Thread: 396+30 oil pressure

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I have a 396 that was built in 1977 y Larson engines in Lincoln Ne. Finally put it into my '29 AA in 1999. Has a Weind (sp) 177 blower. Motor was has forged 7:00 to one (milled from 8 to 1) blower pistons. Had a high presure oil pump. (Motor was to go in '67 Camaro with a 6-71(15 lb boost on street). This motor had all the "goodies" done at the time, shot peened rods, O-ringed block ect.

Put on 32,000 miles with no problem. In summer of 2007 the short story is I put in a standard presure oil pump. Due to gas price, it sat except for a short drive once a week in summer. In Sept of 2008 I started driving it to work as the daily S10 died. That is when I noticed the oil presure would drop from 40 to 30 after motor oil reached 190 degrees or so. Idle went from 20 to 10 psi. Both steady readings on 9 mile back and forth to work.

Had another gear head listen ect. and nothing sounds "wrong" just the low pressure. With the high pressure pump, ran at 60 and idled around 40.

On a recent 30 mile jaunt on I-25 (60+ day) it went from 40 to 35 then to
30 as oil hit the 200 mark and motor warmed to 195.

My question is does anyone know what the speed shops did in '77 when they put the high pressure pump in? I thought it was just added but now I wounder if "speed scrects" were used such as opening the crank oil passage or clearnce.

Think I should put in a new high presure pump? I have a new Morroso high vol-high pres. from sumitt for it.

It is my daily driver and today is -2 at 12:46 am (just got off work a while ago) so it will not be today

Thanks for your thoughts and ideas
Earl