351 C oil pressure issue

[souzape]

Got a lingering problem with my SA 351C engine. Set up includes transdapt block adapter, transdapt remote oil filter mount and about 10 feet of aeroquip -10 line to hook everything together. Engine has the CANTON 8 qt pan (not the road race pan to the best of my knowledge). SA recommends 20W 50 or straight 50W Valvoline which I am using. Engine runs rock steady 60 psi driving down the motorway but when I accelerate and bring the RPM up through 3500 to 4000 RPM there is a rather dramatic drop in oil pressure down to 40-45 psi. Mechanical gauge does not bounce or fluctuate...it just drops off. I usually back off the throttle at 40 psi so I don't know how low it will go. I am not aware of any hammering noises or sensations but what can you expect from a retired jet pilot (deaf under good conditions) with side pipes right under my ears. Have added oil to try and compensate for the lines and oil cooler(computes out to about .7 quart for the lines + another .5 quart for the cooler) so I've got about 9.5 quarts in the engine now...any more and I'm thinking I may get serious frothing in the pan. Got about 500 miles on the car and had the problem from the git-go.
Any thoughts or experience reflecting this kind of problem??

Phil Souza
Mineral Grey FIA

[K.Wilson]

Phil,
What does the oil dip stick read? Is it full when it is at temperature and hot?
What oil pick-up are using? Is it correct for the canton pan?
Can you run at high rpm 4500 to 5000 in a lower gear, not at hard acceleration, and still maintain 60 psi?
I agree it sounds like you are not picking up oil under hard acceleration.
Keith

[K.Wilson]

Phil,
What does the oil dip stick read? Is it full when it is at temperature and hot?
What oil pick-up are using? Is it correct for the canton pan?
Can you run at high rpm 4500 to 5000 in a lower gear, not at hard acceleration, and still maintain 60 psi?
I agree it sounds like you are not picking up oil under hard acceleration.
Keith

[souzape]

Keith- oil pump is whatever Bill Parham at Southern Automotive installed when he built the engine. Pressure drops off regardless of the gear. I suspect that the engine siphons oil back into the pan from the lines when it shuts down so the oil level reads high (well above the full mark on the dip stick).

[souzape]

Keith- oil pump is whatever Bill Parham at Southern Automotive installed when he built the engine. Pressure drops off regardless of the gear. I suspect that the engine siphons oil back into the pan from the lines when it shuts down so the oil level reads high (well above the full mark on the dip stick).

[eliminator]

Phil,

What oil filter are you using? Some oil filters are very restrictive and when you bring the RPM's up and create more oil PSI the pump bypass may be dumping the oil PSI because of a high restrictive filter. Try the K&N oil filter, with a FE engine I cruise at 75 PSI and under higer RPM's it get into the 90 range with no filter problems. Just something else to check out. I am sure SA gave you the right P/U when they built the engine. You can't use the dipstick readings, you did it the correct way, 8 qt for the pan then allow for filter and lines and cooler. Once you do that re-index the dip stick for full. You will not empty the lines and oil cooler totally when you change oil.

Eliminator

[eliminator]

Phil,

What oil filter are you using? Some oil filters are very restrictive and when you bring the RPM's up and create more oil PSI the pump bypass may be dumping the oil PSI because of a high restrictive filter. Try the K&N oil filter, with a FE engine I cruise at 75 PSI and under higer RPM's it get into the 90 range with no filter problems. Just something else to check out. I am sure SA gave you the right P/U when they built the engine. You can't use the dipstick readings, you did it the correct way, 8 qt for the pan then allow for filter and lines and cooler. Once you do that re-index the dip stick for full. You will not empty the lines and oil cooler totally when you change oil.

Eliminator

[souzape]

Eliminator- using a MOTORCRAFT FL-1A as per SA recommendation. PHIL

[souzape]

Eliminator- using a MOTORCRAFT FL-1A as per SA recommendation. PHIL

[K.Wilson]

Phil,
Let me re-ask my last question.

If you put it in second gear and SLOWLY (not under hard acceleration) run the RPM's up to 4000 to 4500 then maintain a constant speed and constant RPM's in second gear (not accelerating, not decelerating) does the oil pressure still drop? I am not asking what gear you are in, I am asking if the pressure drops off only at high RPM and hard acceleration or if it drops off with ONLY high RPM and no acceleration (maintaining a constant speed).

The oil pressure dropping under hard acceleration vs. the oil pressure dropping at high RPM would indicate a different problem with a different fix.

And finally; just because a good engine builder built the engine does not mean that the correct oil pickup was used.................

Keith

Keith

[K.Wilson]

Phil,
Let me re-ask my last question.

If you put it in second gear and SLOWLY (not under hard acceleration) run the RPM's up to 4000 to 4500 then maintain a constant speed and constant RPM's in second gear (not accelerating, not decelerating) does the oil pressure still drop? I am not asking what gear you are in, I am asking if the pressure drops off only at high RPM and hard acceleration or if it drops off with ONLY high RPM and no acceleration (maintaining a constant speed).

The oil pressure dropping under hard acceleration vs. the oil pressure dropping at high RPM would indicate a different problem with a different fix.

And finally; just because a good engine builder built the engine does not mean that the correct oil pickup was used.................

Keith

Keith

[souzape]

Keith- I got your point and will try to check out your suggestion...right now I'm fighting a starter problem too. I had already assumed I was going to have to drop the pan to check things out there.

Phil

[souzape]

Keith- I got your point and will try to check out your suggestion...right now I'm fighting a starter problem too. I had already assumed I was going to have to drop the pan to check things out there.

Phil

[eliminator]

Phil,

SA is a big beleiver in stock starters ( cost factor ). With the stock starters and header location there is a major heat problem. The solution is a mini-hi torque starter. I personally went with a Tilton that you can roatate the body to get maximum clearance. Problems solved, and contrary to what you hear they don't sound like a "DODGE", they sound like any other Ford starting. Plust the draw less amp's. Several good brands out there such as Powermaster & Tilton. This may be you starter problem??

Eliminator

[eliminator]

Phil,

SA is a big beleiver in stock starters ( cost factor ). With the stock starters and header location there is a major heat problem. The solution is a mini-hi torque starter. I personally went with a Tilton that you can roatate the body to get maximum clearance. Problems solved, and contrary to what you hear they don't sound like a "DODGE", they sound like any other Ford starting. Plust the draw less amp's. Several good brands out there such as Powermaster & Tilton. This may be you starter problem??

Eliminator

[souzape]

Eliminator- I'm using a Tilton starter now but when you're dealing with 105 to 112 degrees ambient they still get pretty hot (along with everything else). think I probably need some insulative wrap to solve the problem. I also really need a header tank for the cooling system that sits up high instead of siphoning from down on the passenger footbox but haven't seen any for the Clevelands. PHIL

[souzape]

Eliminator- I'm using a Tilton starter now but when you're dealing with 105 to 112 degrees ambient they still get pretty hot (along with everything else). think I probably need some insulative wrap to solve the problem. I also really need a header tank for the cooling system that sits up high instead of siphoning from down on the passenger footbox but haven't seen any for the Clevelands. PHIL

[eliminator]

Phil,
Move to KY, much cooler here!!! When it's that hot, mine will stay parked. I am surprised that your having starter problems, think I would give Tilton a call, still should crank even at those temp's.

Eliminator

[eliminator]

Phil,
Move to KY, much cooler here!!! When it's that hot, mine will stay parked. I am surprised that your having starter problems, think I would give Tilton a call, still should crank even at those temp's.

Eliminator

[WBofTN]

Phil:
I'm new to the cobra world. I bought a used Unique
427sc 2 months ago. My question is a/b not going by
the mark on the dip stick for your oil level.
My set up: 351W, oil cooler and duel romote filters (large Mobile filters). I recently changed oil and put
approx 6 qts in to bring it up to the mark on the dip
stick.
Q: Am I putting enough oil in / will to much cause damage?
My thoughts were the that the oil level in the
pan should be the same with or with/out an oil cooler.
Am I wrong?
This motor is very tricked out and only has a/b 700 miles on it. I Don't want to screw it up on account of
my ignorance. Also The former owner only used Mobil
synthetic 20w50. So I have stuck with that ($65 oil change).
Wes

'93 Unique 427/351W/4sp