Oil Booster Plate??

[b4black]

Also, there has been a fair amout of criticism about the HV spacers. They appear to be stressing the cam nose gear. Even the TA site has a note about it.

We have found that the use of High Volume / High Pressure Pumps (on all Buick engines except the Nailhead design) tend to add an additional load to the cam gear and front cam bearing resulting in excelerated failure rates. Please contact us if you have any questions.

http://www.taperformance.com/pumpkits.htm

 

[JeffG]

Gene,
Okay so I'm slower then the average bear but so you lost me a bit. You state
"The Melling Stuff didn't work on my new front cover! It started to lock up and scored my cover! I threw mine in the trash! TA is one of the best Buick oiling experts in the country."
I ordered my booster plate from T/A and it is just a Mellings plate. I figured I would get it from them because they know what they are doing......yet they supplied me with a Mellings plate. Looks like you had probelms with it. Should I be looking to send this back to them and look for another solution?

Thx,

 

[inkcushion]

My mellings kit is fine maybe it was just installed wrong they have to be perfect when they are put in or you will have problems!I know Mellings is a top producer of quality oil pump products so I doubt they could stay in bussines by making junk!!!!!! Buy what you want ,but the parts are probably all made by the same people juat sold to different co. so they can put their name on it!!!

 

[JeffG]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Mellings is junk. I know better then that. I've used Melling product on other motors with no problems.
That being said, I want what works best on my 3.8. That may or may not be Mellings product.

Thx,

 

[BOOSTD]

So is TA performance's HV pump reccomended or will it cause more harm than good? Maybe I'm asking a black and white question in a grey area but all I want to do is to increase my oil pressure with out having to rebuild the engine. Is the melling booster plate the way to go? Im sure drilling two holes in the timing cover won't be to difficult.

THIS IS ONE AREA THAT I HAVE NO EXPERIENCE WITH.
Does anyone have pictures so I can see what you are talking about?

thanks
BOOSTD

 

[b4black]

One more time.

"The thing (made by Melling) with the two dowels pins is NOT the booster plate. That's the high volume pump kit. The pins hold the ¼ spacer in place and it therefore uses pump gears that are a ¼ longer than stock. " Go to the TA performance website (link above) and read the description and see where the say ATTENTION in red. That would be enough to to stop me from adding one.



Instead I would go with the Kenne-Bell booster plate (aka block-off plate, or Ruggles plate)

 

[Red Regal T]

High volume pump dispute has been going on since the first big block buick was raced. I've used them for over 15 years and haven't had a problem. Have one on my TR for 75K miles. Puts more stress on the cam gear because the gears in the oil pump are a quarter inch longer than stock. I'd say......MELLING IS THE BRAND! Binding can occur if the bottom plate of the pump has no clearance between itself and the bottom of the pump gears. Hell, I sheered my cam gear on my 455 big block a long time ago because I didn't set the clearance. You can do the same thing with the booster plate. You have to have clearance.

 

[PaulRV6]

BOOSTD, the boost plate (TA or Mellings) is only used if the surface of your existing pump cover is scored from the gear wear, it provides a new flat gear surface, if not worn then the these plates will not do you much good. On the other hand, the KB boost plate has an additional hole that redirects some of the oil back to the inlet port and it is alum.
This will only help oil pressure if your existing pump cover is not flat and is scored.

paul

 

[Danster]

Has anyone tried the one ATR sells? In their catalog they state it is the best design for our cars.

Just a thought. I personally went with the Kenne-Bell one. I get 20 lbs when hot.


Dannyo

 

[StagedGN]

yes Red T is right you must have the gears properly clearenced.they say .002 is what you want this can be done by the shim kit available from TA.basically they are variable thickness gaskets that change the end play or clearence.you cant just slap these Buick pumps together and not expect any problems. Good Luck

 

[BOOSTD]

OK im going to go with the kenne-bell since there seems to be no argument against it. How do I get ahold of one?

Thanks for all your help

BOOSTD

 

[JeffG]

Thanks Gene. I'm with you now. I do not have nor do I intend to run a HV pump. I have done all the things you suggested in addition to running a blocked bypass (lets not start a thread on this mod ), enlarged oil feeds to the center mains, remote high flow Canton filter, and possibly an exteranl line to the rear oil galley.
Looks like the Mellings plate I have is truley a different piece then the "booster plate" some have described here. I will probably just stick with the Mellings plate and other listed mods..........and just go with it.

Thx,

 

[BOOSTD]

Anyone?


Anyone?


I need one before Saturday. Thats when zam70 and I are going to replace the timing chain.

BOOSTD

 

[b4black]

Are you asking how to get a Kenne Bell booster plate?

Try calling Kenne-Bell and ordering one (1-909-941-6646).

 

[turbodave231]

I bought one of the Mellings "Booster" plates (not the high volume kit) and found that the pump would lock up when all the bolts were tightened to the proper torque.

I used plastigage to be sure the end play of the gears was correct (endplay was correct). It turned out that the plate was not perfectly flat and was distorting the cover when torqued. This was not easy to find. I found this out on a granite surface plate and some diemaker's blue. I wasn't out very much , but enough to cause a problem.

Dave

 

[StagedGN]

I just installed the TA plate in a buddies car.It's actually just a melling product and can be had at and local auto store.TA's shim kit is the best thing they sell for exact clearancing.Also I put in their adj oil pressure reg which you can set upper rpm psi.

 

[BOOSTD]

Well, it took two hole days for zam70 and I to install a water pump, timing chain and a Kenne Bell booster plate. It was a very time consuming job but well worth the pay off. The old water pump was so bad that the shaft could be rattled arround inside the pump itself. The old timing chain was missing 9 teeth and had about 20 cracks in it! The only thing that wasnt sevierly worn was the oil pump. When we took off the bottom of the oil pump, we found only minor gear dammage. After some light machining, we installed the Kenne Bell plate and threw everything back together. Before the booster plate was installed, I ran about 13 psi at hot idle and 33psi at 2000 rpm. Now its about 20 psi at idle and 50psi at 2000 rpm.
When we droped the oil pan we were also pleased to see only minor ammounts of metal in the bottom of the pan. Hopefully the additional oil pressure will keep my car in good shape for another 112K miles.

One more thing...

I'd like to thank Scott (zam70) for his help with my car. I couldn't have done such a complicated repare without him. Thanks.

BOOSTD

 

[zam70]

Yo BUD...
YOU did all the work...I just cheered you on...
I guess you did have a few "weak" moments though.
Sorry it took so long and sorry I'm a such a detail oriented (read -> ANAL) ass but it's all in the details as far as I'm concerned.

Glad it all worked out and all is good.
By the way, give it a little while and i want to recheck/tighten the crank pully bolt.

ANOTHER BY THE WAY -

I know a certain someone who wouldn't be totally opposed to hanging out with you if the invitation was extended and the timing was right...
She wasn't just sitting in the garage all day to talk to ME you know...

 

[BOOSTD]

"weak?"-- I didn't want to deprive you of the privalage of working on my car. Thats why I had those "weak" moments.

Dont worry about being anal. My mom is very obsesive compulsive. After 18 years, Im quite used to it. Infact, I need to learn to be more "anal" so that I dont throw on a new gasket without cleaning off the old one first.

Stupid me I thought she was eather really board or REALLY liked cars. Is this "certain someone" going to be at the car show on saturday? You still going?

BOOSTD

 

[zam70]

OH SH*T
I forgot about the show....where's it at again...I'll try to make it out.
"She" has to work tomorrow, otherwise I'm sure she'd be there.

CALL ME ABOUT THE SHOW

529 9192