mikeringland

Great, thanks.

I just picked up a 72 Monte and I'm planing on putting 15x7 rally wheels on it. I saw on the wheel and tire database you started that someone put 245/60/15's on their stock Monte Carlo without any rubbing problems. I just wanted to verify that is an allowable tire size for all 4 tires before I order them. Mike

Honestly I don't think the oil itself is a problem. I usually change the oil twice a year, once in April and then in late July. I only drive the car like once a week to a local car show or just go out for a drive here and there. I only drive it between the months of April and October. When it comes to the filter, I use a Bosch filter that I think is a good quality oil filter, compared to Fram or STP which are total crap. I probably put only about 1000 miles a year at the most on my car.

The idle in Park is about 1100 RPM and in Drive about 700 RPM. The gauge is an aftermarket one installed by the previous owner. When the pressure dips down to 5psi, the original oil "dummy light" on the dash also comes on. So I'd say with both the gauge and the dummy light, the pressure seems true. Should I bump up the idle some, and to about what? Also, does that dual feed carburetor seem excessive to you guys, or am I wrong?

Yeah the motor was definitely rebuilt. I have a detailed receipt from an engine shop. Looks like it was bored .030 over, that makes it what a 355? I have a Comp Cam card that has specs on it such as: duration at .050 Intake 212, Exhaust 218, and tappet lift: Intake 256, Exhaust 268. It has an Edlebrock aluminum intake and a Holley 670 CFM dual fuel feed carb on it. I'm no engine expert but that carb has always seemed too much for that motor. There's no ticking at idle, other than this oil psi issue, the motor runs very strong. If I were to venture a guess I'd say there's about 10K miles on the motor since the rebuild.

I have a 350 in my Monte that was rebuilt by an engine shop back in '04 by the previous owner of the car. By the looks of the receipt, it looks slightly above a stock engine, but nothing too crazy. Anyway, for the last couple years if I am driving the car on a warm or hot day, when I come to a stop at a red light or park it after its been running a while, my oil pressure dips down to about 5psi. When I start the car up cold its about 55psi and when I accelerate about 60psi. Once the car has warmed up it remains steady between 20-40psi. It just seems when the car has been driving for a while, combined with a summer day, the oil pressure can drop to nearly 0psi while idling. I do have some piston ring wear due to some blue smoke that comes out when I first start it and I checked the plugs I installed last year and they have a black coating on the ends after only driving the car about 1000 miles last summer. I use 20W-50 oil which the previous owner advised me to use. Do I need a new oil pump, or is it some other sort of problem? And, if it is the oil pump, so I go with a standard pump or a high flow pump?