I know this suubject has been hashed and rehashed. Norm even brought Obama into the mix on the last oil pressure thread.
We dyno'd a 498 BBC yesterday and the oil pressure started to drop after 5200 rpm and got worse after we added 2/3's of a quart. We also noted a 5 hp loss with the extra oil. We drained 1.5 qts out and regained the hp and then a few more and noted less of an oil pressure problem. He determined it to be a windage problem with my stock 454 oil pan, a problem he has seen many times with stroker cranks and stock pans. The stroker chevy crank is 4.25 which is the same as a 455 Olds. I began to wonder if some of the inherant oil issues with BB Olds motors could be a windage problem traced back to the long stoke crank dragging oil out of the pan and if a better pan would help?
Just looking for some opinions.

 

Thats a common problem on BBC's. Some guys say you can pick up 15+hp just buy changing to a larger pan and using the same amount of oil.

It is more of a windage issue than anything. Even if you had a motor with just a 3.00 inch stroke, if the crank is close to the oil level you'll still have an issue.

A good inexpensive fix is using a Milodon 5 qt pan with 4 qts in it. That should help. Oil foaming due to the whipping of the oil is normally your oil pressure problem.

As for Norm, he could **** off Mother Teresa. Once an ******* always an *******. I know I'll get scolded for that but if the moderators here want to allow his mindless ranting, why can't I do the same?

Nuff said.

 

Mark trouble with that is it just splashes back, and just reflects poorly on yourself..... I'm not picking sides or anything, and I am sure you got your reasons, but generally speaking that kind of stuff isn't needed anywhere... it is a waste of cyber space

back to our normally scheduled gear chewing , The milodon stock pan is a 5 qt pan and looks very very stock not sure if it would help, they also make a windage tray that looks pretty tasty...

 

 

Mark, I do hear what your saying, and I wasn't trying to say you don't have an ax to grind, but there are many ways to grind an ax, and if you want it really sharp, it is not done on a grinding wheel, but with a waterstone and patience, trouble with forums is people just blurt stuff out and do not speak to folks like if they are in the same room with them, I don't know what all the rigamarol is about and frankly don't want to, don't have time too busy chewing on elephant azz...LOL.. I try to get along with everybody but I also know that isn't possible all the time...

I will go on record saying I am VERY satisfied with your recommendation for a cam, and the numbers that Panos got on his build speak for themselves...

sorry to hijack the thread, lets get back to motors, oil pressure, gears and sh%t

 

Do you think the problem is only with the Chevy BB? I'm starting to think my drop in oil pressure with my 455 may be foaming of the oil as you mentioned. Foam would settle down only after a few seconds of idle, like when I push in the clutch and coast for 10 seconds. It would give the oil a chance to settle down and bump the pressure back up.
I have a friend with a BBC deep oil pan and I plan on running it just a little low as you said and I'm thinking about installing a windage tray also because I have ARP studs on my mains already. Do you think that it would be overkill?

 

Mark don`t just PM people pls .Novices like myself ,and doubtless others too, need experienced engine guys to learn from.
Without the input I would be back to library just like days of old.
You guys sometimes agree and sometimes not. That`s good .Very few answers are absolute :more ways to skin a cat than hold it by the tail.
After absorbing ,comparing, ingesting, even us novices are able to make a decision as to which option to accept.
Carry on the good work
cheers
mike

 

x2