352 fe normal oil pressure

[Nathan390]

Ok, first off let me say I did a search and didn't come across anything.

Second, the engine seems to run just fine, no noise, doesn't over heat or anything like that.

Third my numbers I'm quoting are from the factory gauge that's almost 50 years old.

My 65 f100 engine is supposed to be a replacement 360, but I'm not going to hold my breathe on that. Plus I don't care if it is. It looks correct and it runs..

At any rpm off idle my oil psi says 30 lbs. At idle its 12 lbs.

Should I be worried? I'm new to Fe engines.. on my small sixes or sbfs I'd start planning a rebuild the minute it started making noise with the low psi..

What are your thoughts?

My shop manuals are on order.

[ICEMAN6166]

oil light if you had one comes on @ 8 psi.
iirc spec is 35-55 @ 2K.
i believe anything below 25 at warm idle is a concern.


i would first test with fresh oil and a new mechanical gauge, could be the pump is worn, not real hard to deal with on 4x4 as no crossmembers in the way to pull the pan.

[Nathan390]

Hmmm..

I have 30 plus at 2k

Its the warm idle that concerns me. 12 psi at 600 rpms usually means worn bearings.

It could also be nothing.. maybe a bad sensor..

Guess I'll start saving for a 390 upgrade..

Question is do I want to find a 390 block or just put 390 internals in a 360 block?

Any pluses or minuses for either?

[tomrooster]

I wouldn't be to concerned . I have seen them run a long time with no problem at low oil pressure at idle. Might have thin oil in it also. Tom

[Nathan390]

Well if it blows up. It will give me an excuse to go bigger..

But I doubt it will blow up anytime soon.. knocking on wood as I type...

[bruceandersson]

Before getting too worried about the factory gauge, I'd check it with a mechanical gauge.

[longcabjohn]

I have the same problem with my 460 when I got it had gas in oil, installed new fuel pump and hope for the best (should have known better). 65# cold idle 10# hot idle. If I keep driving it will die at the worst time and place. Found at sealed power kit that has every thing including cam and lifter for less than $400. Going to start removing this week.


Johnny

[LM14]

Took my '66 out for a cruise today. 87,256 mile original engine (as of parking it in the garage when I got home). Going down the highway at 60MPH and turning 1750 RPM I had 45# of pressure. When I came to town and let it idle at a stop light, it dropped to 35#.

SPark

[Astrowing]

FE engines are .low at idle due to passages to valve train being too large. Folks do make mods by adding screws with a drilled passage to bring pressure up. There are articles on squarebirds.org for oil mods.

[Nathan390]

Today was weird it was one of our warmer days, almost 90* and today it never came off of 30psi. Even idling at a long stop light, it stayed at 30.

Now today I also had a hard time starting it when warm.. acted like it was flooded. Plus I smell gas. Could be because I'm sitting in front of the tank. To get it started I floored it while cranking.

I'm thinking I need to add a carb spacer or at least a thicker gasket.

[bruceandersson]

The other aspect of this relates to the oil you use. When I got my first vehicle with a gauge instead of an idiot light, I noticed that the pressure would vary significantly between cold and hot. So I tried different oils until I came upon Castrol. Been using it ever since. The only oil I found that maintained its viscosity at temp. I also run 20W50 in the summer and a 10W40 in colder weather.

[Nathan390]

I have no idea what oil is in it. It was fresh oil when I bought it.

I'm not a fan of 10w-40. Because its more additives than oil. Let me explain or at least try to.

Oil companies take 10 weight oil and add additives to make it dual blend along with detergents etc.
For example lets say 10w-30 is 3 parts oil 1 part additives.
To go from 10w-30 to 10w-40 it takes 4 times the additives to get that extra 10.
So you still have your 3 parts oil, but now have 4 parts additives..

You now have more additives than oil...

Plus I had a 289 blow up on me when I was running 10w-40 Valvoline, no warning.. cruising along the freeway got off the freeway. Sat at light, turned green step on gas and boom... tore engine down, timing chain broke and crank is broke in two places. Was it the oil's fault, probably not... but in my weird mind I haven't used 10w-40 since.

[ICEMAN6166]

i have been using rotella 15w40 for quite a while now, both in my 292 and in the 327 in the rambler

yesterday was hot 94*
took truck on 80 mile round trip
starts up has 60psi
take off onto road, hits almost 65 psi cresting first hill in 3rd gear, after that steady 58 psi until town, 65 mph, 2900 rpm. 195* thermostat reading 195 on gauge.
45-50 psi at 30 mph in town, 40 sitting still at traffic lights.
2500 or so miles since last oil change. temp stays @195 even at stoplights idling. coolant is 2-1 mix, 2 gal coolant to 1 gal. water. radiator is vintage 1964 with no shroud.

[Nathan390]

Ice,

Mine runs at 195* like yours 2 year old expensive replacement radiator no fan shroud, unknown coolant mixture. I'll test it when my wife brings my truck back.. I should call it hers..

15-40 is good oil used to have more zinc in it than most oils..

I usually run shell rotella t 30hd..
Otherwise I run Valvoline 20w-50 in their vr1 or Kendall oil 20w-50 in their gt1.

I don't run my rigs in the winter.. well maybe short bus will once I get the bottom under coated..
I want to play with the 4*4.. it already climbs like a goat in 1st gear in 2wd.

[ICEMAN6166]

I want to play with the 4*4.. it already climbs like a goat in 1st gear in 2wd.

yes and it will climb the face of a cow

a blast from the past:
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=6999

"Iceman, as you know, is always watching out for a good deal on a 4x4 Slick.
One time, on eBay, he found a truck in Butte, Montana, that was a '65 4x4 F100. It was advertised by a woman who said
"It don't go very fast, but it can climb the face of a cow!" "

[Nathan390]

Thats too funny! I hadnt seen that thread.
ive just about read all 279 pages of truck talk I have about 50 pages left.

Next it will be the tips section..

Todays project is raising the carb off the intake with a 1" spacer.
so far all I did was create a cool sounding vacuum leak..
I get to take it a part and try again. Im thinking the manifold has a damaged carb stud threads.

If i get the time..

[cooter]

change the oil with something good and thicker than 10/30, add 1 bottle of lucas oil stabilizer and you should be ok. And do NOT use fram filters, use wix, Donaldson, napa gold

[Nathan390]

Yea fram sucks.
cardboard and hot glue.

I use purolators most of the time. Gots me plenty of lucas..
planned on adding some to the trans and transfer case.

I want to add fluid to the knuckles. I think gear oil will leak out.
im thinking some model t gear box lube would work well. Its like 500 weight oil.

Well so much for getting back to on the truck.. just got free tickets to a baseball game.

Plus my phone is about to die.