2.3L oil pressure drops

[17GZ]

I have a 2.3L Ford with iron roller head. 6.20 lift. Dry sump. Has 100# cold, about 80# at 3000 rpm. When it gets to about 7600 rpm the oil pressure drops below 40# when hot. Engine only has 7 races on it. Any ideas?

[longhornracer]

What oil you running? And mine in every motor I have ever buiilt is around 60-65 cold and then it jumps up to 80 when i start getting the rpms up there. Usually after the feature it is around 45-50..

[pobort]

could be normal but excessive bearing clearances are indicative of that symptom. cam bearings most commonly.

[Milford Motorsports]

Sounds like pump is not able to pull enough flow at higher rpm's.Possible restriction in pan or suction line?Bad pump or suction section?Unless you are using 90 weight oil I can't see excess bearing clearences allowing that high of oil pressure at 3000.

[17GZ]

It had 20-50 Brad Penn in it when I got it. Started having the op problem. Changed it to 15-50 Amsoil racing oil and cleaned the filter (system 1) and the scavenger screens. Still runs the same.

[17GZ]

Should have said 60 at cold idle will jump to 100 when reved up.

[let-r-eat]

How new is your system1 filter? Scrap it for a good wix and see how it works for you. Old System1 = junk..........imo.

[84Dave]

I agree with L-R-E. When I went to a dry-sump on my 2.0L's, the System 1 would not flow well @ rpm & hot oil. Switched to a HP-1 FRAM race filter....... problem solved. Additional findings. The input to the pressure side of the pump should be #12AN. If the oil tank is more than 4' from the pump input, the line from the tank to the pump should then be #16AN. Pump pressure output? If the oil filter screws onto an adapter on the side of the block for the pressure input, the line from the pump pressure output to the adapter can be a #10AN. If the filter is remotely mounted, the line from the pressure pump to the filter should be #12AN. Then the output line from the filter back to the block can be #10AN. Do NOT run an oil cooler on the pressure side of the pump. Run a cooler in-line on the scavenge side. If the pump has (2) stages of scavenge, the lines from the pan to the scavenge inputs should be #10AN. If the pump has a common manifold for the scavenge sections, the output of the manifold to the input of the oil cooler should be #12AN. Then the output of the cooler back to the tank should also be #12AN. Works for me! -Dave-

[Old Rob]

Ditto, trash the system one junk. Lost an engine because of one.-