Engine: V8 Oil Circuits

[jlmccuan]

On the passenger side head of R engines oil pressure is sampled for the oil pressure gauge. The same port exists on the left bank at the front since it is the same head on either side. Now for the question. Is the right rear port early in the oil circuit with the left front port late in the circuit? Assuming that oil is fed from rear to front, it seems that oil at the left front port would be what is left after oil is fed through the crank and cam bearings with volume and pressure both being reduced at that point. Is this assumption correct?

[Mike Van Veghten]

Put a simillar pressure gage in both ports and find out..! Then swap gauges to verify.

As you note, in either case, bearing leakage comes into play, so every engine will be a little different in any case.

Mike

[JoeHall]

I believe left & right heads are interchangable on all Stude V8s by simply swapping the manifold cover plates. The port ends up forward on one side, and rearward on the other. The Stude engineers used the rear port on the passenger side to save a couple of feet of tubing if nothing else.

[JoeHall]

Sorry, I completely missed the question to the answer.
Joe

[fatboylust]

My copy of the 51-52 Shop Manual has a play by play description of the oil path from the pump to the pan in the Engine/Oiling System section. Assuming you have a Shop Manual check it out, there is a lot going on and your assessment seems about right with only some details needed to clarify the order of operation. Glad you asked the question, as I probably wouldn't have looked it up otherwise.

[11SecAvanti]

Jim, your assumption sounds correct but the pressures could very well equalize out or become equivalent pressures from a gallery pressure measurement point of view. Interesting question.

[PackardV8]

Another way to look at it is if every part in the engine is to specification, the same oil pressure should exist throughout the oil path. Only when wear enlarges clearances and thus allows more oil to escape than the oil pump can deliver should pressure at the far end be lower than at the pump discharge.

Of course, that could never happen, as all Studebaker engines were built and maintained as per the Shop Manual.

jack vines

[Tom Bredehoft]

This may be in error, but I would assume all parts of the circuit have the same pressure, but not all have the same volume of flow. I stand here, ready to be shot down.

[PackardV8]

This may be in error, but I would assume all parts of the circuit have the same pressure, but not all have the same volume of flow.

Not sure I understand the point of your question, but the answer is yes, of course the volume differs. There are approximately fifty-two (52) pressurized oiling points on the Studebaker V8. Obviously, the main bearings carry the largest load and thus would require more flow than the lifters or the rocker arms. Each circuit and the metering holes feeding them are calibrated to provide the oil necessary for the load and volume.

When there is insufficient oil pressure, that is an indication wear in some area has enlarged the running clearance to the point the volume of oil escaping around the worn part is greater than the capacity of the oil pump can replace.

jack vines