CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

454 losing oil pressure

Ever wonder how a blind guy knows when to quit.........?

All this discussion about gas vs stick vs MIG vs TIG, vs brazing, overlooks one idea.
Using TIG with a brass rod.
Its technically TIG brazing, but its often called welding. It gives the forgiveness of brass braze with the precision and heat control of TIG. Its done more often with brass parts, but cast and steel figure in too.

Just so you folk won't think I've finally lost it, I searched around and found a few links: https://www.millerwelds.com/resources/article-library/tig-brazing-with-silicon-bronze
https://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com/tig-welding-brazing.html
https://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com/tig-welding-brazing.html

I have been seeing mention of brazing the pickup tubes on most of my life, so it must work pretty good. I know that was before TIG, but still........
Heck, if all else fails, and there is enough metal and room, just drill, tap and put in a couple of set screws with red loctite.

I use sil-bron all the time for stuff.
The problem is that it lacks the strength of a regular tack weld. In fact, any brazing does.

The OP truck is a hardcore wheeler. Not a street queen. My professional opinion is that he needs to tack weld with GMAW for the best result. I could recommend brazing for a street car, that's about it thou.
That's my professional opinion as a certified welding inspector. Not as a interwebz forum backyard mechanic.
 
Last edited:
Heck, if all else fails, and there is enough metal and room, just drill, tap and put in a couple of set screws with red loctite.

To be fair here you have touched on something that's worth exploring. Some of the industrial two part expoxies are some super strong stuff.
I bet that locktite, 3M, permabond, or Hilti would have a product that would be perfect for this type of thing.
 
I just welded a piece of sheet metal to the tube with a hole that matched up with one of the pump mounting bolts. Pretty easy and done. Be careful with the epoxy, many of them tend to soften with heat.
 
50 psi at idle with a standard volume pump? Wow. Mine only gets 25 at idle. I’m curious if yours is higher than normal or mine is on its way out....

That’s what mine had before as well. This is the Melling Performance Pump, standard volume.

DF89607B-D4B1-4617-B6ED-DFD032F2E0B4.jpeg
 
50 psi at idle with a standard volume pump? Wow. Mine only gets 25 at idle. I’m curious if yours is higher than normal or mine is on its way out....
You probably have a worn pump and bearings.
Once everything is loose, oil leaks everywhere and pressure drops.
 
You probably have a worn pump and bearings.
Once everything is loose, oil leaks everywhere and pressure drops.

When I rebuilt it, I had new bearings and a new pump. I didn’t have the block or crank machines so it may just be worn a bit. @Scott4X4 I think mentioned as long as the pressure is above ~25psi things should be ok. I just figured 25 was closer to normal than it really is. I’m gonna run it for as long as it lasts though.
 
If I remember right, the owner's manual for my 8N Ford states that minimum oil pressure is one pound per 100 RPM.
That has to be right, it was written in 1949!
 
If I remember right, the owner's manual for my 8N Ford states that minimum oil pressure is one pound per 100 RPM.
That has to be right, it was written in 1949!
That's how I know it, that is why at idle if it's not under 15, I don't even think about it. 10 I start wanting an accurate reading since those gauges are not precise.
 
Top Bottom