Oil pump questions?

[dclewallen]

This is a problem I encountered last week. Its been resolved but I'm still wondering why. I'm finishing the build up of my 289 engine. The block, heads, crankshaft, camshaft, rockershafts, oil pump and water pump manifold are 289 stuff. The sheet metal and various other parts being from the original 232. I tried to install the oil pan and the pick up hit the bottom of the pan before the side rails met the block. We heated and adjusted the depth of the pick up [plus a little extra so it wouldn't be right on the bottom of the pan. My question is I thought that my 232 had a larger 6 quart pan. Why did this happen? Thanks,

Darryl C. Lewallen Clarkesville, Ga.

[rockne10]

When I installed the 63 Cruiser 289 in my 53 Coupe I had to use the pan, oil pump and dipstick from the 53. The sump in the 53 pan is longer but a tad shallower. Is your 289 going in to a C/K?

[PackardV8]

Greetings, ALL,

IIRC, the 232" oil pump is quite a bit different in both size and shape than the later pumps. The pan sump is shallower but enough longer to get the 6qt capacity.

thnx, jv.

PackardV8

[dclewallen]

Thanks for helping me clear this up and yes its going into a C/K.

Darryl C. Lewallen Clarkesville, Ga.

[Mike]

There are relief and bypass valves, in the cheaply made oil filter adaptor, that probably cause a lot of low oil pressure troubles.
You might want to unbolt yours from the block and check it out. The valves can leak badly; and sometimes even come loose. The relief valve is effectivly on the output of the oil pump; and dumps oil directly back into the pan through a 1/2" hole in the block!
Buy a new gasket for the adaptor. Check to make sure the bolts don't bottom out in the block with the washers and gasket you use.
Mike