Lower oil pressure with SBC Rockers on 3x00?

[91BerettaGT]

I think I had the original issue with grinding the manifold, although I was using stock stamped rockers on the manifold designed for the roller rockers. Oddly, I never bent a pushrod, but I did manage to cut a pretty decent amount of aluminum out of the manifold, which of course ended up inside the engine. I did replace the lifters as a precaution though, since after I tried several times to start it (hence, the decent amount of aluminum shavings), it was acting as if the valves weren't opening, ie the lifters were shot.

On a side note, my engine NEVER gets below 40psi, and is usually around 55 or so while cruising.

Well, The sender was pretty new. I think it had air in it.

Today I adjusted hte front rockers again because it was tapping (no i wasn't driving it all week, just from last week I rememberd I had to adjust them

From cold i had oil pressure (20psi) (lower then before rocker swap).

I adjusted the front rockers and then i put the valve cover back on, topped off coolant and then idled to make sure my tapping was gone. it was so i was like hmm i wonder if it has either air or maybe a small metal shaving in the port or something.

So i held 3000 rpms for around 10 minutes. OIl pressure went up to 60, then when she warmed up dropped back down to 40. then i let off the gas and she dropped to like halfway between 20 and 40. so thats good :-D.

Basically driveable now, just gotta clean her insides out cause i'm annoyed looking at my garbage can of a car.

Then tomorrow to mount and balance some Goodyear Eagle RS-A 225/60/16's on my GTZ rims :-D

Thanks everyone for your help.

30psi is what I had before i swapped the rockers.

The only thing that is fishy is that when i let her idle right after revving for 10 straight minutes, i tapped the gas again, and it was like a kill switch, and she died right there, started right back up, but still lol... Kinda freaky, I think ih ave a loose ground by the starter solenoid.

[v6h.o.]

Well, The sender was pretty new. I think it had air in it.

That is not possible.


You are fine running the oil pump drive Oring and the Distributor gasket together. We do this at the dealership all the time to help reduce oil seepage/leakage at the oil pump drive area.

[geoffinbc]

Did you get pics of the install?

Pressure is pressure. If by some strange reason an air bubble was in the sender it would still read correctly.

[91BerettaGT]

Did you get pics of the install?

Pressure is pressure. If by some strange reason an air bubble was in the sender it would still read correctly.

Then maybe a metal shaving from gasket matching the ports or something.

It reads fine now, i don't get it.