440 losing oil pressure

[44070dart]

here is my situation .. got a car I'm thinking of buying the car has a built 440 maybe 4000 miles on it ..oil pressure has been fine around 70/80 lbs while driving 65 at idle.. the guy who owns it called me as we are negotiating the price to tell me the car is acting up ..it is at 60lbs at idle and while cruising but when he accelerates it DROPS to 20lbs. ..there is no noise coming from drive train at all.. and car runs fine ..it just loses pressure .. the key to me was he JUST changed the oil and filter ..is this what happens if a filter (fram) collapses... I have heard of filters collapsing and was wondering if this is the type of result... especially since he just change the filter

 

[Hemi Rebel]

And the pressure comes back at idle? Check oil level first

 

[44070dart]

oil level is fine just changed....it comes back as you stop accelerating and keep a steady speed.. push it hard again and it drops as speed/RPM'S go up car runs great

 

[bigmanjbmopar]

What oil filter? If its a fram tell him to take it off and get a napa gold or wix. frame is good for dropping oil 20 psi. the drain back valve in fram filters are junk

 

[44070dart]

its a Fram ..and I've heard about them collapsing ..don't know if its true or not .. .I never use them.. I'm just wondering if this problem could be the filter or something more serious

 

[lewtot184]

sounds like no rear baffle in the pan. 20psi while in hard acceleration will clobber the bearings.

 

[44070dart]

the thing is it just started after 4000 miles ..never did this

 

[Dennis H]

Dunno, but buyer beware. My factory gauge stays almost pegged most of the time but who knows. Yes, Fram is known as the Orange Wall of Death at the Auto stores. Wix or Napa Gold will give peace of mind. The best. Let us know the outcome. Ask what brand and weight oil is being used. I run Amsoil Signature 10-40 with high zinc per my builder in the 440.

 

[44070dart]

Brad Penn oil ..why if its the baffle would it happen now rather than over the last 4000 miles

 

[Dennis H]

Agreed. Brad Pen is good.

 

[Hemi Rebel]

https://youtu.be/XRRgw4B7R-I

 

[Xp29h]

Until I re read Dennis' post then yours, I was going to say see if he used synthetic oil. That will drop oil pressure immediately! I'd be curious if they gave you the right info on the Brad Penn?? Maybe they didn't, be cautious! Good luck!

 

[Rocketman]

I run 75-80 when on the gas and around 54-55 at idle. I wonder the guy running 65, what is the idle rpm?

 

[Garys1969RR]

Sounds as if the pan is being pumped almost empty at higher RPMs when the oil pump is pumping the most oil. Try revving the engine while the car is stopped, to 2500 then 3000 RPM and see if it loses pressure. If it loses pressure only while under acceleration, then the oil pick up is being uncovered for some reason, during acceleration. If this is the case, as it seems to be what you are saying, then the oil level is prob too low. Over fill it by a quart and see if that improves the situation.

 

[WP29440SE]

I have used probably 100 fram filters in my life time and I have NEVER had one issue. That's all I've used exclusively on all my engines. I will admit I bought my first Wix a few months ago after people on the net scared me into dropping the fram. I don't think the filter is the problem here, sounds to me like it could be eating a bearing causing loss of pressure or it could even be a bad gauge.
My 440 runs 80 cold and 65 hot at idle with the fram filter. I put on the wix and it is exactly the same

 

[NOSTRT980]

I use hp-1's with no problem and k/n filters . Both do the job.

 

[mopar 3 B]

I use Valvoline racing oil 65 lbs. at idle hot and 95 lbs. wot. NAPA golds only.

 

[66Satellite47]

Sure sounds like low on oil. Change the filter only, see what happens. Cracked pickup (can't see how, but...)?
I've used Fram's forever. But I'll use the last of my HP-1's & give K&N a try.

 

[Bigal75]

I used to have the same issue with a 5.0 Mustang. Never found the problem and I beat the crap put of it. It was rpm related. I changed filters, added oil, lowered the oil level, changed oil sending unit and finally ended up rebuilding the engine and adding a turbo...

I would bring a cheap mechanical oil pressure gauge and go for a ride...maybe the gauge is the problem.

 

[dvw]

Until I re read Dennis' post then yours, I was going to say see if he used synthetic oil. That will drop oil pressure immediately! I'd be curious if they gave you the right info on the Brad Penn?? Maybe they didn't, be cautious! Good luck!

Are you kidding? What does synthetic have to do with oil pressure? Viscosity yes, type of oil, no. The pressure drop you see by going to a lower viscosity oil is less resistance to flow. Putting in 90w will increase pressure but won't help anything. If you have sufficient pressure to provide a hydro dynamic wedge between two parts any extra pressure is a waste of power. In this case the pick-up is sucking air. Why? If it isn't low level or baffeling which it appears it is not I would suspect the filter.
Doug