Oil Pressure

[will7262]

does anyone know what the oil pressure should read hot and cold for a 360 CI engine?

[Ronald G. Stephenson]

Cold pressure will always be nearly 20 pounds higher than the oil at full operating temperature. If, at 2,000 RPM you have 40 pounds of pressure you are just fine, and have no worries, as that is all your V-8 needs to survive a good, long time. If your engine has many miles, say closing in on 100,000, then you may want to consider a 20W50 weight oil, something like Castrol. It will raise your low pressure, as the viscosity when hot will be maintained. If you are seeing low or varying pressure on your gauge, then it may be suspect, and you need to have someone check with a known good, accurate gauge. These engines are not very demanding. Just keep the level up and change it out from time to time, along with the filter. Good luck and happy motoring in one of the finest cars ever made. Ron

[will7262]

Ronald
Many thas for the feed back.
Regards
Will

[legavroche]

Ronald, curiously my 383 maintains 50 pounds of pressure from start up through to normal operating temperature, any variation is very small! I use 20w50 Valvoline racing oil.
Gavin

[Kevin H]

Originally Posted by legavroche

Ronald, curiously my 383 maintains 50 pounds of pressure from start up through to normal operating temperature, any variation is very small! I use 20w50 Valvoline racing oil.
Gavin

There's definitely something wrong there. Possibly a faulty gauge.

I just looked up the Plymouth 1966 workshop manual which covers all engines - 273, 318, 361, 383 & 426.

Recommended oil pressure is the same for all engines.

Min 20 PSI at 500rpm
45 - 65 lbs at 1000rpm at operating temperature

(the manual actually says lbs, but I presume they mean PSI)

I suspect the 318 engine referred to is the LA, not the earlier A series engine used in the Bristol 407-410. Not sure how much oil pressure variance there would be between A and LA engines.

Pressure will be higher on new engines, i.e 50 -70 lbs at 1000rpm at operating temp.

[sjp63]

Originally Posted by legavroche

Ronald, curiously my 383 maintains 50 pounds of pressure from start up through to normal operating temperature, any variation is very small! I use 20w50 Valvoline racing oil.
Gavin

My 383 is the same - 50psi normally, maybe 40psi at idle.

[Kevin H]

Gavin and sjp63, what does your oil pressure read when the engine is first started from cold? (and at what rpm?)

Kevin

[legavroche]

Kevin - from cold oil pressure rapidly reaches 50 pounds, it idles at 1000 rpm but when warm this drops back to 600 rpm, with a slight reduction in pressure as I now explain. 50 pounds is maintained quite consistently with any variation limited to a needle's width in either direction.

Gavin