Rich, "This guy" that I cited, Smokey Yunick, is one of if not the most
respected race car designer/builder ever with one hell of a portfolio when it
comes to building engines that perform and live. I personally have run a Rover
engined race car for 5+ seasons with 10# of pressure at idle and no bottom end
failures, and know others who have run with less, same result. Perhaps you
should measure the oil pressure on production Rover V8s, which also run many
miles with a reputation for solid bottom ends. You will find that they make
about 40# at maximum pressure and very little at idle. This is not a subject
for guesses and old wives tales. There is solid data available. As for the
drive gear, no one has "improved on it" as you suggest, and if it fails in
service the results can be very expensive. The problem with the gear is not
material, but the size of the drive and the power that some have attempted to
transmit through it. You might want to look at the Rover motors from 94 to date
and notice that the front cover remains much the same, but that Rover has seen
fit to replace the oil pump with a design driven directly off of the crank. I
guess they just could not figure how to "improve" the original design. I would
be most interested in any configuration that you have come up with that will
give 30-40# at idle and only 70 at full pressure and operating temp. In my
experience that is not possible. John
Rich Atherton wrote:
> So you are saying that you would Want this guys idea of 10 psi per 1,000
> rpm? No thank you ! Please.!. I do NOT want my engine to be idling with
> only 8 psi of presure...That's a HUGE indication something is broken or
> severely worn. NOPE Gimee 30 -40 at idle, and 60 -70 at anything over
> 1,800 or so, and I'm very happy. I will gladly give what little horsepower
> that hivol pump will draw compared to the benifits of have plenty of oil
> when and where I want it..
>
> As for the drive gear, as I remember, it's easily replaced at the bottom
> of the distributor, and yes it was a weak area, but as in all things, it can
> be improved upon. Porpoer cam cutting of the drive gear, and using bronze
> driven gear....although as I remember reading somewhere, the broze may wear
> far too quickly...the driving of the pump shaft is where I remember the
> problem being. It's been a while but as I remember it's a pin that drives
> that pump shaft...this can be changed. there is nothing that can't be
> improved upon..
>
> Rich
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Susan and John Roper <vscjohn@huntnet.net>
> To: Rich Atherton <gumby@connectexpress.com>
> Cc: <buick-rover-v8@autox.team.net>
> Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2000 9:43 AM
> Subject: Re: Motor oil
>
> >
> >
> > Rich Atherton wrote:
> >
> > > Most of the posts on this subject have missed a serious concern.
> One of
> > > the weaknesses of the Buick/Rover motor is the oil pump drive. the gear
> on
> > > the end of the dizzy that drives both the pump and ignition has limited
> > > capability. Any increase in pressure by viscosity or increased spring
> > > pressure on the valve increases the load on that gear. Excessive oil
> pressure
> > > not only unnecessarily loads the weak gear but also soaks up horsepower.
> > > Smokey Yunicks's rule of thumb is 10# per 1000 rpm. Me, I trust Smokey.
> John
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