High volume oil pump required?

[monkeyy337]

My little TR7 with a Buick V6 sheared the roll pin in the distributor gear last time at the track. This happened in the 4th round so the motor was not cold but after taking the oil pump apart today I found that the motor had a high volume (long gears) oil pump and I have been running 20w-50 motor oil in it. My question is does this motor really need the high volume pump as the car is only raced in the 1/8 mile classes and the RPM is not over 4700. The oil pressure at idle when warm was 40-50 and 60 (don't usually look going down the track) or so at RPM.

 

[charlief1]

Read this and it should answer most of your questions.

How to build a front cover/oil pump - TurboBuicks.com

 

[mat231v6]

My little TR7 with a Buick V6 sheared the roll pin in the distributor gear last time at the track. This happened in the 4th round so the motor was not cold but after taking the oil pump apart today I found that the motor had a high volume (long gears) oil pump and I have been running 20w-50 motor oil in it. My question is does this motor really need the high volume pump as the car is only raced in the 1/8 mile classes and the RPM is not over 4700. The oil pressure at idle when warm was 40-50 and 60 (don't usually look going down the track) or so at RPM.

from what i understand a hv pump can distroy the front cam bearing because you can see pressure above 100 psi when you first start up the car.

 

[b4black]

I don't think it's needed (just my opinion). I put one on my first car. It's the spacer plate type - I think it just adds another place for oil to leak.

The long block in the car I race is all original/stock and has plenty of passes on it. No problems. I won't be putting one on my new motor for my other car.


I do think it's worthwhile running the longer PF-52 oil filter.

 

[WarWagon]

I agree use the pf52 filter.

 

[monkeyy337]

Finally got the oil pump gears replaced with a standard pressure type. My Buick book said .002-.006 end clearance between the gears and the end plate. I couldn't even get a .002 feeler gage to fit between the two so I used two gaskets (gaskets were not marked with thickness), packed the pump with grease, primmed the pump, and started the motor and immediately got 45 lbs pressure at idle (1000 RPM). I changed the oil to 10W-30 (from 20W-50) and now a PF52 filter and everything appears good to go. Maybe this standard pump and the 10W-30 oil will allow the motor to make a few more horsepower and allow the car that 8.80's ET (1/8 mile) that I'm looking for. The fastest the car has run so far is a 8.91 in the 1/8 mile and 14.10 @ 94 mph in the 1/4. It ain't no rocket ship but its a fun, cheap, little bracket car.

 

[charlief1]

Well believe it or not your about as fas as most of the guys with a turbo car. Glad to hear you got her up and running again. Did you read the link I posted for you and did it help?

 

[monkeyy337]

Well believe it or not your about as fas as most of the guys with a turbo car. Glad to hear you got her up and running again. Did you read the link I posted for you and did it help?

Thanks for the link, it had some good info. As far as my car being about as fast as where most of the turbo cars is going to get you some hate mail (LOL).

 

[charlief1]

Glad I could help you out and you're probibly right. When the truth comes out the haters start.:biggrin:

 

[dr_frankenstein]

Glad I could help you out and you're probibly right. When the truth comes out the haters start.:biggrin:

we have no idea yet do we?

A.j.

 

[charlief1]

we have no idea yet do we?

A.j.

Not yet but with some of the mods I'm doing I'm hoping to get a 1.6 60' or better. I don't think most of the guys can even do that.:biggrin:

 

[monkeyy337]

Finally got to race the car with the standard oil pump and 10W-30 oil instead of the high volume pump and 20W-50 oil. Actually my buddy raced the car as I race a Regal but he weighs 270 lbs (I weight 198) so any hopes of going into the 8.80's in the 1/8 mile weren't going to happen. I don't know if the changes made a difference but the car ran the number over and over. The first pass was a 9.068 followed by a 9.060, 9.060, and a 9.063 (all time trials). We got to run first round before the rain came and the car went 9.070 on the brakes with a .016 reaction time and my buddy kicked a Chevelle's butt. This coming Sundays weather is going to be good so will see what the little car does. The car also had its best 60' time of 1.88.

 

[charlief1]

You have a very consistant car there. Time to do some bracket racing. Good luck.

 

[monkeyy337]

I raced the car Sunday and I only weigh 198 lbs compared to the 270 lbs that my friend weighs who normally drives the car and even though I deep staged the car (the 60' went from a 1.88 to a 1.93) the car went a 8.81 @ 76.98 mph in the 1/8 mile. Thats a high 8.70 if not deep staging the car. The oil pressure at idle when hot is only about 5-6 pounds but as soon as you touch the gas pedal it is at least 10 lbs for each 1000 rpm so I guess its safe but I might change from the 10W-30 oil to 10W-40. How much increase at idle do you think the oil pressure will raise if I do this? Thanks in advance for any comments.

 

[charlief1]

You need some tree practice. I know you can do better than that if you practice.

 

[monkeyy337]

You need some tree practice. I know you can do better than that if you practice.

I don't need practice as I race in 3 classes at Beech Bend every Sunday but a combination of poor eye sight and being 64 yrs old doesn't help. I even deep staged my white Regal that runs 6.70's in the 1/8 mile but I had to slow it down to 7 teens in the 1/8 mile to keep from going red. It also doesn't help when half the people your running against are in the 18-30 year range and their reactions are very good. Do you have any comments on changing from 10W-30 to 10W-40 to raise the oil pressure on the TR7 car (V6 Buick motor)?

 

[dr_frankenstein]

yea coming up to 10-40 would help, but you could always pull the plug that holds the pressure spring and shim it up with a washer or so.

A.j.

 

[monkeyy337]

yea coming up to 10-40 would help, but you could always pull the plug that holds the pressure spring and shim it up with a washer or so.

A.j.

Thanks for the info, I never did check to see what spring was in there after changing to the standard oil pump gears. It might have the low pressure spring in there?

 

[dr_frankenstein]

yea its possible it has the LP spring in it.

when was the last time you clearanced your bottom end? I usually do it 3 times a season.

A.j.

 

[monkeyy337]

I know this is a dumb question but here goes. I didn't realize to recently (never looked) but my oil pump has an adjustable regulator. Do you adjust these with the motor running for a oil pressure increase and how do you adjust them? I told you it was a dumb question.