I have read the posts on how Olds engines are "famous" for low oil pressure, and mine is no exception. My question is: is there a place on my 455 that I can use as an alternate oil pressure port? Physics tells us that the higher on the engine you go, the lower the pressure will be. So, the stock placement of the oil pressure port would be where the pressure would be lowest. Is there another place I could use that would give me a higher reading? I have about 2500 miles on a rebuild and I have never gotten more than about 20 PSI hot and at cruise speeds. Idle can be as low as 5PSI. I know the engine is oiling or it would have blown up by now. Any ideas?

 

Why would you want to measure the oil pressure at a different spot just to have a higher reading? The pressure at the factory port is the standard where meaningful readings / comparisons can be made. Measuring at any other location would give meaningless numbers.

If all you want is a higher reading, you may as well "adjust" your gauge to read higher.

 

Why? That would not change the actual pressure.

 

Yeah, first, stop believing everything you read on the web. None of my Olds motors have low oil pressure issues.
Second, there is only one oil port on an Olds motor, the one at the front driver side. That's for a reason. At that location, you will be measuring pretty much the lowest pressure in the system. That's exactly what you want - to know the LOWEST pressure in the motor. Anything else and you're just fooling yourself.

 

Something going on with your's, I get an easy 50psi when cold / off idle rpm's, 25 psi at stop.

 

Could you gauge by off?

 

I have checked it with two different gauges. I know it has adequate oil pressure because when I forgot to disable the ignition when I was rolling it over with the valve cover off, it started and shot oil everywhere! any other ideas?

 

I would be asking the person who rebuilt the engine what oil pump he used......new, rebuilt or the old one. What oil pump and bypass spring did he use.

 

It definitely sounds like your builder screwed something up. There is a oil galley plug that oils the distributor gear, it’s commonly overlooked. If it’s left out you will have a massive internal oil leak and really low oil pressure. It’s easy to see once you remove the distributor and spin the oil pump driveshaft.

I have never seen a engine that wouldn’t build at least 20psi cold. Something is definitely wrong. Cut open the oil filter, hopefully it’s not full of metal debris. You need to have a long serious talk with your engine guy.