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Oil pressure numbers are all over the broad depending on mileage/conditions of the engine or type/wt of oil. 10 psi at hot idle is ok, sure we'd like a little more but it'll live at 10 psi. Should rise with higher rpms, such as 10 psi per 1,000 rpms increase. If it bothers you try next step up oil such as 15/40 wt or 20/40. If it runs good don't worry about it. Stay away from "MAW" might as well. That's where you go to say, clean the oil pump screen and you end up sending your 330 engine to Lynn Mondello for the complete $12K full bogey job. Or just drive it and enjoy. Jmo.
What was the condition of the old camshaft gear? If it was missing a lot of nylon teeth they could be restricting the oil pump screen intake.
5W-30 would not have been my choice. 15W-40 diesel "C" rated oil would have been if you are in a moderate or warm climate. It is good that you changed it. Motorcroaft advertises 1000 ppm ZDDP in their version.
The oil pressure drops because the oil thins as it warms. I would like to see a little more pressure but wouldn't sweat it as mentioned if it sounds good.
Do inquire though about the condition of the old camshaft gear, if it was bad I'd drop the pan.
Good luck!!!
Last edited by Sugar Bear; Feb 22, 2020 at 12:14 PM.
Someone beat me to the timing chain nylon. If the nylon is missing from the cam gear, you will find it in the oil pump pickup. Drop the pan, clean out the pickup. While the pan is off, pull a couple bearing caps. If the crank isn’t grooved, you may be able to improve the oil pressure with new bearings, if they are worn.
This isn’t the best way, but it works. You can polish the crank and replace the bearings, and install a high volume oil pump, and make a noticeable improvement in oil pressure. Your pressure is low, but not terrible. I have seen much worse and the engines live a long life.
Here's what nightmares are made of: chewed up timing chain guide shredded in the pick-up screen of the 5.4 3v engine from my '04 F150. You want to talk about low pressure, the pressure on those things won't move off "normal" until pressure drops below 7 psi. Ran in various stages of that for at least 50k miles of knocking phasers and 10k miles of timing chain rattle; a full timing rebuild and it was good as new, so if your engine isn't making angry noises, you're probably fine, or at least will be with minimal effort. If your only issues are low pressure on a gauge, try a different gauge (not the dash gauge), and pull the pan for an inspection (try a boroscope first, you may get lucky and be able to see clearly). I'd certainly pull the pan and look for a clogged pickup before changing out bearings, especially cam bearings.
The 260 I pulled had 0 psi at idle and 15 psi cruising with 10w30, it needed 20w50 to see 20 psi cruising and stay above 0 at idle. My high mile Olds 307 would get down to 25 at hot cruise with 10w30. I gained about 5 psi with GM's engine flush, used to work along with their combustion chamber cleaner, very well. I have been lucky with my 350's, all three, 15 to 20 psi hot idle in gear and 40+ to 50 at hot cruise. Even this last 47 year old 350 with very black oil hasn't gone below 20 psi hot in gear, 40+ cruise with mostly 5 and 10W30 with 1.5L of 5W50 mixed, used what I had lying around.
I've read your previous post about oil pressure. If the engine runs good and this is a fair weather driver, I'd disconnect the oil pressure gauge and make sure the "factory" oil light is working properly. I've parted out dozens of Oldsmobiles. Engines that ran okay, no oil light on or noticeable problems but when tore down some had oil screen full of timing gear debris but the bearings were in decent shape. I was amazed because Mondello brainwashed me into believing how bad Oldsmobile oiling systems were. Yes, some had worn bearings but none spun and all were near 100K mileage. They weren't hot rod engines, 88's and 98's. I believe your focusing unnecessarily on the oil pressure if it's just a putt putt around fair weather driver.
On the other hand, if you're going for a National Record Holder then disregard this post. Jmo.
Here's what nightmares are made of: chewed up timing chain guide shredded in the pick-up screen of the 5.4 3v engine from my '04 F150. You want to talk about low pressure, the pressure on those things won't move off "normal" until pressure drops below 7 psi. Ran in various stages of that for at least 50k miles of knocking phasers and 10k miles of timing chain rattle; a full timing rebuild and it was good as new, so if your engine isn't making angry noises, you're probably fine, or at least will be with minimal effort. If your only issues are low pressure on a gauge, try a different gauge (not the dash gauge), and pull the pan for an inspection (try a boroscope first, you may get lucky and be able to see clearly). I'd certainly pull the pan and look for a clogged pickup before changing out bearings, especially cam bearings.
gotta love the OEM and their fantasy oil pressure gauges. I was reading something in the service manual about normal oil pressure on my 06 Ram, turns out the gauge on the dash is worthless. As long as the oil pressure is above the minimum (whatever Cummins decide the minimum should be) the gauge will read normal. The PCM will fluctuate the gauge with engine speed. I guess the manufacturers got tired of warranty work checking out oil pressure issues, they figured they will just put a number on the dash that makes customers happy. There is a oil pressure port right on top of the oil filter housing, I have been tempted to put a gauge on it just to see what it is. I haven’t done it yet because I’ll worry myself sick if it isn’t what I think it should be. It’s a Cummins, it’s only got 200000 miles on it, just getting broke in!!
gotta love the OEM and their fantasy oil pressure gauges. I was reading something in the service manual about normal oil pressure on my 06 Ram, turns out the gauge on the dash is worthless. As long as the oil pressure is above the minimum (whatever Cummins decide the minimum should be) the gauge will read normal. The PCM will fluctuate the gauge with engine speed. I guess the manufacturers got tired of warranty work checking out oil pressure issues, they figured they will just put a number on the dash that makes customers happy. There is a oil pressure port right on top of the oil filter housing, I have been tempted to put a gauge on it just to see what it is. I haven’t done it yet because I’ll worry myself sick if it isn’t what I think it should be. It’s a Cummins, it’s only got 200000 miles on it, just getting broke in!!
Agreed. Similar on that Ford (which has since been replaced with my '16 Silverado): as long as pressure is above 7 psi, the gauge needle points right in the center of the gauge regardless of pressure. Really just an idiot light, which has caused more than a few 3v engine replacements when they'd eat their chain guides. Hydraulic chain tensioners with seals that blow out placed BEFORE the cams, phasers and valves in the oiling circuit works great until it doesn't. We had a work truck eat its chains by 35k miles because of stupid rubber seal.
Thicker oil to raise oil pressure is just delaying the inevitable, IMO. On that above truck, switching from 5w-20 to -30 is common for overall longevity, but when you start having to jump to 15w- or 20w- oils, you've got a bandaide situation. How much time or money one spends to care, though, is subjective. They key, though, is ensuring the oil pressure numbers one is working with are accurate, especially if voltage is involved.
I've read your previous post about oil pressure. If the engine runs good and this is a fair weather driver, I'd disconnect the oil pressure gauge and make sure the "factory" oil light is working properly. I've parted out dozens of Oldsmobiles. Engines that ran okay, no oil light on or noticeable problems but when tore down some had oil screen full of timing gear debris but the bearings were in decent shape. I was amazed because Mondello brainwashed me into believing how bad Oldsmobile oiling systems were. Yes, some had worn bearings but none spun and all were near 100K mileage. They weren't hot rod engines, 88's and 98's. I believe your focusing unnecessarily on the oil pressure if it's just a putt putt around fair weather driver.
On the other hand, if you're going for a National Record Holder then disregard this post. Jmo.
I don't plan on doing much racing apart from maybe from a stop light. It's a fair weather cruiser, but I do get kind of spirited. Im ok with dropping the oil pan to clean up the oil pump pick up; im just worried if im more likely in for a full rebuild. Im fairly sure my car has over 120k on it.
Sorry for all the post; it's one of those things that's bothering the hell out of me but no shop is giving me any other alternative other than 10k rebuild
$10k rebuild on a 330? Worst case would be $5k for a quality performance job reusing and rebuilding your heads.
Throw in that they'd have to pull it and re install. Plus some of the shops I've talked to won't take it cause it's not a mainstream engine. All I want is a motor that has good oil pressure, doesn't smoke, or leak. Don't need crazy power of anything. Im tempted to swap it out for an olds 350, but I'd be cutting my hp in half.
Throw in that they'd have to pull it and re install. Plus some of the shops I've talked to won't take it cause it's not a mainstream engine. All I want is a motor that has good oil pressure, doesn't smoke, or leak. Don't need crazy power of anything. Im tempted to swap it out for an olds 350, but I'd be cutting my hp in half.
Where are you located ? Your 10K price is outlandish. 5K for engine R&R and because its an Olds is drastically inflated. If they want extra to work on an Olds engine, you are wasting your time and money on them. Take more time to assess your engine, til you have more knowledge.
I wonder about your asserting a Olds 350 would be half the horsepower of a 330. The 68-70 350 would be at least as powerful as the 330.
......Just my two cents worth.
Where are you located ? Your 10K price is outlandish. 5K for engine R&R and because its an Olds is drastically inflated. If they want extra to work on an Olds engine, you are wasting your time and money on them. Take more time to assess your engine, til you have more knowledge.
I wonder about your asserting a Olds 350 would be half the horsepower of a 330. The 68-70 350 would be at least as powerful as the 330.
......Just my two cents worth.
But the 350s I can find are from the 80s or late 70s lol.
Im tempted to swap it out for an olds 350, but I'd be cutting my hp in half.
Remember the older engines were rated using a different system that was somewhat(?) unrealistic, so you can't directly compare them.
Take the 1971 350 that has both the older ratings and the newer ratings for the same 350-4bbl engine:
GROSS = 260 hp, 360 ft-lbs
NET = 200 hp, 300 ft-lbs
Then the NET ratings for the same engine with single exhaust:
180 hp, 275 ft-lbs
In my opinion, luck is on your side. The engine runs, doesn’t make noise, and is already in the car. Enjoy the car, but keep looking for a good running engine. As long as your not in a hurry, you can be picky. Find a good 350, or a 403, swap on some good heads, and have fun. A smogger 455 would really wake up the car, those are pretty easy to find.
The days of finding someone to remove/rebuild/install your engine "cheaply" are long gone. Just as there are less younger car guys, there are less automotive shops that work on older cars plus machine shops are going out of business and/or the owners are retiring or passing away, such as mine did. A couple of posters are trying to tell you, your obsessing to much on oil pressure. I hinted about removing the oil pressure gauge and just making sure the "factory" oil light was working. I purposely called it the "factory" light not the common name for it. I really think you should remove the mechanical type oil pressure gauge. Look at the latest HOT ROD MAGAZINE April 2020. On the cover it's printed "Budget--Built Vortex 350 Makes 430 HP"
Sounds great, let's see what the budget is. They got a "deal" on a short block. When the total "Parts Only List" ( no machine/labor cost) Total Parts, $8,069.06. Wow, what a "budget build".
So, imo, take Matt69Olds advice on finding a spare 350/403 good running engine (I do not agree about the 455 suggestion because that opens another can of worms) and drive your car and enjoy it, "IF" something goes wrong, you'll be prepared. JMO.
