318 oil pressure drop-off

by **daleawalker** » 01 Oct 2005 22:37

I just rebuilt the 318 for my Challenger and am having oil pressure problems. It starts off around 40 lbs then as it warms up it drops off to less than 10. All new bearings and a new oil pump (tried a second one in case the first was bad.) The clearences on the mains are all in the .0014-.0017 range. Using 10W-40 oil and have changed filters multiple times in case they were bad.

Any thoughts on what may be wrong? This is the first 318 I have worked on this deep and I am wondering if I missed something. I don't want to put in a different crank and bearings only to have the same problem.

Thanks,
Dale

by **dave-r** » 03 Oct 2005 8:45

Can't think of anything.

Maybe something to do with the way the pump or filter plate attaches????

No. Ignor me. I am just thinking out loud.

by **72challenger3406pk** » 07 Dec 2005 20:10

Hello,
I have a 72 Challenger with a 318 in it that has had low oil pressure problems since we got it in July 05. We replaced the pan, pump and sump, and filter. The oil pressure starts at 30lbs. but then falls to 12-14lbs after the engine warms up. We're running 10W-30. Any ideas?

by **Mike l** » 07 Dec 2005 21:06

Are you useing the right sending unit with the right gauage?Remove the
sending unit and replace it with a 50psi standard gauage just to see what
it truly is.Good luck

low oil pressure on a 318