Thread: Low-NO oil pressure on SBC 350

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I have this engine and it is was just rebuilt before I bought it and had never been run. I have it in the vehicle and it fired up and sounds awesome but there is very little oil pressure. I primed the pump with a drill and ran it for about 20 minutes. I have very little oil coming out of the Pushrods. Oil pressure is at about 10 PSI.

What could be causing this?

As always you advice is very apprecated.

lots of things....

loose bottom end clearences.....stuck bypass either on the pump or in the filter adapter....plug missing in block.....etc....etc...

****Faulty Gauge****

Checked with two guages, one electricacl and to mechanical, same reading on all.

If a plug was out wouldn't it get no pressure because the oil would bypass?

How would you unplgged the filter adapter if that was it? or, check to see if that was it?

A friend of mine has some problems like this. He had a new filter installed. It was that Crap Fram filter that was stopped up out of the box. Changed the filter and.........Vroom! I use only Wix since he told me that.

I wasn't concerned with the filter as much because it's under pressure any how and most oil filters on filter 25% of the oil on a single pass any how....most of it goes thru the bypass on the filter...little fact most don't know....

how do you check the oil bypass

I'm having the same problem as stouttrout - Low oil pressure on a small block 350. The problem developed suddenly, so not (probably) loose bottom end tolerances, good press. at start up, so probably not the oil pump (repalced it anyway), new filter, I heard from a chevy mechanic friend that if a rocker arm swings off that the lifter will push up enough to bypass oil to the pan - still oiling the bottom end but not the pushrods! Checked that too. Still no oil at the pushrods/rockers. How can I tell if the bypass at the filter adapter is dumping? Any other suggestions?

"I have this engine and it is was just rebuilt before I bought it and had never been run."

Maybe the guy who built it neglected to install the plug in the oil galley under the rear main cap.