Ok, I haven't noticed my oil pressure after it warms up since I installed my guages. At cold idle, it is at 17-20psi. Today, after I drove it around and had a little fun with it (trying to find the cause of the miss), I pulled it into the garage and noticed a lowwww reading. Like, 10psi. In gear, it dropped to about 5psi:eek2: Should I move up in oil weight? I am runnig 10w30 right now. Or should I get a booster plate and an adjustable regulator from TA? Stock motor here, with the exception of the top end. And I still can't find the miss. I had to order a rebuild kit, so I might be able to get it done by next week some time. But this oil pressure thing has me freaked out.
I would start with a booster plate/new gears and spring. Check your clearance and make sure it's around .002. If that doesn't bring it up some, then T/A's adj. oil pressure screw would be the next thing to do.
Just ordered a booster plate, shim kit, and priming tool from Dave @ TA. I love my car...I love my car....I love my car.:gt:
Sweet! I need to look into rejetting my carb now. Since it is breathing so much easier, and the filter will let more air in. I need to fatten the jets and rods up.
Adam, That doesn't sound right at all. When I first start my car cold, the oil pressure will be at 60 psi, just sitting there putting away at 800 RPM. If I rev it up to 1500, it will read 70 psi. When it is warmed up fully, I have between 18-22 psi at a 750 RPM idle in gear. At my shift points(5500), I have a full 70 psi hot. I hate to tell you this, but all gauges are not created equal. You get what you pay for. Before I started pulling things apart, I would get a good mechanical Autometer oil pressure gauge, and check my reading with that. I bet it cost more than you paid for all three of those Sunpro gauges you have now. What does your pressure read at higher RPM's? Does the engine make any noise? The stock idiot light is designed to come on at 7psi. Do you have it connected also? If not you should, it's easy with a tee. I have a feeling your oil pressure is just fine. If it was that low, you would have blown it up in Milan. How many times did you go down the track? Just my .02
mmmmmkay..... I basically quit screwing with it tonight and locked the garage up. Tomorrow I will start it cold and see what it is reading. Larry, what is your cold idle RPM when it reads 60psi? I might be mistaken when I say 17-20 for cold idle on my car. In fact, I know thats not right. Higher RPM readings when hot look ok to me....reads 30-35 at 2000-2500 RPM. But I need to really look at it closer tomorrow. I was more concerned with the low RPM readiings. I noticed a very very small clatter noise that I didn't notice before today. I say it's small, because I really have to listen. What does a spun cam bearing sound like? WIll that cause low oil pressure? ugh.... more tomorrow when I can have a clear head about this whole thing. Oh, I went down the track 6 times in Milan.
When it is dead cold, I have 60 psi at 800 RPM. At that point the oil is cold, and the pump clearances are at a minumum. 30-35 at 2500 is fine. You have to remember you probably have a 40 psi relief spring in your stock oil pump. Normal oil pressure for a 455 is 40 psi at 2400 RPM accoring to my 70 chassis manual. The stage1 spring will raise that to 60 psi. At this point you are probably in total panic. I think you will find your oil pressure is within specs. I would definitely get a better oil pressure gauge though.
My #'s for another comparison When I start up the 225 in the morning, I get about 62-63 psi at fast idle. That goes down to about 60 at idle after I tap off. I do have my idle set very high, too, just to add. Once hot, I get about 12-15 psi in gear. On the road, I get about 45-50 psi at anything over 65 mph, and maybe at least 30 psi at anything over 25 mph. Thats w/ 10-40 oil, and 122,000 miles.
I looked this morning and got 48psi cold.... That seems a bit lower than what everyone else is reading. How about priming the oil pressure sending tube? Is that necessary?
Adam, When you install the gauge you should leave the fitting near the gauge off, start the engine until you see some oil, then shut it down and connect the fitting. Not sure if it is necessary or whether it will affect anything, but it's what I did. Remember, you have a 40 psi relief spring, so your cold pressure is what it should be.
Ok... I'll do that tomorrow when I have some free time after work. These 14 hour days are killer.:gt:
Adam, Low oil pressure isn't uncommon on these cars... All the Buicks I had until now had low oil pressure when warm! Was your oil light working before you replaced it with the gauge? Did, the light ever came on on drive with a/c on? That happened on my 1976 Electra and it happened too on my 1975 before I decided to put thick additives in the oil. Since this time, the oil light stays off. BTW I've done 20K with that car since I added the additives. I use inexpensive Kleen Flo # 705 treatments (two bottles) and I change oil frequently. I use 10 w 30 or 10 w 40 oil. In my 1967 Riviera, I now use synthetic oil (5w50) and the oil pressure is much higher than with 10w30. The engine was rebuilt last winter and they installed a high volume oil pump. I'm not sure this was needed in a rebuilt engine. Before the engine was rebuilt, the oil pressure needle was well below the half mark at highway speeds and at the "L" mark at idle.... I switched to 15w40 oil and the needle was a bit more optimistic! The next day, feeling confident, I did what I shouldn't! I drove the car at 110 for a few minutes and when I slowed down, it was too late! A connecting rod was bent in two, a piston desintegrated and some parts of the cylinder and the block were missing!ou: Do you hear bearing noise when you start your car (cold)
Nope, It feels strong, no real noise coming from the motor. I ordered a booster plate from TA last week with a shim kit. I'll see how that makes the idle pressure look.
When cold at start up i have about 70-75 lbs. at about 1200 rpms,when hot @ idle i have about 15-18 lbs. but when i give gas it shoots right up. Thanks
TA booster plate... has anyone installed the TA booster plate? whats involved? is it a big job? thanks, f.
