Had the car out last week for a quick jaunt and all was going well. Headed home and something didnt seem just quite right. Checked the gauges and everything was good, until the oil pressure tanked and the angry little man in the bottom end started smashing away with the ball peen hammer. Shut it down and pulled over to find the oil pressure line broke at the intake and was dumping oil down the back of the block. Limped it home with a rod just a knocking. Was down in the dumps for a couple of days until a fellow car guy came through with a stout SBC short block. 355 with a callies crank, short skirt Keith black pistons, 6 inch I beam rods, windage tray, ARP everything, and deburred block. Need to change the cam and lifters (solid lifter setup) but I have a Comp Cams Extreme Energy setup already at home in a box. Transfer the top end off my motor and Im good to go. Ill post some pics when get it out and inspect the damage, and install the other setup. Going to put an electric oil gauge in next time, to hell with the mechanical route. I have to buy stocks in brake cleaner now considering all the oil that has COMPLETELY covered the bottom of the car needs to come off. Sigh, the fun never stops. Had this delivered to my door on Saturday too, it kind of put the wind in my sails again!
-- Edited by Gillis on Sunday 30th of August 2020 09:14:04 PM
Well, that sucks.... Not the truck, it looks great!
What kind of line, plastic, copper, steel?
cdnpont said
Aug 30, 2020
Nasty James. Forget the solvent, I'd just rag and paper towel it all off best as possible and consider it a free oilspray.
I've heard negatives on both types of those lines, nylon and copper. Electric just might be the way to go. And who really cares about 100 percent accuracy unless in competition.
Nice consolation truck though.
4SPEED427 said
Aug 30, 2020
Exactly, I used to think it had to be a mechanical gauge too. Who cares if it's bang on the number, as long as you can see when there's enough of a variation to know there's an issue.
Gillis said
Aug 31, 2020
Copper line. 3rd time in 2 years it happened and I had a good 4-5 coils to compensate for vibration. Still didnt work. Lesson learned.
4SPEED427 said
Aug 31, 2020
Ouch, I better tell the guy I sold my 65 Acadian to about 6 years ago. I had about 5 coils in that copper line too.. Now I'm scared, that car had a brand new 327 in it when I sold it.
Gillis said
Aug 31, 2020
Id let it sit as an undercoating if it wasnt as nice as it is underneath. I waxed the bottom of it a couple weeks ago, otherwise I wouldnt care. Yes, I waxed the bottom of my car. I thought Id never be one of those guys but its just too nice.
4SPEED427 said
Aug 31, 2020
LOL never say never. Never!
Gillis said
Sep 2, 2020
Picked up the motor today. Got a little more info on it. - It is a 4 bolt main 350 block - 10/20 high nickel - bored .30 over - has splayed main caps - GM steel crank - Carillo 6 I beam rods - short skirt Keith Black flat top pistons - file fit rings - balanced and blueprinted - decked block - deburred oil and water passages - all ARP fasteners - epoxied oil valley Made 472 hp on the dyno with a 2 barrel 500 cfm carburetor Should be a fun little motor in the Chevy 2
PS. That was what it made with a set of worked over vortec heads and about 4 hours fine tuning it on the dyno. I only have the short block.
-- Edited by Gillis on Wednesday 2nd of September 2020 07:20:14 PM
DonSSDD said
Sep 3, 2020
Been running copper lines for 20 years, never had an issue. Maybe a junk Chinese gauge fitting?
-- Edited by DonSSDD on Thursday 3rd of September 2020 05:07:44 AM
Gillis said
Sep 3, 2020
Fittings were good, I think the copper was too hard. It cracked about 1/4 inch above the fitting. I had never thought of it before, but the fellow I bought the short block from suggested using a braided line. Might be the way to go. I trust mechanical over electrical, and he swears by it.
cdnpont said
Sep 3, 2020
I think it's all about creatively routing that copper line, in such a way that any cyclical motion not be focused in one area of the line. As we know, Copper work hardens easily.
One or two medium sized gentle loops outside and parallel to the intake fitting should help transfer any engine or body motion to more of the line. Too many loops and the line begins to weigh too much. Picture a simple spring 90 degrees to the engine centerline, any side to side motion should be absorbed through the length of the "spring".
When making the loops and routing the line, although difficult, any re bending the line more than once is to be avoided as much as possible. The less working of the tube the better. Cheers.
beaucarlo said
Sep 3, 2020
i use a copper line & a "T"d in idiot light
DonSSDD said
Sep 3, 2020
beaucarlo wrote:
i use a copper line & a "T"d in idiot light
Same here.
Prefectca said
Sep 3, 2020
I have owned several GM trucks and the hard line going to the oil pressure gauge was a steel line not copper. The line had the same type of coating as used on steel brake line.
Paul
danny06 said
Sep 6, 2020
wow same thing happened 2 me 2yrs ago !plastic line broke and pumped all the oil out under car on my gravel driveway !i got in and drove about 4 miles before it stated hammering !the line was probably 35 yrs old !now it has idiot lite and a gauge in the replacement engine ! sounds like u made out good im glad mine was a stock 350 they are inexspensive i paid 1500 for an excellent all chromed up one im very pleased
do they make a kill switch that would shut down the engine if oil pressure drops?
Custom Sport said
Sep 8, 2020
There is a unit out there but can't remember the make.
4SPEED427 said
Sep 8, 2020
It would be simple enough to wire up a relay that kills power to the ignition coil using a stock oil pressure switch I guess. You would likely need to have a push button bypass to start the car because you'd have no power to the coil when cranking until you cranked long enough to put the oil light out.
Prefectca said
Sep 8, 2020
Custom Sport wrote:
There is a unit out there but can't remember the make.
The brand name that I am familiar with is Murphy . I installed them on industrial equipment when I was working. Oil pressure and temp gauges that you could adjust the cut off point. There was a bypass button to start the engine due to the oil pressure cut off.
Paul
-- Edited by Prefectca on Tuesday 8th of September 2020 08:34:20 PM
Mike Ward MB said
Sep 8, 2020
DonSSDD wrote:
beaucarlo wrote:
i use a copper line & a "T"d in idiot light
Same here.
Likewise.
Mike Ward MB said
Sep 8, 2020
Actually, Im a bit excessive about both my oil pressure and temperature gauges in both cars. Always have my eyes on them when starting up and glance at them frequently while driving. Thats the rub with mechanical gauges I guess. If you dont pay attention to them they are not much use.
Had the car out last week for a quick jaunt and all was going well. Headed home and something didnt seem just quite right. Checked the gauges and everything was good, until the oil pressure tanked and the angry little man in the bottom end started smashing away with the ball peen hammer. Shut it down and pulled over to find the oil pressure line broke at the intake and was dumping oil down the back of the block. Limped it home with a rod just a knocking. Was down in the dumps for a couple of days until a fellow car guy came through with a stout SBC short block. 355 with a callies crank, short skirt Keith black pistons, 6 inch I beam rods, windage tray, ARP everything, and deburred block. Need to change the cam and lifters (solid lifter setup) but I have a Comp Cams Extreme Energy setup already at home in a box. Transfer the top end off my motor and Im good to go. Ill post some pics when get it out and inspect the damage, and install the other setup. Going to put an electric oil gauge in next time, to hell with the mechanical route. I have to buy stocks in brake cleaner now considering all the oil that has COMPLETELY covered the bottom of the car needs to come off. Sigh, the fun never stops. Had this delivered to my door on Saturday too, it kind of put the wind in my sails again!
-- Edited by Gillis on Sunday 30th of August 2020 09:14:04 PM
Well, that sucks....
Not the truck, it looks great!
What kind of line, plastic, copper, steel?
Nasty James. Forget the solvent, I'd just rag and paper towel it all off best as possible and consider it a free oilspray.
I've heard negatives on both types of those lines, nylon and copper. Electric just might be the way to go. And who really cares about 100 percent accuracy unless in competition.
Nice consolation truck though.
Exactly, I used to think it had to be a mechanical gauge too. Who cares if it's bang on the number, as long as you can see when there's enough of a variation to know there's an issue.
Copper line. 3rd time in 2 years it happened and I had a good 4-5 coils to compensate for vibration. Still didnt work. Lesson learned.
Id let it sit as an undercoating if it wasnt as nice as it is underneath. I waxed the bottom of it a couple weeks ago, otherwise I wouldnt care. Yes, I waxed the bottom of my car. I thought Id never be one of those guys but its just too nice.
Picked up the motor today. Got a little more info on it.
- It is a 4 bolt main 350 block
- 10/20 high nickel
- bored .30 over
- has splayed main caps
- GM steel crank
- Carillo 6 I beam rods
- short skirt Keith Black flat top pistons
- file fit rings
- balanced and blueprinted
- decked block
- deburred oil and water passages
- all ARP fasteners
- epoxied oil valley
Made 472 hp on the dyno with a 2 barrel 500 cfm carburetor
Should be a fun little motor in the Chevy 2
PS. That was what it made with a set of worked over vortec heads and about 4 hours fine tuning it on the dyno. I only have the short block.
-- Edited by Gillis on Wednesday 2nd of September 2020 07:20:14 PM
Been running copper lines for 20 years, never had an issue. Maybe a junk Chinese gauge fitting?
-- Edited by DonSSDD on Thursday 3rd of September 2020 05:07:44 AM
I think it's all about creatively routing that copper line, in such a way that any cyclical motion not be focused in one area of the line. As we know, Copper work hardens easily.
One or two medium sized gentle loops outside and parallel to the intake fitting should help transfer any engine or body motion to more of the line. Too many loops and the line begins to weigh too much. Picture a simple spring 90 degrees to the engine centerline, any side to side motion should be absorbed through the length of the "spring".
When making the loops and routing the line, although difficult, any re bending the line more than once is to be avoided as much as possible. The less working of the tube the better. Cheers.
Same here.
Paul
wow same thing happened 2 me 2yrs ago !plastic line broke and pumped all the oil out under car on my gravel driveway !i got in and drove about 4 miles before it stated hammering !the line was probably 35 yrs old !now it has idiot lite and a gauge in the replacement engine ! sounds like u made out good im glad mine was a stock 350 they are inexspensive i paid 1500 for an excellent all chromed up one im very pleased
do they make a kill switch that would shut down the engine if oil pressure drops?
It would be simple enough to wire up a relay that kills power to the ignition coil using a stock oil pressure switch I guess. You would likely need to have a push button bypass to start the car because you'd have no power to the coil when cranking until you cranked long enough to put the oil light out.
-- Edited by Prefectca on Tuesday 8th of September 2020 08:34:20 PM
Likewise.
Actually, Im a bit excessive about both my oil pressure and temperature gauges in both cars. Always have my eyes on them when starting up and glance at them frequently while driving. Thats the rub with mechanical gauges I guess. If you dont pay attention to them they are not much use.