Couldn't you just add an extra quart of oil to your Olds before a day of hard running and then not worry about starving for oil? Is this to simple?
Yea, a little too simple. Extra oil in a stock pan will raise the level and cause the crank to be too close to the oil. The result is "Whipped", or airiated oil. The air mixed in with the oil will reduce the ability of the oil to lubricate and flow properly.
I realize what you are saying but if most of the oil is up in the engine, starving the pump, the crank is not churning up the oil is it?
That is true at around 4000rpm and above, but most of your run time will be at 3500rpm or less and the excess oil will be in the pan.Once the oil is whipped, it stays that way for a while. The starving for oil problem with the olds is largly due to the small oil return holes in the heads. the extra volume of oil pumped to the top at high rpm can not drain back to the pan fast enough. Extra volume oil pans will give you a margin of saftey to avoid sucking the pan dry. In my experiance, even with a big pan, it is best to keep your high rpm runs limited to about 15 to 30 seconds at a time. This will keep the oil from all leaving the pan, and keep the oil temp from getting to high and thinning out. The olds is a good motor and will last a long time if used within its limits.
I have a 455 olds and the only right way to fix the problem and not to worry is to have the restrictors in the block and I am having them done as we speek along with a larger oil pan and your oil problem are solved-done.Also a high volume oil pump to for some reason. I should get my engine back in a couple of week and if you want I will give you full details of what is to be done and done right.
An idea that I did was to enlarge the return port slightly. Just massage the turn but not so much that you hit water. another idea was to weld in fittings in the valve cover and have a external return system.
One more thing , if you are running a windage tray than an extra quart will only help.
Ok I have a 462 olds and you guys are on the right track. Enlarge the returns on the block. Over sized oil pan. Hi val oil pump.
And something I did not see here yet was oil restrictor push rods.
Blew up two before I fixed it.
go to www.mondello.com (http://www.mondello.com)
On the restictor push rods, I think what my machanist is doing is putting a restrictor before the push rods in the block, but like I said, when I get the engine back I will fill you all in. He has built several olds engines and hasn't had one come back yet.
Old warhorse I run the lifter restrictors but only because I am running a solid roller . If you have a hydrolic cam than you might want to reconsider. The holes in the lifter restricrors are very small, aprox. .040 and they might not flow enough oil to support a hyd.lifter. I feel that restricted push rods for a hyd. cam is a better bet. I could be wrong, but call mondello and ask.
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