Oil Pressure Issue on 351W

Primed the oil system using a drill motor, 20 lbs. Seemed low but some oil was making it to the heads. Not a lot but some. Fired motor up, gauge showed 35 lbs at 2000 - 5000 rpm with no variance. Melling M83HV pump, 30 wt Castrol.

Changed oil & filter to 50wt Kendall, no change in pressure at all. Using a Summit gauge (purchased before I saw tech dept article) so suspected gauge. Picked up an Autometer gauge, no change. Using braided steel line from block to gauge.
Changed out pump to Sealed Power 83HV. Spun pump with same drill (800 rpm +/-), 40 lbs on the gauge. Cool, life is good.

One more check - pull valve covers and spin up pump again. No oil at rockers after 5 minutes. Remains of oil from when the motor ran last.

I am at a loss. Where's my oil going? When I changed out the pump I also pulled front cover to check for a leaky galley plug but found none. No oil from bellhousing area so confident rear plugs are good.

With 40lbs on the drill I would feel confident in starting this engine again but with no oil at the rockers I am reluctant.

Engine details:
351W +.030, KB pop ups, stock rods w/ full float & polished on beams, ARP main & head studs, 8 qt Moroso front sump with matched pickup, World Rousch 200 heads, Price Motorsport intake adapter plates, modified Wieand tunnel ram, Enderle Bugcatcher injection, custom gound cam from local grinder, Howards solid lifters, Crane roller rockers, Manley valves, 1.55" Crane springs.

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Anybody can restore a car. It takes a real man to cut one up.
'68 Futura, Enderle injected 351W
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<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Murff on 8/3/06 10:00am ]</font>

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Murff on 8/3/06 10:01am ]</font>

Sounds like the original pump had a stuck open bypass valve. Dont know whats up with the no oil upstairs - have you tried turning the motor a bit by hand (wrench) and prelubing again? Could be just a fluke related to lifter position...

Barry R.
survivalmotorsports.com
[addsig]

I had not turned the motor but it seemed like such a logical test I just ran out and did exactly that. Even turned motor by had 3 complete revs while showing 40 lbs, nothin'.

Good idea tho'.

you didn't forget to put the freeze plug in the back of the block under the intake did you?
[addsig]

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font size=-1>Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT SIZE=-1><BLOCKQUOTE>
On 2006-08-02 22:00, BLstangin wrote:
you didn't forget to put the freeze plug in the back of the block under the intake did you?

</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>

X2
[addsig]

Back of the block, yes. Under the intake? Two of them? I guess I am unaware of those. Don't recall any 'extra' holes. Where are these plugs located? Front and back in the lifter galley?

Is a pain to yank this intake setup but is more of a pain to break it due to lack of oil.

And all of the oil galley plugs in the front are accounted for?
I assume the rear is good or you'd have a garage full of oil.
[addsig]

I'm with BLstangin,
I had the little freeze plug in the back of the block under the intake blow out. Lost most of my oil pressure.
10 cent part about cost me an engine.

Well, seems to be a consensus. I guess I was either unaware of the plugs under the intake, or just plain did not notice them. I sure have no recollection of them at all. Of course I assembled the long block over a year ago. Or it could be that I'm just paralyzed from the neck up.

But now let me ask this. Having 40 lbs while spinning on a drill seems pretty like good pressure. If one or both of those plugs were loose or not there wouldn't my pressure be less and then start to fall of rather rapidly?

Another local racer suggests firing it up and checking rockers after it has run for 60 - 120 seconds.

Don't mean to sound argumentative or anything but pulling this intake with the injection and these adapter plates is a little bit more of an undertaking than whipping off a Victor with the carb attached.

Further thoughts?

Murff

My car made about 30 lbs of pressure cold, when it warmed up, it dropped to about 5. This was at idle.
I'm just wondering if the plug popped out like mine.