rritchey Couple of things. First you don't say how tight or loose you set your motor up at for specs. I know guys running .003 on the rods and .0025 on the crank. Are you using a G&L coating on your bearings?? Unless you have a stock low compression motor, 20 psi is not enough in my 20+ years of wrenching motors. Maybe a chevy with a wider rod and crank bearing but not an FE motor. I don't have 20 years with FE motors yet but I want that .0015 film of
oil to flow well and keep the bearings and crank from rubbing each other. If you are going to rebuild a motor every year, I would agree with you. I have G&L coating on the bearings and swan coating on the pistons skirts and tops. Ron Miller from CALI. runs loose motors, .003 on the mains and .0035 on the rods but this is for racing motors, not street engines. In a blueprinted book I have the spec are .0009-.0029 clearance on the rods, crank is .0020-.0035. My motor is, crank .0028 and rods are .0025. I have 1 other question, Just because you see 20 psi at the gauge do you think you have this in the whole engine with it running? Which block are you using? Side oiler,center oiler, top oiler?? These motors have different oiling systems as you know. Each motor builder has his own ideas on build a motor. Me I want that volume and pressure. I have never heard of
oil wearing out a set of bearings (thats CLEAN
oil). Have a good one Rick Lake