This all happened (except the first time) with the new TA front cover and oil pump. I ended up backing off the oil pressure to eliminate stress on the dist. gear and installing a distributor gear oiler into the cover. So far so good, but I only have 88 miles on it this spring. Time will tell, but I think I got it this time thanks to all the guys help on here.
All I can say is Buick would have done good if they would have designed that set-up differently.
Good luck to those going through this process. I know your pain!
Later;
Mike

 

Can I assume we're only talking 455s here?

 

This applies to 350's V6's and all buicks using the in cover oil pump

 

Is there a way to tell if the front cam bearing is toast without pulling the cam?

 

Well I just experianced the breakdown on my cam and dist. gears after 10 -15 thousand miles. I just ordered the regulator,shim kit and booster plate from TA perf.I hope this solves it cause i am on a very tight budget and if it breaks again The ole buick will just sit.

 

Usually you will begin to hear valve train noise on the driver's side starting from back to front. Because the driver's rear is the last place to get oiled nad the oil gets to the driver's side via the the front cam journal.

 

I saw earlier that you could " shorten the spring " if you had to. Why would you have to?

 

Dave (Buick Power) or Larry (Larry70GS):

Does this apply to ALL pumps - even the stock factory pumps or just high performance pumps?

Paul

 

Any one know the average amount the threaded shaft should protrude from the regulator to achieve 60 PSI @ 5000 rpm? Does 1/2" sound right?

 

I'm still a little confused - can someone help me out here?

I'm running a stock Buick pump that's never been messed with. When the cam was changed, the stock pump was put back on. Does this spring problem also apply to my pump? It's not a GS or a high volume pump - just plain ol' GM Big Car 455.

If this does apply, I'll get on it as soon as I get the car out this weekend.

Thanks!

 

HV Pump

So does this mean that a high volume pump with longer gears CAN be used with the adjustable regulator and be okay? Should I put my HV pump back on this year now that I have an adjustable regulator from TA? (It killed my cam bearings when I used it before) o No: