Re: Oil Level
On a Gen 1 Chevy small block, the oil flow in the block at anytime, depending on the block, is around 1.8 to 2.2 quarts of oil, including the filter. This does not consider oil in the valley or on the cylinder heads that is draining to the pan.
A properly prepped or blueprinted standard volume oil pump is up to the job and I would set it up 45 to 55 psi max. One thing that needs to be considered is the engine clearances and with the advent of new oils, there is no need to use heavy oils anymore. High pressure and high volume oil pumps will created more heat and can also create cavitation by draining the pan and putting too much oil on the top.
One factor that is overlooked is that most oil pumps can start to bypass oil as low as 2,000 rpm. This means that the pump is delivering too much oil a reason why many times there is not a need for a high volume oil pump.
Therefore, a standard oil pump can provide enough volume.I have seen oil pumps that are standard volume, that have the body and gears shortened, and with the right clearances, the engines make power due to reduced friction and drag.
Baffling the pan, using the right sized pick up tube and screen, and using a properly designed scraper, also help.
The picture below, is a modified Schummann oil pump with a modified lower cover that has been modified with an external bypass. Instead of bypassing internally in the pump, bypasses the oil straight into the pan. This frees horsepower and puts the oil back in the pan quickly.
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