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Old 01-21-2020, 08:48 AM
olddog olddog is offline
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: St. Louisville, Oh
Cobra Make, Engine: A&C 67 427 cobra SB
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Steve,

There are thousands of engine running High Volume oil pumps and have no problems with burning oil. There was a time when most hot rod enthusiasts were recommending high volume high pressure oil pumps. Back in those days a lot of discussion was around opening up and smoothing out the drain ports. People would grind smooth the lifter gallery and paint it. Partly for better draining and partly to make sure no grit came loose. Today with all the good aluminum heads, I don't hear much talk about these things.

Most builders, to this day, will restrict oil to the top end of the engine if they run solid lifters, but not if the engine has hydraulic lifters. This is done to put more oil to the bottom end. Since I have never heard that they do anything different to the bottom end if they run hydraulic lifters, then I must conclude that restricting the oil to the top end is theoretically correct, but not necessary. I suppose you could argue that solids allows higher rpm and the restriction help at these higher rpm. Maybe I have digressed again, but my point is, this is not done to reduce oil consumption through valve steam seals. I have never heard one peep about this.

That all said everything under your valve covers should be drenched in oil. If there is too little oil flowing up there, the heat of the heads would bake the oil. I would estimate that there is 15-20 gpm or more flowing up top at maximum rpm with a standard oil pump. Factory engines do not suck oil down like a pig, when you have it wound up passing someone. Your HV pump is not putting anywhere near that much oil up top at normal cruise rpm. I do not think the pump is the problem.

If there is a drain back problem and there is oil standing in the head deep enough to cover the valve stem seals, that would cause a problem. I doub't that is the case.
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