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Re: High Volume Oil Pump

To: Keith Wheeler <keithw@sand.net>
Subject: Re: High Volume Oil Pump
From: Barney Gaylord <barneymg@ntsource.com>
Date: Tue, 11 Aug 1998 23:47:25
At 12:39 PM 8/11/98 -0700, Keith Wheeler wrote:
>
>At 11:26 PM 8/10/98 -0400, Chris Chandler wrote:
>>.... , are the "high flow" ones worth it? ....
>
>Barney Gaylord wrote:
>>In a word, no.  (I am now putting on my asbestos suit.)
>
>Yep, .... not a good investment. .... also an interesting article on such
in the latest copy of  Sports Car.  (The SCCA mag)
>
>.... from autocrossing experience with a 'B, but for the money the best
oil system mod to an LBC is some sort of oil sump baffling.  At 19 I
learned that the hard way when hard cornering forces = no oil pressure =
dead cam in my 'B.

In my case with the MGA, baffeling or cornering forces were not the
problem.  It turned out to be that the STOCK oil pump was turning out TOO
MUCH FLOW.  At a bit over 7000 rpm the pump would cavitate, effectively
drawing a vacuun bubble inside, and the oil pressure would suddenly go to
ZERO.  The solution was to install one of the newer style STOCK oil pumps
with the angled pickup tube and larger intake port for less restriction.
No more oil flow problem.  Only had to eat three sets of rod bearings and a
couple of crankshafts before I got that straight.

My best advice:  If you ever get your hands on a high volume oil pump, see
how far you can throw it.  I think the only legitimate use for one would be
in a racing engine where the bearing clearances have intentionally been
increased to accomodate more oil flow.

Barney Gaylord
1958 MGA with an attitude


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