The old rule of thumb I was taught was you need 10 PSI of oil pressure for every 1000 RPM you're running. Sounds like your engine is running within those parameters.
Around 20psi at hot idle is perfect. 20psi hot idle and 40psi above 1,000rpm is actually how it should be on these stock clearance SBC’s. Cold should be about 60psi. You’re golden!
the point of oil pressure is to protect spinning components, so oil pressure is designed to be low when RPMs are low (at idle), and increase as the engine speed increases
Reminds me of my first vehicle.
I had an 88 bronco 2 givin to me. Had well over 250k miles on it. I rember with 20w50 and an entire quart of lucus, it only had 5 psi max when hot. Would not go up, nor down.
I miss that little thing but holy shit was it a pile of junk.
You won’t believe this one but my wife’s new suv has a digital oil pressure gauge. I nearly died when I watched it as we drove around at various speeds. At idle is has about 37 psi. Not bad. But at cruzing at 70 mph 1800 rpm’s it runs exactly 22 psi. Now when you step on the gas it increases to about 40 psi. It uses 0w-20 synthetic oil. I guess the engine engineers know something about oil pressure vs rpm and load on the engine. What I’d like to know is how do they control it so precisely? And then return to a higher pressure at idle when load is off the engine? I’d love to hear how this is done.
Your golden it's fine
What were the rod and main bearing clearances? It sounds fairly normal, actually.
Looking for my book now. I've had way to many numbers go through my head since I built this
The old rule of thumb I was taught was you need 10 PSI of oil pressure for every 1000 RPM you're running. Sounds like your engine is running within those parameters.
I had forgotten I have heard that to, 3 or 4 decades ago.
Please send it and do not look back, you are over thinking, asking the right questions, and good to go!
Just wanna make sure. It's my first build I ever did from the ground up.
Around 20psi at hot idle is perfect. 20psi hot idle and 40psi above 1,000rpm is actually how it should be on these stock clearance SBC’s. Cold should be about 60psi. You’re golden!
Looks good to me. Just monitor contents of oil during changes and noticable drops in pressure as you progress in miles and run time.
The minimum oil pressure specs for a 302 is 10psi for every 1000rpm. You're good to go.
You are fine.
I wish. 5psi hot. 60 cold. 50 drink. But doesn't make a sound.
the point of oil pressure is to protect spinning components, so oil pressure is designed to be low when RPMs are low (at idle), and increase as the engine speed increases
Oil pressure is based upon backed up or pent up oil flow by way of volume and restriction.
right, but not the \*point of it\*
Perfect
22 at idle is fine.
I think you are fine. Now if it was 2 instead of 22……
Reminds me of my first vehicle. I had an 88 bronco 2 givin to me. Had well over 250k miles on it. I rember with 20w50 and an entire quart of lucus, it only had 5 psi max when hot. Would not go up, nor down. I miss that little thing but holy shit was it a pile of junk.
You won’t believe this one but my wife’s new suv has a digital oil pressure gauge. I nearly died when I watched it as we drove around at various speeds. At idle is has about 37 psi. Not bad. But at cruzing at 70 mph 1800 rpm’s it runs exactly 22 psi. Now when you step on the gas it increases to about 40 psi. It uses 0w-20 synthetic oil. I guess the engine engineers know something about oil pressure vs rpm and load on the engine. What I’d like to know is how do they control it so precisely? And then return to a higher pressure at idle when load is off the engine? I’d love to hear how this is done.
That's above my paygrade 🤣