IvanTheTerrible wrote:10psi per 1000rpm is what they recommend for a standard engine. This is the problem with 5L Holdens. There are so many people saying so many different things. at least I have the whole of the off season to figure this out.
Yeah I don't think I ever saw a 5L without serious issue. most I cam across were either dead or dying lol.
oil problems, bottom end damage, worn off lobs, damaged lifter, severely worn bores and pistons and the list went on.
I noticed this mostly with the 5L of the VK-VL days.
I'm the director of VSH (Vlad's Spec Holden), because HSV were doing it ass about.
To over-simplify a bit, there are two oil problems with Holden V8s - low pressure at idle (which drops below the 10psi per 1000rpm rule) and complete oil starvation.
There are a few options to fix the first but really its not a major issue as long as everything else is up to scratch since there's no significant load at idle. They pick up plenty of pressure above idle unless you've raised the rev limit a fair bit.
The second happens when there isn't enough oil volume - a high volume pump will empty a standard sized sump a bit too easily and some spirited cornering can run the pickup dry, no oil = no pressure. The simple fix for a street car is get a bigger sump, and don't use a high volume pump when unnecessary. Improving the oil flow back from up top to the sump can help a bit too, then there are tricks like restrictions to up top but you have to be very careful you know what you're doing. For a race car that spends a lot of time at high revs it can be a bit more difficult and that's where priority mains conversions (so that oil starvation starts at the cam instead of the crank with slightly less catastrophic results) and dry sump systems come in.
A popular modification has been to install a high volume pump and close off the timing chain oiler - but this doesn't work as the pump will still empty the sump and you'll kill the pump gear drive as it has more load and less lubrication. A quick burnout with this setup is a good recipe for running a big end bearing. Most basic street/strip performance engines can survive happily as long as bearings are good and have suitable clearances, and you have a good standard volume pump with a bigger sump. You may get a bit of oil pushed out the breathers with sustained high revs but to me its a lot safer than restricting cam and valve spring oiling as this leads to premature failure as others have observed.
