351W Optimization
 

Two real quick questions for all of you 351W guys out there.

What pressure range should the oil pressure run at when engine is all warmed up?

What tempurature range should the water temp. run at when the engine is warmed up?

Just curious cause my gauges only have a "L" and an "H" for Oil and a "C" and "H" for Water, instead of numbers.

Thanks.

what year? rig? efi or carb?

oil pressure will depend on condition of motor so 20lbs at idle to 40lbs driving is normal for a hi mileage motor.
water temp for an efi motor should be in the 195* range. that is the temp making the computer happy.
get some mechanical gauges to give you a true reading on both. the stock ford gauges suck and are not accurate

Boy you ain't ****tin. The factory oil pressure gauge in my 89 Range has read low now for the past 10 years. Last time it was plugged in alongside the mech. oil gauge, the mech gauge would peg 80 psi and the factory gauge the needle would only climb to the "L" (not the "L" in normal either)

Sorry about that. It is in a 1967 F-100 4X4 and has been converted from EFI to Carb. Here are some specs:

94 351W bored 30 over
Holley Street Avenger 670
Edelbrock Air Gap Intake Manifold
Bigger Cam than normal

Thanks for all the comments so far.

You shouldn't ever hit 80psi....there is a pressure relief valve inside the oil pump to prevent that. Either you had a problem with the gauge/measuring, the pressure relief, or you're running something rediculous...

Just joined the Ford faamily today w/a 86 bronco xlt! went to get it emissioned and the this is what it read.....hydrocarbons-5.70 carbon monoxide 206.78!!!!!!! oxides of nitrogen 0.91. HEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:-huh :-huh :-hijacked

I still have my factory gauges w/ my new 351W. As long as they stay in "normal" range on the gauge I'm happy. I'd like to know the actual pressure and temperature but I don't like extra gauges hung all over.

Kem said 20-40 psi of oil pressure, plenty for a SBF. You want your motor to run about 200F for good combustion and less wear, EFI or carb.

I've got a standard Melling oil pump, on my factory gauge it runs around the middle and just below.

I've got a 192F t-stat, it runs anywhere from the N to M, who knows what that is, lol.

I recently put mechanical guages in my 85 F150 351W. With factory guages, the temp would be right at the bottom of the normal range, oil would be about 3/4 up on the pressure range. With new guages, temp stays right around 195 with a 195 thermostat. Oil is about 55 at cold startup, about 30 cruising, and 10 at idle warmed up. I like knowing what my engine is doing while driving.

My temps have been all over the place recently. Some days it runs on the N and some it want's to run over on the M/A. Almost has to be sensor and/or gauge. Everything is new, down to the hoses.

Yeah, exactly. My temps started running within the normal range, then recently they had dropped down to right around the line, if not below it.. thats why I installed the aftermarket guages. Turns out its running right where it should be.