[corvette jim]

i riecently installed a remachined and rebuilt eng into my vette. everything was machined and or replaced and resized, andi bolted it together with all new parts. i used a high volume oil pump and tacked the pick-up tube on. it has a mild crane hydraulic cam. i adjusted the rockers by priming the engine, with a drill on the oil pump, then doing the rockers at top dead ctr. zero lash plus one turn before starting the engine. i was told that this would work better than adjusting while running. i put 10w-30 in the engine to start and break it in. the oil pressure was high @ 60psi and would increase to about 80 on acceleration. evrything worked and sounded perfect and still does. however after putting about 500 easy break in miles on the motor, it still runs and performs great, but the oil pressure stays around 30psi at idle and @ 40 @2000rpm and advances very little beyond that, maybe to @ 60. that i know is about normal operation but why the big differance from the first start up ? secondly on start-up after the engine sits over night, the oil psi. takes time to rise, and there is considerable lifter noise until the oil psi. comes up, in about 5 seconds, then everything is fine. so what did i do? thanks for information. jim

 

[docvette]

Oil

Doc hereimp:

One of the things that reduced the pressure is all the assembly lube has washed off the new parts now, It being much thicker, raised the pressure a bit.

5 seconds of clatter, I would think the lifters are not holding a prime, Did you pump up each one with a push rod and oil when you installed them? I know you said you pre lubed it with the pump, but maybe you need to hand prime the lifters.

Docimp:

 

[corvette jim]

thanks for the reply the assembly lube makes sense. and no i did not prime the lifters like you said. i soaked them in oil for a couple of days before. what do you recommend.

 

[docvette]

pre lube

Doc Hereimp:

What I usually Do is put them in a pan of oil, and with a push rod, pump them about 10 to 20 times before installing them...

I'm not sure just sitting in oil will do that, and I'm not sure if yours will self prime...

If your up to it you might want to try squirting oil down the tops with an oil can, and pumping them up with a rod while still in the valley, But the best way is before you install them...

Doc imp: