Oil pressure on new FE

[ERA 626]

I just started my 428 FE for the first time and it is on a test stand.
Other than the water hoses flying off a couple of times I guess every thing else is OK.
The oil pressure at Idle is about 30psi that when I give it fuel it goes up to about 60psi is this normal?

[ERA 626]

I forgot you can see the motor here http://www.gessford.com/quotes/image...roneERA428.htm

[Steve Dickey]

Mike,
Congratulations on firing that bad boy up. Did you get your bellhousing dialed in? I just fired mine up Wednesday as well. When I primed it with the drill motor I had about 70lbs and about the same at 2500rpm cold. Once the oil temp came up I had about 45lbs at 2500rpm.
Good talking with you the other day, Steve

[ERA 626]

Steve,
My results are the same as yours 80psi cold than drops to 40-65psi when warm. My water temp. seems to be rising a little to about 220 or 230 but people say that is normal for a new motor.
I was also told to purge the air out of the system however, I have no Idea how to do this?
I did not check the runout on the bellhousing yet because I have to take it off again anyway.
PS I seem to have a small leak from the back of my intake Is there anything I can do short of pulling the intake for a $3.00 gasket

Mike

[A Snake]

Just be sure that the pressure doesn't get under the 30# mark. 60-70# is good above 2500rpm. Watch when you have it in and are driving it, that the pressure doesn't begin to drop when you start bringing up the rpm to the high side (5000+)

Question for you: Solid lifters or hydraulic? If solids, did your builder put in the restrictors to the top end? Let me know. There's a simple one that goes into the galley under the center rocker arm stand on each head. Helps a bunch to keep the oil in the bearings where it belongs instead of flooding the valve covers.

Al

[ERA 626]

I was the builder... I have hyd. lifters and harland sharp roller rockers and yes I installed .090 restrictors by the advise of geroge anderson at gessford machine.
When my motor is cold the pressure is up around 70lbs. but after it heats up it idles with about 30lbs of pressure then as I give it fuel it climbs to about 50lbs.
Is this OK? I really dont know where the oil level is but I put in about 9 quarts with my Avaid oil pan.
Mike

[M & M]

Mrmike,

I have just begun breaking in my FE 427 s/o, about 450 miles now. Used 20-50w oil. My oil pressure is 80+ on cold start. After engine is hot 180F this drops to about 65 and 25 at idle. I am told this is perfect.

Your numbers sound right in line.

Mike

[Steve Dickey]

Mike,
Re: purging the air. I pulled a plug at the top of my intake while filling, seems air tends to get trapped up high as you fill and removing the plug(if you have one) lets it out. Also, if you drill a small hole toward the top of your thermostat that helps as well.
Good luck, Steve
PS Isn't the personal service from George at Gessford incredible? I was stuck in a bind last week and sent him an e-mail at about 11:00pm his time and got a response that night!! Several months back I sent and recieved three e-mails on a Sunday. He never rests.

[A Snake]

Mike,

Now we're getting somewhere. Do you also have the oil cooler and remote filter mount? If so, the Aviaid pan holds 7 quarts by itself if it is an original style pan. Add one for the filter making 8. Depending on minor variables, the complete system holds 13 quarts. Nine is a bit full if you're just running it on a stand with no remote lines.

Unless you plan to really buzz the motor a lot on a track or "impromptu" street displays, 50# is ok warm. I'd like a little more, but that's just me. The stock 428 usually ran about 40-45# for the "tame" variety and 55-60# for the CJ's As you know the big thing is getting the oil where it belongs. You'll know right away if you have pressure or volume problems...your lifters will rattle.

With that pan, you'll have to "improvise" a dipstick mark or play with the length of the tube as there aren't any "factory" dipsticks for it.
What you might want to do while you still have it on the stand, is put the 7 quarts (+1) in it, make sure it sits level and adjust the dipstick now, before you have the complete system hooked up. I wasn't smart enough to do that and had a tough time getting the oil level correct. More by guess and by golly than good measurement. If you do this, it should be simple to add the additional 5 qts and find that if you're off a little, it's not the dipstick and adjust accordingly. Length of oil lines will be a factor that I can't give you numbers for. Depends on how you route them, how long they need to be.

Like most folks, I'd rather see the system a little too full than not full enough.....especially with a new engine.

You might check with Aviaid on the capacity just to be sure. I'm sure that's what mine was, but memory fails.

Good luck!

Al