Oil PSI problems during 1/4 mile run...

Guys,

We brought a friend's 466 powered 92 Mustang to the track last night. I made the first few passes in it to make sure everything was alright. I noticed it had an oil pressure problem.

It has about 60 PSI cold and 40 PSI hot at idle. First pass it ran a 12.50. I rolled it off the line slow and eased into it. Never thought to look att he oil pressure gauge. I was too worried about the car going straight, etc...

Second pass I launched it and made a full pass. On top end right before I crossed the stripe I noticed the oil PSI was down to about 30 PSI. As soon as I crossed the line and lifted the gauge shot up to 60 PSI. I coasted all through the shutdown and on the return road the PSI was 40...

I called Blake last night to pick his brain about this. He thinks the pan is to blame. The car has the FRPP "truck" swap pan/pickup on it. Not sure of the pump. I'm planning on installing my Moroso race pan/pickup and maybe a stock volume pump. Can you guys think of any other things to do or check? What about shimming a stock volume pump? Good or no?

The engine has Castrol 20/50 in it with a K&N filter? Think we should try some different oil? I'm open to any ideas. We're planning to pull the engine this week and changing the pan/pickup/pump in order to make the Ford vs Chevy race this coming weekend...

Anyway, the car ran a 12.02 on that second pass... It's got 11's in it once we load the converter and launch it like it needs to be launched!

Brad Penn, green oil, great stuff.

I knew someone would mention the green stuff. It is more durable to resisting breakdown due to heat?

I think some guys on here run the Schaeffer's stuff too?

What about the filter? Anybody have good results with the K&N deal? Might have to get Lem to send a Jomar or two ASAP to try out...

I agree w/Blake. Those pan's should NEVER be used on any kind of engine that is involved in anykind of competition. Listen to what Kaase has to say about them in the 2010 winter tech seminar.

jbozzelle wrote:I knew someone would mention the green stuff. It is more durable to resisting breakdown due to heat?

I think some guys on here run the Schaeffer's stuff too?

What about the filter? Anybody have good results with the K&N deal? Might have to get Lem to send a Jomar or two ASAP to try out...

I ran the K&N filters on the ole Maverick w/o problems,But now I run the Jomar

Thanks guys. The K&N is about the best we have available locally. Blake told me to make sure and check all of the drainback holes in the heads too.

What about the standard/high volume pump debate? This engine has a flat tappet in it so restrictors are not and option. Will we see the needed pressure with a standard volume pump? I have a Kaase pump coming from Lem this week for my build. I've got half a nerve to stick that on there...

YA thats not a good pan to use unless you weld some baffels in it, then it's pretty good.thats what i did for barnys car(the one we had at the bash) when taking off oil run up the back,and when stoping it runs away from the pickup.

That's exactly what Blake said the oil was doing... climbing the back of the pan.

I think my Moroso has a baffle in there to keep it all down low.

jbozzelle wrote:Guys,

We brought a friend's 466 powered 92 Mustang to the track last night. I made the first few passes in it to make sure everything was alright. I noticed it had an oil pressure problem.

It has about 60 PSI cold and 40 PSI hot at idle. First pass it ran a 12.50. I rolled it off the line slow and eased into it. Never thought to look att he oil pressure gauge. I was too worried about the car going straight, etc...

Second pass I launched it and made a full pass. On top end right before I crossed the stripe I noticed the oil PSI was down to about 30 PSI. As soon as I crossed the line and lifted the gauge shot up to 60 PSI. I coasted all through the shutdown and on the return road the PSI was 40...

I called Blake last night to pick his brain about this. He thinks the pan is to blame. The car has the FRPP "truck" swap pan/pickup on it. Not sure of the pump. I'm planning on installing my Moroso race pan/pickup and maybe a stock volume pump. Can you guys think of any other things to do or check? What about shimming a stock volume pump? Good or no?

The engine has Castrol 20/50 in it with a K&N filter? Think we should try some different oil? I'm open to any ideas. We're planning to pull the engine this week and changing the pan/pickup/pump in order to make the Ford vs Chevy race this coming weekend...

Anyway, the car ran a 12.02 on that second pass... It's got 11's in it once we load the converter and launch it like it needs to be launched!

That oil pan is not a drag race or any other kind of race pan. It is only to hold the oil in a non high "G" situatiuon.

Fl1hp motorcraft filter is good too.

And yes Blake is on it, you need a better oil pan.

Like you said ....."truck pan". Needs a good race pan with a windage tray/screen. Then you can see if there is any other issues.

The K&N racing filter is about as good as any!

Thanks guys. We'll get the pan swapped this week and then we'll make some more passes on Saturday. I'll let you know how it all works out.

i ran that pan on a 400 and also had a solid flat cam.it only had issues after the burnout,psi would bounce a little.i found that it was oiling the top end very heavy so i put more oil in it. not the best idea but i built it from 351 leftovers and intended to abuse it.one extra qt fixed it,or half ass'ed, and i never noticed it having problems down the track.it ran 5.70's witha 400 shot. all solid lifters are not equal,some let a lot of oil through,spin your pump and see how much oil you have up top before you do any hard work.

jbozzelle wrote:

Second pass I launched it and made a full pass. On top end right before I crossed the stripe I noticed the oil PSI was down to about 30 PSI. As soon as I crossed the line and lifted the gauge shot up to 60 PSI.

What about shimming a stock volume pump?

Guys let's read what jbozzelle has wrote.

If the oil pressure is good (assumed) until the quarter mile stripe, would this be a pan problem or ...... the oil having a tough time finding it's way back to the pan?

Yes, most will say the pressure went back to normal under deceleration. And with that said, does the oil in the valley have a better exit from the valley during deceleration than acceleration? Again, assuming this is where the majority of the oil is trapped.

"Souping up" an oil pump that is near starvation, will surely starve it unless more food is available, ya think?

Just my two shits!
Dave.

oil starvation due to Windage and sloshing due to acceleration and deceleration as you know are very common problems with the design of that pan, its well documented. Alot of proment builders will not use that pan in anything other than stock or near stock non-performance builds.

Yes, the motor could be holding some oil on top, but that's not the immediate problem IMO

I'll have the valve covers off later this evening to see if all of the drainback holes look straight and clear. That stock truck pan is so angled in the rear it's stupid. I can see how the oil simply rode up there... It's also clear to me now how important the valley drains are... Thes emight need to be massaged some as well as have some front drains drilled as well...

And it has immediate pressure as soon as I lift and the nose dips back down. I don't even have to get on the brakes for that to happen! Shoots back up to 60psi.....

We'll find out Saturday at test n tune. If all goes well we'll be whipping ass on the Chevy boys come Sunday!


If any of you guys are going to be near Gulfport, MS on Sunday come check out the Ford vs Chevy race at Gulfport Dragway!

Just my two cents, but if you have a front sump type setup the G forces could be pulling the oil back and not getting sucked up. You let off then all the oil comes rushing back towards the pickup and the oil pressure goes back up.

bb429power wrote:Just my two cents, but if you have a front sump type setup the G forces could be pulling the oil back and not getting sucked up. You let off then all the oil comes rushing back towards the pickup and the oil pressure goes back up.

Read all the posts.

342g wrote:

bb429power wrote:Just my two cents, but if you have a front sump type setup the G forces could be pulling the oil back and not getting sucked up. You let off then all the oil comes rushing back towards the pickup and the oil pressure goes back up.

Read all the posts.

Must have skipped that by accident.

My 2 cents is i've always learned more by listening than anything else

I have a question.Don't you guys jump my ass if I missed a detail or two, but does the pan mentioned have the sump at the rear of the pan? Not the sump for the pump, the other sump!

Dave.

LivermoreDave wrote:I have a question.Don't you guys jump my ass if I missed a detail or two, but does the pan mentioned have the sump at the rear of the pan? Not the sump for the pump, the other sump!

Dave.

"The car has the FRPP "truck" swap pan/pickup on it."

I missed it too

The pan in question is an odd duck...so to speak. it's lowest point is not a real rear position.........kind of 3/4ish i.m.o. It's odd floor shape and lack of a windage tray/screen are both negatives i.m.o.