84conversion50

what are the possible causes. please list all you know of

fourfivefour

How low is low? Did you try a mechanical gauge?
Causes:
Bad sending unit or gauge
Excessive bearing clearance
Cam bearings installed wrong
missing or leaking oil galley plug
Worn oil pump
Cracked oil pickup tube
Plugged oil pump pick up
Broken oil pump drive rod
Wrong weight of oil
Not enough oil in the pan

84conversion50

10 at idle 20 under normal driving. peak of 33 when driving hard. using a mechanical guage. the main bearings were worn but not EXTREME. i used 10 30 oil

mjr46

try a 20w/50 and see if that helps..in my old 77 rollback with a 390 oil pressure drops off as it warms up and a 20w/50 helped bring it back to okay levels

84conversion50

so if thicker oil fixes it its ok to drive for a while? i would rebuild it now but its just to cold. itll be a fun summer project though i just want it to last about 6 months. how hard can i beat it? or should i just baby it? there was no babbot left on the main bearing i looked at but it wasn not scored.

mjr46

It'll be fine to drive for a while as long as you know that if it corrects the problem that there is excessive clearence on the mains and or rods. You can still run it hard but it may or may not hold up depending on what your idea of beating on it is??

84conversion50

everyonce and a while opening it up to 5200 rpm. other than that normal driving it.

mjr46

you'll be fine!!!

fourfivefour

Please help me understand this? You looked at the bearings? Seen them worn? And did not roll new bearings in there? Put the pan back on ? And are running it asking why low OP?

If you were in there youshould have thrown some new bearings and in an oil pump in it.
Not the same as rebuilding it, but I guarantee you would have better OP.

84conversion50

i bought a $200 motor and dropped it in because i needed a car to drive to work and back. i dont have to much money at the moment and if i would have bought the bearings i wouldnt have been able to buy all the fluids. bearings are easy to do later in the car. oil pump seemed fine when i used a distributor primer.