1981 El Camino parts runner

[yevgenievich]

Airbags are in and new rear shocks. Need to bleed rear brakes again and then move to the front after I get better tires put on the 15's for the rear. Also installed oil pressure gauge and the circuit is doing odd things. Need to troubleshoot as gauge pegs to max at warm idle while pressure switch indicating less than 5psi

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[yevgenievich]

And here is a rebuilt motor that sat for a while with only break in hours.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/KMTLoyV9fds1Xb4B7

 

[yevgenievich]

Other than the grey, no actual shavings in the oil yet. Did not look that great. Maybe the grey part is from the bearings or assembly/break in, not sure yet. I am leaning towards oil pick up sealing issue, but it is a pain to pull the pan as engine has to be raised up.

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[bucket]

Does it sparkle at all in the sunlight? A cam going south can produce oil that looks like that. If it's from break-in lube, they used way too much.

 

[yevgenievich]

Does it sparkle at all in the sunlight? A cam going south can produce oil that looks like that. If it's from break-in lube, they used way too much.

Never got a sparkle with a flash light. 15w40 gets me 25psi cold idle, 3-5psi warm idle. Goes up with throttle 3k rpm 30psi hot or cold

 

[bucket]

Never got a sparkle with a flash light. 15w40 gets me 25psi cold idle, 3-5psi warm idle. Goes up with throttle 3k rpm 30psi hot or cold

Sounds like my old green Suburban that someone stuck a worn out 305 under the hood. I ran heavy oil and that was the oil pressure readings it had for the couple years we used it as a daily driver. The oil never had the gray deposits though.

Is the pressure reading coming from down by the oil filter or up by the distributor?

 

[Snoots]

Get a magnetic oil pan plug.

 

[yevgenievich]

Sounds like my old green Suburban that someone stuck a worn out 305 under the hood. I ran heavy oil and that was the oil pressure readings it had for the couple years we used it as a daily driver. The oil never had the gray deposits though.

Is the pressure reading coming from down by the oil filter or up by the distributor?

Measuring by the distributor. Some one did something with the motor before as it has been painted, resealed and freeze plugs replaced. Maybe more. Then all the old accessories put on it. No timing tab either.

 

[yevgenievich]

Get a magnetic oil pan plug.

I took a very strong magnet through the old oil and nothing really got picked up. Grey is not magnetic

 

[yevgenievich]

Thicker oil doesn't really change anything. At warm idle pressure drops to 2ish psi and instantly jumps up with rpm rise. Guessing probably going to be trying to drop the pan in the next couple of days.

 

[yevgenievich]

Pulled the pan. Random crank and rod bearing check appears fine. Oil pump is standard m55 and looks to be fine as well. Either need to start pulling all the caps to check bearings or problem is elsewhere.

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[yevgenievich]

Still low oil pressure but needed to move things. Helper bags really help with the ride. Ordered high volume oil pump for it.

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