Windsor oil pump pick up failure

[Mrs flatchat]

As a matter of interest !--
Windsor no brainer 302 new rebuild
Had some no oil pressure to surging pressure issues during check over, before race day.
Turns out to be the oil pick up pipe parting company with its mount flange POS

[sambo]

There's a cheap GM/Ford joke to be made here but I'll leave it alone. Great you found the problem before race day.

[750hp]

Is that a reasonably new Mellings piece? I've heard of a few of them doing exactly that. Not cool!

[Aussie Mike]

Older small block and big block chevs ran a press in oil pump pickup. these could come loose with bad results. The standard practice was to tack weld them to the oil pump once in place.

Was the picup hitting the bottom or side of the sump? Something enought to cause some leverage on that weld?

It looks like the whole pickup is just supported off that pipe. It may be worth welding a tab to the pickup and running the tab to one of the oil pump pickup flange bolts for extra support.

Cheers

[Gaz64]

As Mike has said, add a brace from the screen end of the pickup tube to the nearest point, ie: main cap bolt etc.