oil pressure at start up

i have a 455 with a stock pump and a booster plate, but why does it take about 3 to 4 seconds for the oil pressure gage to go up. It is an auto meter and is plummed into the front by the pump.

while it takes this long to read pressure is it hurting the engine>?

it has 20psi at hot idle and 65psi at 3000 this is when the motor is run hard and is about 200deg

when started it takes about 3 sec then the gage goes up quickly to 60p[si at idle with 10w30

can you spin bearings like this, if you do spin a bearing witll the oil pressure change, will it make a noise or will you not know

 

My car does the same thing. 0 pressure for about 1-2 seconds then 70-80 lbs. with 10-30 Royal Purple oil.

After it's warmed up, I have about 20 lbs. at idle and 60-65 going down the road. I also have a larger oil pan so the pickup is longer. Don't know if that matters or not.

 

Zero oil pressure for 3-5 seconds is common.
Takes a while for the pressure to come up even if oil is flowing in some areas of the engine.

Doesn't seem to hurt anything, I have 41,000 miles on a mildly built 462" BBB in my roadster and it still carries good oil pressure.
It probably takes a little longer for pressure to come up in my engine - with the high volume/pressure oil pump kit - due to the remote filters are in the middle of the car. Under the passenger seat area of the chassis fwiw.

I do run an electric choke Carter and when the engine lights off it's running 700-800 rpm.

What saves it all is the residual oil that's still on the crank throws.
As well as regular oil changes and running a quality oil.

 

Oil Press...

I Like Hearing That Someone Else Has Such High Psi's At Start-up. Not Too Long Ago I Stripped A Dist. Gear (i Believe Due To High Press At Low Oper Temps). I Now Run 5w30 Valvoline, Which Circulates Quicker And Did Lower Those Start-up Pressures Without Sacrificing Operating Temp Conditions.

 

I think this porblem is mostly due to the very thin (stock) plastic tube that comes with the meter.....and that the oil drains back down from gravity when the car is sitting. I had that in my car until it ruptured, leaked oil all over brand new dress shoes and soaked my carpet with oil. I replaced it with braided hose and the time it took the guage to register was cut in half.....and I dont have to worry about ruining anymore shoes

My engine starts at about 60psi cold idle and I dont drive it until I start to see that drop by about 5 psi - usually when coolant temps reach 165 - 170 deg. Hot idle its down to 25-30 psi....nudge the gas and it jumps to 40-45 psi.

 

its just because of the long pick up length till the oil hits the pump, unlike a chevy were the pump is in the bottom of the pan. i have never heard of damage at start up. one time i did start my car at 0 degrees with 50 wt oil, that was not good, i think it took 10 seconds for oil to hit the pump!!

 

"I replaced it with braided hose and the time it took the guage to register was cut in half....."

I noticed that as well.
Plastic llines have always worried me to the point that I've never used one.

Vacuum gauges respond quickly to larger lines as well.

Far as oil press at start-up, I get 60-70#.
The pressure can exceed 80# when rolling down the road on a cold day.
Once the engine is warm it carries 54-60# depending on the ambient temp.
54# on a hot - 100 + - day at freeway speeds and just under 60# in the winter.
Since the engine is in a roadster - otherwise known as a rolling air leak - it doesn't get out much in temps under 35 degrees F.

Idle pressure when fully warm is 18-22#, again, depending on the ambient temp.

I run 20-50 in it year round, but should probably go to 10-30 in the winters.

 

Larry,

That's interesting about the electric vs. mechanical oil press gauge.
Never thought of that one.
Never had an aftermarket electric gauge in a car either - it's pretty much mechanical gauges for me.

Sometimes my motor will stumble along for a bit when cold, but a very slight depression of the throttle will keep it running.
I don't rev the cold engine either and I don't do a warm up.
Soon as it's running smooth I take off.
Slowly at first, and not over 35-40 even though I'm on a country two laner.
That's were the 80# comes in now and then, when it's cold out the pressure can get over 70# easily, but I gauge my speed by keeping the oil pressure under 60#.
Works for me cuz there's not much traffic where I live.

One thing that I like about mechanical gauges is the fast and accurate response in small increments that they register.

The water temp gauge is interesting to watch. You can see the thermostat opening and closing until it settles out at the temp it wants.