Oil Pressure Issues and Looking for Oil Pan Recommendations

[Michael Bennett]

So that's not the problem. Its hard to image that with a stock pump you would have that problem.

From what I gather, it's probably all the oil sloshing to the back of the pan and climbing the pump. It's a high 12 second car so the oil is really sloshing back. I think it's due to the stock oil pickup protruding forward of the pump when all the aftermarket pickups for deep pans are directly below the pump which is further back in the pan.

Really looking for suggestions on aftermarket pans that work well for a small block in a g body.

 

[64nailhead]

Most any pan will fit a G-body. It is the true joy of a G-body - everything works.

I mentioned it previously, add 1 or 2 qts of oil and see if the problem persists. If it does, then you have another issue, if it doesn't, then you have too small of a pan couple with a possible drainback issue. How long does it take for this issue to develop? 2-3 seconds of 4500+ rpm's?

FWIW, SBC are terrible regarding drainback and lack of adequate windage trays in stock pans. If these are you issues, then almost any 7-8 qt pan is going to resolve your issue for a 12 second pass at sub 6500 rpm's.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/mor-20191

 

[Michael Bennett]

Most any pan will fit a G-body. It is the true joy of a G-body - everything works.

I mentioned it previously, add 1 or 2 qts of oil and see if the problem persists. If it does, then you have another issue, if it doesn't, then you have too small of a pan couple with a possible drainback issue. How long does it take for this issue to develop? 2-3 seconds of 4500+ rpm's?

FWIW, SBC are terrible regarding drainback and lack of adequate windage trays in stock pans. If these are you issues, then almost any 7-8 qt pan is going to resolve your issue for a 12 second pass at sub 6500 rpm's.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/mor-20191

I had been using 5 quarts of oil, but I called Milodon and they said my pan held 5 quarts plus the filter for 6 quarts so I added a quart. Basically no difference. I could try adding another quart, but I figured at some point the oil is getting into the crank and getting mixed up and aerated.

It's the hard acceleration that causes it. As soon as I get on it and hit around 4,000 rpm it starts. I can hold it at 6000rpm without accelerating and it holds 60psi for as long as I hold it there.

 

[64nailhead]

I had been using 5 quarts of oil, but I called Milodon and they said my pan held 5 quarts plus the filter for 6 quarts so I added a quart. Basically no difference. I could try adding another quart, but I figured at some point the oil is getting into the crank and getting mixed up and aerated.

It's the hard acceleration that causes it. As soon as I get on it and hit around 4,000 rpm it starts. I can hold it at 6000rpm without accelerating and it holds 60psi for as long as I hold it there.

I guess I'd be suspect of your gauge. But at 40 psi you're not going to hurt a thing at 4500-6000 rpm's.

My two cents.

 

[fleming442]

What kind of oil are you running? I switched my 468 to Brad-Penn 10-30 because of the wild pressure fluctuations I got with Castrol, Valvoline, and others. The Brad-Penn is rock steady.

 

[Michael Bennett]

What kind of oil are you running? I switched my 468 to Brad-Penn 10-30 because of the wild pressure fluctuations I got with Castrol, Valvoline, and others. The Brad-Penn is rock steady.

Regular Mobil 5000 10W40 with Lucas Oil zinc additive. I thought about trying some 20W50 because if my issue is oil climbing the pan, hitting the crank and getting aerated maybe the thicker oil wouldn't aerate as easily.

I ordered a Canton 7 quart pan, pickup, and Milodon splash plate that bolts in between the oil pump and main cap last night.

 

[gnvair]

I have run stock pan set ups well into the 11's and never had an issue. In my old age I am fine if it has 8-10 lbs at hot idle and goes up 10 lbs per 1,000 rpm. I am not a fan of high oil pressure as it causes parasitic drag that eats horse power and is really hard on cam gears and gear roll pins. I would try another mechanical gauge before condemning the pan.

 

[bracketchev1221]

The 20/50 isn't going to help it. Before you go doing all that, put the car on a chassis dyno. See if the car does it under load while stationary. I don't know that 6000 in neutral is the same as 6000 under load with cylinder pressures and crankcase pressure. I'd hate to see you go through all that and still have it have issues from say, the crank aerating the oil on its way BACK to the pan. If you put it on the dyno and it runs clean to 6000, then you've nailed it down to an oil control due to motion issue. I battled SOME kind of oil issue in my Chevelle for years. The street strip pans, would lose oil pressure over 6500, the race pan would lose oil pressure when I got on the brakes over 145 mph. Finally it took a Moroso 21049 pan and 22187 pickup to solve all my issues.

 

[Michael Bennett]

The 20/50 isn't going to help it. Before you go doing all that, put the car on a chassis dyno. See if the car does it under load while stationary. I don't know that 6000 in neutral is the same as 6000 under load with cylinder pressures and crankcase pressure. I'd hate to see you go through all that and still have it have issues from say, the crank aerating the oil on its way BACK to the pan. If you put it on the dyno and it runs clean to 6000, then you've nailed it down to an oil control due to motion issue. I battled SOME kind of oil issue in my Chevelle for years. The street strip pans, would lose oil pressure over 6500, the race pan would lose oil pressure when I got on the brakes over 145 mph. Finally it took a Moroso 21049 pan and 22187 pickup to solve all my issues.

I think that's some solid advice, but the chassis dyno will probably cost me at least a couple hundred bucks and I don't even know where one is around here. The Canton pan I chose has a built in windage screen, scraper and trap door so it should cover most of the bases.

 

[Michael Bennett]

I have run stock pan set ups well into the 11's and never had an issue. In my old age I am fine if it has 8-10 lbs at hot idle and goes up 10 lbs per 1,000 rpm. I am not a fan of high oil pressure as it causes parasitic drag that eats horse power and is really hard on cam gears and gear roll pins. I would try another mechanical gauge before condemning the pan.

I agree on the oil pressure, that's why with factory type clearances in the motor I just run a standard volume pump. I am on my second mechanical gauge with the same results. At around 4000 rpm the oil pressure drops back from 50 to 40 and stays there until I let off the throttle.