Oil pressure...am I losing it?

[Cheapsnake]

When I first started my 351w I had a nice 60 psi at cold idle, 35-40 after warm-up. Pretty much stayed there for the first couple go-karts. Took it out last Friday for a 5-6 mile ride and took the opportunity to lay into it a couple times. Nothing too dramatic but hit 5500 in 1st & 2nd. On the way home I noticed OP was running around the low 30's and idle was about 18. Started her up today and cold idle is at 35, high idle gets it up to 42.

With less than 10 miles on the engine, did I jump the gun by running it hard and possibly score a bearing? The gauge seems to be OK. It actually takes about 6-8 seconds for it to bleed down to 0, but I'm going to check it out anyway.

I've got a TR8 with a Rover 3.5 aluminum V8 which lives very happily at low oil pressures, but I'm new to Ford stuff and not sure if I should be concerned about these numbers. A penny for your thoughts.

Tom

[Jester]

It's probably fine. I'm more suspicious about the cold readings than the hot readings. Keep watching it for another 50 miles to see if it settles in where it is now.

BTW - sweet aluminum V8. I bolted one on the back of a sand rail in 1980 and it flew! Kennedy adapters still makes the adapter to a VW transaxle.

[Cheapsnake]

I fell in love with those little 215's. With a little tweaking I'm getting 200+ HP out of mine and it has the sweetest exhaust note at 6000 RPM (aside from the Cobra's). If I have the time (and money) this winter, I'm looking for 260 HP.

Back to the oil pressure question, thanks for the advice. I agree, it may be fine but I need something to worry about. I'm going to hook up another gauge this week just to take that out of the issue.

[powerhouse]

I would drain the oil and check for any metal,etc. in it.
windsors can be tough on main bearings if the clearances are on the tight side,especially if no oil system mods were done.
Do you know what the bearing clearances were or what oil pump was used? Andrew

[Jester]

A few years back you could still order the offy intake manifold for three 2 barrel carbs. I once met a guy that had a turbocharged one out of an Indy Car. The engine was run at Indy in '63.

Hot oil can scare you. In my race car, I came off the track with 5 psi of oil pressure from 80 psi cold and 50 psi on the track. Maybe I'm too confident that 20 is not a big deal.

[Cheapsnake]

I don't have any paperwork on the rebuild, but it was by Jasper, which is a reputable outfit so I'm assuming they did a good fit on the bearings. It's a standard volume oil pump.
Checking around on some other forums, I'm finding that my readings aren't all that uncommon, but I'm still surprised at the wide range of pressures that guys are reporting, everything from 10 psi at idle to 40. BTW, my 60 at idle, was actually at high idle, 3-4K, so maybe I'm not all that bad after all. Call it new parent syndrome.

Thanks guys.

Tom

[powerhouse]

if there is nothing funny in the oil or no strange noises you are probably fine.The readings do sound normal for a std. volume pump
Andrew