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JC- 39 PSI at idle and 40 PSI at speed are perfectly fine oil pressures.
Hey Reed,
The two Dodge Manuals that I have say that 55 PSI is specified. Am not being recalcitrant, but for years, Lorrie has always put up 55 PSI at speed and 50 PSI at idle. And all other problems aside, she has always been happy doing that.
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The slant will live happily at 5 PSI at idle (the lower limit for the hydraulic lifter motors as per the factory manual) and as low as 20-25 PSI cruising.
The Slant Six has that reputation. Still, am concerned for the girl. Want to do everything that can be done to keep her percolating.
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The 351W in my Ford van has lived happily for a decade with 50 PSI at speed and 20 PSI at idle. I believe a slant would be just as happy.
Ms. American 3.14159 puts up 80 PSI at Fast Idle when started and by the time she is warmed up and off the Choke she is idling at 65 PSI, but that's due to the Police Interceptor Oil Pump.
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Return the pump and save yourself the trouble of switching it out.
Already have the OLD Oil Pump extracted. It took about an hour to get the six Bolts out and a big Screw Driver to pry it loose. Just a bit of criticism here. Two of the Bolt Heads are so close to the adjacent casting that a Wrench barely fits on to them. The Engineers should have either designed a bit of a relief around the Bolt Head, or used a Bolt with a wider Hex. Still, it wasn't all that difficult to finally get them out. The NEW Oil Pump only has five Bolts, and wouldn't you know it, the Bolt that they left out was the easiest one to access.
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What symptoms of poor running is the engine displaying
It feels like the Crank Shaft is trying to gall in the Rod Bearings. It feels like it is dragging and the RPMs drop slightly when it happens. We'll be going along and it kind of does a soft hesitation, like it's not getting enough lubrication.
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and why do you believe they are related to your oil pressure?
Because it wasn't doing the dragging/soft hesitating when the Oil Pressure was up at 55 PSI and it started doing that just prior to my noticing that the Oil Pressure had dropped and wouldn't go up over 40 PSI. In fact, at one point just as we were pulling into our driveway, the dragging got so heavy that it killed the Engine and the Starter wasn't strong enough to restart it. Had the Starter rebuilt and now it is strong enough to overcome the dragging. But it just doesn't "feel" right to me.
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Again, 39-40 PSI is actually very good oil pressure.
Well, it would be as much trouble to put the OLD Pump back in, and the NEW Pump is already on its way.
If after putting the NEW Oil Pump in, the PSI doesn't go up to 55 PSI again, am thinking that the next thing to check is to see if the Oil Pick Up Tube got vibrated loose when the U-Joint came apart the day before Christmas.
Have looked in the Dodge Manuals about how to remove the Oil Pan and the process that they describe is quite protracted. Have looked at Lorrie's Oil Pan and it wouldn't be hard to take down as there is nothing in the way of it. Just drain the Oil and take out the
Bolts and it would come right down. Would need to get a new Gasket for it.
Reed, I've got to keep Lorrie up and running. I live alone, have no family, have few friends because of living a bubble existence due to this auto-immune Liver issue with which I have been coping since 1998.
My neighbor Robert has helped get me out and about to do errands when Ms. American and Lorrie were neither one able to function, but now he is having problems with transportation. We're trying at this time to get his Charging System back up and running on his Dodge Van. His wife is borrowing a friends pick-up truck just to get back and forth to and from work. We're getting his Alternator back after being rebuilt. It'll be here Friday.
I've got to have reliable transportation and this NEW Oil Pump, if it solves the low Oil Pressure is just now getting to the point where the bugs have been worked out. I don't want to take any chances with Lorrie. It's best that we put the NEW Oil Pump on if for no other reason than insurance.
Just a note about loss of Oil when removing the Oil Pump. The only lubricant that was lost was that which was in the Pump. One does NOT have to drain the Oil Pan to remove the Oil Pump. It is well above the Oil Level in the Engine.
The Dodge Manuals both say to prime the Oil Pump before installing it. Don't know what THAT means exactly. It doesn't seem possible that Oil put into it will stay in the Pump without leaking out while it is put back into position. What do you know about THAT subject?
Anyway, the NEW Oil Pump will be here tomorrow evening and will be installed on Friday. Will let you know how it goes.
Thanks for the input.
JC