The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 216 oil pressure

The oil pressure on my 216 follows the throttle, at high rpms its maxed out on the gauge. Is this normal or is there a problem?

Thanks

I think at higher revs, say 2000 RPM, the normal warm reading is around 15 lbs or so. 7 lbs at idle is pretty good but it still be a lot lower at idle.

Hmmm,
Then it looks like I have a problem, what would cause the oil pressure to increase or decrease with the rpms? What maintains the pressure in a splash oil system like the 216?
Thanks

I do not think you realize that the 216s do have an oil pump. The oil pressure will increase with higher RPMs, and drop to very low at idle.
I am not convinced you actually have a problem.

I don't know what the upper limit is that you are likely to reach. Normally, guages are usually designed with there being plenty of room above the likely maximum value. Now, I just bought an NOS oil pressure guage and it has a little tube affair that disorts with the pressure and rotates the dial against a spring.I suppose that the spring could fail or change characteristics to give you higher readings.

The 216 has a small oil puimp that feeds the mains, cam bearings, rocker arms and fills the dipper troughs. The oil pump itself has a relief valve that opens at, I think 60 lbs. Also, there is a small plate on the driver's side of the block that contains the oil distributor valve. If that valve stuck closed, it would stop delivery to the rocker arm and the rod supply nozzles. That might cause the higher pressure and that problem would be vey bad for the motor.

Truckernix is real close to the lbs. my 216 runs. She's got 67,000 miles and I run 10W30. At startup on a cool day she'll show about midway between 15 and 30 at higher revs and about 15 at idle. Once she's warmed up good, about 7 at idle and a little under 15 at revs.I've never seen the guage top out at 30,maybe if your runnin' heavy oil and it's cold out.

I have 20w50 high milage oil in mine. It reads about 10psi when idling and gradually pegs out at 30 with throttle full open.

This is one of the truly amazing things for me, was to see just how fast the oil thins as it warms up. With all the hoopala about how great modern oils are, that 10W30 acts like 10W when cold, and 30W when hot, these old 216s point the way to the real truth!

I had one of those motors in a '51, and I NEVER had pressure like that, even with 1/3 STP! You must have a good one. Also, I'd have sworn it had no oil pump, but then, when it finally quit I just threw it away without looking inside & put in a 327.

I ran 20W50 in my 216, when warm it ran about 15 psi at speed, 5 to 10 at idle. I wonder if someone put a 235 pump in yours. Got a picture of the passenger side of the engine so we can be sure it's a 216, and not a 235?

John, The oil pressure you are experiencing is normal for a 216. Cold it will be around 30 lbs. When hot 10 or below. This engine only needs about 3-5 lbs to keet bearing separation. 10w 30 is fine. Change it frequently with or without an oil filter.

Thanks for the info guys. Fred T, I( dont have access to to a cam at the moment, what tell tell signs would I look for on the rt side of the eng?

Thanks