<VV> Oil Pressure Question

[Sethracer at aol.com]

In a message dated 5/7/2012 7:58:06 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
bgilbert at gilberts-bc.ca writes:

Assuming  for the moment that the engine is OK and the problem is with the
oil pump,  is it in fact OK to run with 20 PSI? Given that GM engineered the
oil  pressure light to come on at about 5-6 PSI, then could one assume  that
anything over that is "good enough". Is it ? 

Put another way,  45 PSI of oil pressure sounds better than 35 PSI and that
sounds better  than 25 PSI and so on but does it really make any difference 
-
assuming  that the motor is in good shape?


First, All Corvair engines should have a functioning oil pressure gauge.  
Second - in my opinion, oil pressures should run a minimum at idle of 20 PSI, 
 and then 10 PSI per thousand RPM up to 60 PSI max. Any more than that and 
you  are tempting fate for leaks and dragging HP out of the motor. Third - 
There are  oil pressure switches with higher PSI turn offs. I use a Longacre 
Racing  supplied one that comes on at 15 PSI. On a racing motor, a 5 PSI 
switch is  mislabeled as an "oil pressure switch". It should be called an 
"Engine destruct  indicator". If it comes on, it is telling you why the engine 
just blew up.   - Seth Emerson