Reply to "Oil Pans ?"

Ron,

I took a brief look at the Melling catalog & to my surprise the 351W & 302 use different oil pumps. I've never built a 351W, I just assumed they would use the same oil pump.

Melling only sells a high volume/standard pressure pump for the 351W (p.n. M-83HV). That makes no sense at all to me, not for a high rpm racing motor.

It takes more pressure to force more fluid through a given size oil system. So if you increase the volume of a pump without raising the pressure of the relief valve (stiffer spring) then all you are going to do is recirc more oil at high rpm, you won't supply more oil to the motor. Building high volume/standard pressure oil pumps has never made any sense to me.

For compaison, the Cleveland oil pump is p.n. M-84AHV, it is BOTH high volume/high pressure.

Melling still makes their standard volume/high pressure pump for the 302 (p.n. M-68A). That is the pump I had in mind for your application.

So I guess the question is, which pump does your block use? A 302 pump or a 351W pump?

Another thought, Ford sells a restrictor kit for the Windsor, it restricts oil to the cam bearings and the 2 lifter galleys, if you're going to race this motor that would probably be a good thing to install as well, especially the restrictors to the 2 lifter galleys. Of course if you've had the lifter bores bushed & set with tight clearances then a restrictor kit isn't needed.

cowboy from hell