[95classiclwb]

I'm under the impression that the 3.5 oil pump is barely adequate. I'm preparing for some desert camping and i'm looking into fitting an oil cooler. I know later classics came equipped from factory with a cooler, but I am concerned about pressure. What do you think?

if you're worried about oil pressure, first look at the age of the engine. if satisfied with wear and tear due to normal use, contact mark at aluminum v8 dot com. he has an early v8 pressure upgrade kit as well as remote filter relocation and oil cooler kits.
the first time I used one of their pump kits I had a constant 60 psi at idle, cold on a rebuilt 3.5 engine.
the later classics you mention were equipped with the 3.9, you can use/retrofit those 3.9 components on the 3.5. direct fit.

 

[95classiclwb]

"don't the 3.9's run their oil coolers through the radiator"

yes they do and the "sandwich" is what the 3.9 uses as a cooler adapter. on my 3.5 I used an aftermarket external cooler from the shelf of a local parts store as a retrofit.

 

[95classiclwb]

Ok I found some of the info I was looking for.... and more.

This is the link with more info & pic of before and after of the oil pump. http://www.gomog.com/allmorgan/oilpumpbase.html

I also recalled people with way more knowledge than me saying it is a bad idea because the original face is anodized and the resurfaced face is now just soft aluminum.

"The surface of your oil pump front cover does indeed look rather scored. When new, the entire cover is anodised so as to maximise the useable life. Once the anodising has been worn through, as it the case of the visible scoring present on your cover, further use has ended.

As you expected, it is a pointless exercise in sanding the mating face of the cover to as to eliminate the score marks. The entire face is then free of the hard anodising, and if used in this state, soft aluminium debris will quickly fill the engine as the spinning oil pump gears eat into the cover.


The only viable solution is to purchase another cover." Not so viable anymore. Found a few new ones for sale for around 300 pounds! Full thread is found here.

Which made me wonder & search more. Came across a thrust plate kit by Melling for the Buick 215. I wonder if this would actually work?!?

advance auto parts kit #P201 plus K201 is what D&D fabrications sold me about 15 yrs ago, a plate, gaskets, piston, 3 different springs, gears and longer bolts.
that and a complete overhaul gave me an initial whooping 80 psi upon start up on cold days using 10w40 oil.
as it warmed it would maintain 60psi.
on extremely hot days with a/c, on idle in gear in city traffic the engine would maintain 40 psi, well beyond the minimum of 5 psi and maximum of 20 listed in the rave.
I used to abuse said engine, eventually it was replaced by a full serpentine 4.6.

on that note, if you were to find a complete 3.9 or 4.2 with serpentine drive and you were so inclined, you could retrofit the serpentine drive components to the 3.5 starting with the front cover with the crank driven oil pump.

furthermore, all your rotating ancillaries can be retrofitted from your 3.5 to any rover v8 motor up to the later bosh blocks.
an old classic with a 4.6 is a joy to drive, light weight with gobs of power...

 

[95classiclwb]

at 60 psi you're pushing your luck with leaking seals on an old engine. I believe factory states 5 to 20 psi range to be standard, I don't know if anyone ever saw 30 psi out of one of these engines un adultered.

 

[95classiclwb]

30 to 40 psi at 2400rpm on a warm engine.