Hi all
Ive got a problem with the oil pressure on my 3.5 v8 as the tappets seem to be very loud even more so on one side. when the engine is running and i take off the filler cap i cant see any oil being coming from around the rockers. The engine runs fine and ive replaced chech the oild pressure sender and thats fine and there is pressure at the pump. the engine has been stud sometime but always starts first touch of the key

Could this be wrong oil? blocked oil ways? or somthing more. the engine has done around 70k and have inspected eveneything and the cam etc are all in good order

I find my 3.5 is very picky about oil.

I started on 5w/30 to try to rinse it out, it was loud as fook on this, way too thin.

Then i ran 15w/40 which was much better, but after reading into it further I decided to opt for 20w/50 classic car oil.

This keeps the tappets really sweet sounding. This engine was designed for old skool oil, and it should still be used, despite what the manuals say. Engine designed in 60s, made in 90s needs oil from the 60s!!

Also, no matter what oil I put in mine, I never see any splashing around in the rocker covers.

You can see it running back down the oil ways after it has lubricated the followers, but I guess the pressure isn't high enough to spray it about like a modern engine.

Mine used to be very very very very very sludgy though so it could have some blocked oilways, BUT it has been run for 3 years without major issue, and now that I've cleaned all visible sludge from rocker areas and in sump, fresh oil stays clear and like new in it for weeks, if not longer.

My oil pressure light used to flicker when low rev off roading when hot on 15/40, the 20/50 has cured that too.

Cheers.

do you have a guage? my 3.5 carb runs abour 40psi at idle and 50psi at fast idle.

fett said:

do you have a guage? my 3.5 carb runs abour 40psi at idle and 50psi at fast idle.

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I would check your gauge. They are only suppose to have 40psi above 2,000rpm

well its still good , very new engine you see. only done about 2k miles.