It's a full sweep 100 psi gauge. My first step will be to verify with another gauge that it is really that low. Thing is that is has a 40 PSI spring in it and at cold startup it immediately jumps to 40 PSI. Next step will be check the oil pump setup. I plastigauged the setup before install and it was all good. I followed the instructions here. http://www.turbobuicks.com/forums/buick-v6-turbo-tech/39169-how-build-front-cover-oil-pump.html
I had a similar problem. Rebuilt motor and was priming it and the gauge only showed like 5 psi but the drill was smoking from the load. Checked all the lines, which looked good. Took the gauge out and looked at the inlet. Low and behold there was some trash blocking the oil pressure hole.
Well.. I'll be verifying oil pressure this weekend. I have started and run the engine a couple of times since then. I know it's getting plenty of oil since the rear drivers side rockers are able to sling oil onto the fender and windshield and everywhere else as well. It sounds delicious. Valvetrain is much quieter that my GS with the adjustable rockers on this car . And it idles smooth as silk. The lifters NEVER tick even at startup. I ordered a new pump from TA, adjustable relief, shim kit and booster plate. Will also try running some thicker oil if necessary. When warm, you just bump the starter and it springs to life. I hope I don't find out that I'm bleeding internally..
Well. I'm afraid something is wrong. Hot oil pressure at idle drops to about 5psi. There is a clumping feeling when you put your hand on the engine.. Can't be good. Hopefully the machinist didn't grind the crank to different specs than he said. I should have double checked his measurements. Looks like it will be back on the stand soon. Anyone want to buy a project car?? I'm losing interest.
Jay, One of the reasons I put an oil cooler on mine was because the oil pressure was way down at idle, maybe 5psi hot. Then I put the oil cooler on and it brought the oil pressure up to 12 psi at idle hot. It does however bring the oil pressure down at higher rpm. But mine was jumping up to 70 at cruzing speeds and now it runs 40 psi and only jumps to 60-70 when I nail it. I don't know about the 350's but I have heard that 5psi at idle is acceptable. What does the oil look like?
So you are the first one to get the Burton Machine SBC roller rocker conversion running on a car! Can not wait to hear the results once you get the oiling issues worked out and get the Turbos on there!
The clunking/knocking noise that has developed in the bottom end is unacceptable.. Maybe I forgot to tighten a rod cap???
Yippie.. I'm the first. It has not been without issue though. But I think all of the problems are solved and it seems to work well. Only time will tell if it stands the test of time though.
There are many things that could cause the knock. I once had a rod bolt rattle loose and after just adding a new bearing and tightening it up I had no problems.... I guess you need to get the thing opened up to see what happened.
Nothing in the oil pan except some locktite from where I removed the roller rocker plate a couple of times. The strainer looked like it had some cotton fibers on it but nothing really to note. All of the rod bearings plastigauged out to less than .002.. And looked just fine. THe mains are next after dinner and another beer. The oil looked fine too. Nothing to note.. What else could make a knocking noise at startup and a clunking feeling while running???????
It's probably not the problem on this engine, but on a 455 if the oil pan is pushed up a little the crank can smack it.
Well.. I always start by saying "well".. This looks like a "significant" problem. I'm bleeding internally. Not sure how all of these main bearing surfaces could turn out so different. The middle and rearmost bearings seem OK. The other three are WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYY out of specs They dont even squeeze the green plastigauge.. At all.. How could my machinist grind then to different specs??? Could this make the knocking noise at startup that goes away and becomes a dull thunk???
Jay, Something is not right going by the pics. I think you need to find someone with a set of micrometers and a dial bore guage. Each main journal measured and each bearing measured with the caps installed and torqued. measure at 1 oclock and 5 oclock. Sometimes the flexplate cracks are very hard to see but they sure can make a racket while the engine is running. You would have to be under the car with the cover off.
Could the Harmonic Balancer act like this? I don't know but it sure sounds like it is loud until it builds an oil cushion then gets quieter but not gone. Maybe the machinist would have some incite. Did it always make this noise?
Dude, those bearing look phucked. No way they should be that uneven. If the 3 aren't even touching are we seriously still talking about oil pressure loss? I'm with you Jay, the machinist didn't do the job right. No plastigage reading means way out of spec, and low oil pressure.
