Low oil pressure in ZL-1 - Page 3

**TXSS** · #21 03-11-2009, 07:26 AM

69SSZL1 is correct. If this is an 053 block. The relief valve and the filter nipple have to be purchased separately and installed by the user. For some reason they don't come with the block. I left it out of the first ZL-1 I built and had about the same numbers as you're seeing. Easy Fix

Relief Valve

**Bill Rose** · #22 03-11-2009, 07:32 AM

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Sounds Like sound advise to me from 69ss ZL1... Lets check it out tomorrow.. Sounds like what is going on!!!! All the problems indicate the facts at hand... And lets go from there....

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Man! I guess they'll let anyone join this site

Just kiddin Joe. Welcome to SYC..

Joe was nice enough to stop in a few weeks ago and help out with the firing of my ElCamino..... and it's a good thing Joe was there. It needed some more valve adjusting, before it lit

**SuperNovaSS** · #23 03-11-2009, 10:37 AM

Sounds hopeful! I hope you didn't get too far in the removal ALbert!

Dog427435 · #24 03-11-2009, 02:02 PM

[b]The knowledge on this board never ceases to amaze me!!

HPMIKE · #25 03-11-2009, 02:47 PM

There is a lesson here. When you build an engine, always pre-lube it on the stand with a priming shaft. May not be able to catch a mechanical problem or assembly error, but a problem like this, or a missing galley plug would have easily been found.

MB

**Alss** · #26 03-11-2009, 03:16 PM

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[b]The knowledge on this board never ceases to amaze me!!

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aint that the truth..thanks everyone

**Alss** · #27 03-11-2009, 03:17 PM

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There is a lesson here. When you build an engine, always pre-lube it on the stand with a priming shaft. May not be able to catch a mechanical problem or assembly error, but a problem like this, or a missing galley plug would have easily been found.

MB

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Did prelube the motor..had 30 psi cold with a drill tought it was good..different story when hot!!!

HPMIKE · #28 03-11-2009, 03:54 PM

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There is a lesson here. When you build an engine, always pre-lube it on the stand with a priming shaft. May not be able to catch a mechanical problem or assembly error, but a problem like this, or a missing galley plug would have easily been found.

MB

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Did prelube the motor..had 30 psi cold with a drill tought it was good..different story when hot!!!

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Not trying to beat you up, but I would have stopped right there. 30 psi cold and you will have practically nothing hot as you found. In any engine, the cold oil pressure will be significantly higher than when hot. You should have seen somewhere between 60-80 psi cold, depending on the internal clearancing. Then the motor would make around 20-40(sometimes higher-alot of variables here), once it warmed up.

Point is if you know that the oil pressure was 30 cold and it will drop sgnificantly when hot, then the 30psi reading was enough cause for concern. When you spin the drill up on the stand, the drill should "kick back" significantly. 30 psi will barely affect a quality 1/2" drill. Hopefully the engine was assembled with a high quality assembly lube. You would be surprised at how well that stuff will lubricate in the event of an issue such as this.

The motor is proabaly fine, especially if you didn't load it down. Glad the you found the source of the problem early. Keep us posted.

MB

**SS427** · #29 03-11-2009, 06:13 PM

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Check it, and if you don't have one in the block let us know.

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Thats what we love about this site. It's people like this who come forward with a little help and knowledge and potentially save someone a little money and LOTS of time!!

Chevy454 · #30 03-11-2009, 06:17 PM

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There is a lesson here. When you build an engine, always pre-lube it on the stand with a priming shaft. May not be able to catch a mechanical problem or assembly error, but a problem like this, or a missing galley plug would have easily been found. MB

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Don't feel bad, Al, I learned a similar lesson years ago...early block, new cam/lifters [most of you probably already know where this is going!], had the thing ready to drop in minus the carb, was priming it on the stand, and noticed it never would oil the top end...naturally, the early block required the grooved cam, which I had neglected to purchase! So, apart she came, Mo put the cam on a lathe, and then we were back in business...just glad we found it before we wasted a day on the dyno!