2.3 oil pressure dos not increase with rpm

[clint3]

i have a 2.3 ford motor fresh from the machine shop and literally the only thing that isnt new in the motor in the head, block, and crank. Everything in the block and in the head is brand new! I started it up for the first time and had 40 psi at cold start and 15-18 psi at warm idle. I did not like such low pressures so i pulled the motor and changed the pump to a new stock melling pump. also i switched the oil from 10w40 to 20w50. After that cold start up idle oil psi was a little over 60 psi, but as the engine got closer to warm operating temp the oil psi dropped slowly all the way to 20 psi. When i rev the engine the oil psi barely moves up at all. I can not race this engine till i fix the problem. the engine builder/machine shop is a VERY good shop and has a great reputation. i called the shop and they said all bearing clearances were perfect for the 2.3 motor. So i am completely lost and yes i have a mechanical gauge and i have tried more than one with the same low oil psi readings. Can anybody please help?

[Browndog]

It does sound like maybe a clearance problem. They may have the rods and mains clearances ok but what about the aux shaft bearings or cam bearings? Could be clearance issues there. Is the head hydraulic or solid cam? Maybe too much clearance in the lifter bores. I don't like the oil restrictor that some use in 2.3 heads but you could put one in temporary and see if the pressure increases which would indicate a possible leak in the head. Just a few ideas.

[1195]

Check to see that the plug is in the back of the camshaft. Also if the cam bearings that were installed have the groove around the outside the holes in the tops of the cam towers have to be plugged. if they aren't you will have very low oil pressure.

[Old Rob]

Check the clearance between pickup and oil pan. Must be a minimum of .250" also that the oil pickup tube is secure, cannot suck down to pan.
Check the gasket and surfaces between pickup and oil pump body.
Check for cracks in the oil pickup tube.
Check the oil pump mounting boss for flatnes and cracking.
Check the presssure relief valve for binding in the it's bore.
To check for excessive leaking in the head, remove the valve cover and turn the oil pump drive shaft with a deep 5/16" socket. (clockwise) Look for excessive oil flow.

mot part of your problem, however be sure to radius the oil holes under the oil filter.
Do not run a oil restrictor to the head in compition.

[let-r-eat]

What oil filter are you running? Have you tried changing that?

60 psi cold is in the ballpark.

Tell me about the combo. Solid cam? Roller? Hydraulic?

Is this a stock rear sump mustang pan? Stock pickup?


Old Rob is giving some good tips.

Get the drill out and remove the valve cover and spin it and get to looking. Some of the real old roller cams have big big holes in the cam lobes for oiling and you must run the restricter to control top end oil.

[clint3]

Thanks alot guys for all of your help and opinions! The cam is a crower cam, the head is a solid lift head, im not sure about the cam bearing with the groove but if it helps i bought the cam bearings from esslinger and the aux bearings from speedwaymotors. I have been using a puralator oil filter and never had a problem out of them. I have a new melling oil pump and i have checked the pickup tube with no problems there. the head was pressure tested before assembly so there should be no cracks. i have not checked the plug in the back of the camshaft yet, but i would think it would be there but i will check anyways. This is a brand new motor built buy a shop that is very very good and building alot of big name drivers engines and the clearances of the bearings are all good because i checked with him again and he looked it up from his build sheet. there is probabaly only 1 hour on this motor so i would love to race this thing if i can fix it

[pinto99]

I agree the cam bearings are probably the ones with the groove in them and the towers aren't plugged. I had a machine shop forget to put the plugs in towers once, and it did the exact same thing. I would pull the distributor so you can prime the pump with 5/16" socket, and see if oil comes out of the top of the tower.

[let-r-eat]

Pinto99 probably has it pegged. The esslinger cam bearings and plugging the top oil hole. Get the drill out.

[clint3]

I will try this as soon as possible and i will get back to you guys with the results. Thanks alot!

[clint3]

Update, the cam towers did not have plugs and i spun the oil pump shaft with a drill nd the oil gushes out of the cam tower holes. So i need the plugs right?

[1195]

Yes the holes need to be plugged.

[let-r-eat]

Tap the holes and plug em up

[clint3]

ok thanks guys, also i was having an overheating problem i was running really hot the first time i took the car out and the water pump is the stock pump and my hoses have springs in them so i know they are not collapsing and i am not running a thermostat and have an electric fan that was working. So im kind of clueless about what the reason is unless the low oil pressure was contributing to the high water temps, any thought? Thanks!

[let-r-eat]

Could be but that electric fan stuff is probably the problem. Are you running a ford taurus fan? What type of electric fan are you running? You running an aluminum radiator or stock style?
Just put a good 4 blade fan on there with a shroud.

[clint3]

i have a stock radiator with a housing that has twin (2) electric fans in the housing. it blows pretty hard so i would think that it is working good?