lippy Yes, a min of 30# on the gauge. You will have only about 10-15 psi
oil pressure at the rear rods and rear main crank shaft bearing un less it's a side oiler. Most of the FE motors I have seen damaged or broken have burnt rod bearings in the 3,4,7,8 area. They are the last to get
oil in a center
oil block. We can talk ideas and theory until the sun rises. I don't get paided to build motors here on the FE forums or CC. I have built my own motors. Shelby blocks are NOT, repeat NOT FE blocks They are more like 417 Donovan blocks. I have worked on them along time ago. This is what I know, FE motors have poor oiling systems, small narrow rod bearings, heavy rods and crankshafts. I know guys who ran hemi crankshafts and rods in FE blocks. This was 1/4 mile racing in the 70's. The motors lasted.
I have heard and been told by a couple of people on the forum and other forums that an FE motor needs only 10 psi to float the rods and crankshaft. Alot of this depends on the clearances of the motor. Some guys run the old numbers .003" of the crankshaft and rods. Some guys run the .0025" for both. The newer thing is running around .002" on rods and main bearings. I run a little less, .00185-.0019" Here's the thing, this is a stroker kit with BBC rods and bearings. These bearing are wider than FE. The rods are also less weight than FE rods, Think they where about 30-45 grams less. That's alot less weight to be throughing around at 6,000 rpms. The liter the better. IF you look at some of the engine master motor from a couple of years ago, alot of guys where running a 2.2 rod and now we are at honda rods of 1.88" and still making silly power.
Here's the thing, I have built 3 FE motors in the last 15 years and working on #4 my last for my cobra. I have talked to some of the master engine builders from the 60-70's. They all say about the same thing of racing an FE motor. Alot of oil and oil pressure. I have been told that high oil pressure errodes bearing and prewears them out. I have 7 years of abuse on 452 motor, stock case 428 crankshaft. NO prebearing wear on either rod or crankshaft bearings. spec clearance was .0025 rods, and .0022 mains. This is with the 100# spring and 15-40 oil. Cold start I am hitting between 125-128psi and let the motor warn up by itself. Takes about 3 minute to get temp in oil up to 140F and coolant at 180F. The one down side is the hard wear the gears on the camshaft and distributor gear take. I have the end play on the camshaft at .005". I also have a .015" pin hole in the allen screw behind this area to spray oil on the 2 gears and extend the life of both. I don't rely on spray or splash. The 484 motor is tighter, run the same oil pump and pressures. Hard abuse, no damage to bottom end, no failures. My 498 motor with be about the same with about 650ft of torque and 580hp. That's the limit of my drivetrain and nerves.
I don't have 20G to blow around and destroy motors. I give up 20-40 hp for torque. Running my motors at a lower rpm, using a 6 spd trans and running a 3.31 reaend ratio gives me the best of both worlds. I also have a 5 spd for small autocross tracks with long 2nd gear it stays in through out the drive. Each builder has their own theories of how to keep and FE alive. These are mine and provin to work.
I agree with Brent B about not idling a FE solid camshaft motor under 1,200 rpms. This gives more spray and splash to help keep wet the rotating parts. The only different is with a hydro camshaft motor and I started with flat tappets I could and do idle at 750 rpms all day and don't worry about lack of oil. Roller camshaft now, the same applies. Little side note on this, I run soft springs on the heads, beehive 26120 BBC springs. They help limit my motor to 5,600 rpms with valve float starts. I have worked out that by having only a .015" compression of the lifter plunger at normal running and when the lifters pump up like solids I don't have the massive falloff of power from the valves being held open. Old race trick. Max rpm is 6,200. Good luck with your motor. Last side note, The oil pump drive shaft, get a harden one. The pins in the bottom of your distributor, if you run an MSD, go the next size up on the pins for more strenght. There is a thread on this and what size the pins are. I don't have the number off the top of my head. I am a GM master tech by trade and have better than 40+ years of playing with motors. I love the odd ball ones, Hemi's, ( the old sytle ) Cammer motors, ( just cost too much to build) and AMC, the ugly duckling. Rick Lake student of motors,not master.
Drill holes in the center
Rick L. Ps not 100% sure but I think the HV oil pump comes with a #50 pound spring. The HVHP comes with a 60# spring. You can add a washer behind the spring to get the 60 number. Pull the spring out of the pump and install the washer, reinstall the plug and safety wire it so the plug can't come out or get loose.
Hybrid Mode
