A few years ago, Shell Oil was one of the sponsors of the Drive Home 4 event. They recommended Rotella T4 for all the older flat tappet engines because it still had zddp in it and gave them oil I suppose.
The Drive Home continues across America leading to the reveal of the 7th generation Mustang - Hagerty Media

 

Im not getting into this oil vs that oil but, if its got good pressue dont worry about it. ive got a stock pump in my 77 and hv in my 72. going dry sump when tmeyer bottom end goes in

 

I'm sure my bearings are opened up a little, crank was nice but not mirror perfect when I rolled in new standard rod and main shells in in 1992, and my lifter bores might be loosened up since new from Ford ... so I'm pretty sure the HV only oil pump is not hurting me. Back at post #6 when I restarted this thread, I had read that Melling HV pumps also always include high pressure springs, but I recall Brownie the machinist telling me that this pump only had higher volume, it is a NAPA house brand. it has a normal pressure bypass spring so that once pressure is high enough, it opens and any more oil bypasses until pressure drops and spring lets the bypass close. A high pressure spring would elevate that pressure level, then the pump works harder.

My oil pressure can go as high as 67/70 "ish" psi once hot, it levels off there then ... and it idles down around 48/52 psi hot. I do not know what a bone stock 351m/400 did new, I only had that electrical gauge before the bearing deal.

I pulled the distributor cap yesterday, no appreciable slack in rotation direction except the centrifugal advance portion. Either before or after putting the new oil drive shaft in ... I aim to pull the distributor to look at the gear ... maybe re-pin it.

 

new pin definitely wont hurt. i "think" my hot oil press was somewhere in the 60-62 range and 75-80 cold on a fresh build in my 81. my 77 is definitely lower than your current numbers lol

 

Thank you ...

I found receipts from "way back then" in a book (my dog eared edition by Tom Monroe) last night, the oil pump that I put in the engine in late 1992 is the same Balkamp BK.601-1017 sold by NAPA & the same number as the one in my box of stuff for my 400 sitting on a stand. It's got the number "M84A HV" raised / cast in the cast iron body, so it's a Melling High Volume oil pump. Melling says it's got a standard oil pressure spring, not high pressure. I just never knew what a good OEM 351m or 400 did, other than in "NORMAL" letters on an electric gauge.

Yeah, when cold and the oil is thick, I go easy on RPM as the thick oil overwhelms the bypass and I'll see 80 or more real easy until it gets some heat in it.

 

That ARP oil pump drive shaft came today, it is impressive. Thinking now, best oil pan gaskets to use ?????????? Likely be just cork and good dressing.

 

I always check the clearance from the shafts collar to the block and adjust the collar if necessary.

 

I think your only option is cork. I would not put much of anything on it that could allow the gasket to push itself out. Maybe just a little bit to hold in place on block as you lift the pan. (I assume doing this while engine in truck) if not I would put nothing at all except in the corners where the rubber main journal seals meet the cork.

If you are able to find a one piece rubber gasket please advise so I can get one too.

I hate cork gaskets

 

OS30227c cork/rubber i believe is only regularly available gasket. there's fiber/rubber but i dont see any major need to pay thru the nose for the fiber option (both are 4pc sets)

 

I spent a couple hours looking, I couldn't find any either except 4 pc sets. Long ago, we used to use 3M super weatherstrip yellow and follow directions getting them on the oil pan, then putting a flat piece of plywood with wax paper on top to then flip it and let the weight alone flatten the cork so no "humps develop" as that cured. Then the cork was secured to the pan. We were doing Pontiacs, some Mopars, a few Chevies too. If it lasted a year ... we were happy.

 

We used to call that yellow weatherstrip adhesive "gorilla snot"
it works great and is readily available?
Black is also available and looks better
I just use Edelbrock Gaskacinch now days
I have to order that from Sumitt

 

I've seen my uncle use sewing thread to tie the cork gaskets to the pan to hold in place then run in the bolts

 

Yes!!! Done that for years!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Gentlemen I believe if you look at the way the oil pan gaskets and seals are made on a 351c/400 you will see the end seals have to go on top of the pan rail gaskets. So, you have to glue the pan rail gaskets to the block then install the end seals and put the pan on. Your shop manual will confirm this. The torque specs in the manual may be a bit too much for some of the softer cork gaskets and you may have to stop short to keep from squeezing them out and deforming the pan.