IF either the pan or pick up moves closer together (for some reason) it will cause a restriction and will starve the oil pump. Just thinking out load.

 

The oil pickup was still tight in the old pump and I loctited it into the new pump. So yes I understand what you're suggesting but I don't think it's the issue. I honestly am at the point where I think I might have to pull the engine and go through it.

 

It's gotta be something relatively simple. Loosened plug, or something similar. That's about the only thing I can think of that would account for it.. Did you gauge any of the bearings while you had the pan down?

I would be tempted to pull the timing cover, see if anything interesting presents itself.

 

No I didn't. Probably should have though. Not that it's that hard to drop the pan.

Yes I agree I think it's got to be something simple too but at this point I'm lost as to what it could be. And if it is a loosened plug that still requires taredown of the engine.
As I'd mentioned before the engine is now smoking (I think burning oil) a lot. So there are added things happening.

 

I'm thinking that your "bad tune" allowed too much fuel into the engine, which diluted the oil and caused other wear issues within the engine. Reminds me of a friend that had a street driven '70 Duster with a modified 340 engine with an 850 Holley carb on it. The 850 Holley developed a blown power valve in it and caused it to dump excess fuel into the motor. By the time he was able to address the issue (since he was a busy student and drove the car daily), damage to the engine had been done and low oil pressure was a result. He also lost quite a bit of compression since the rings got washed out by the raw fuel. The engine ended up being rebuilt.

 

Maybe not necessarily wear, but, washed down the cylinders to the point the rings can't seal properly?

 

I'm thinking some sort of wear, since the oil's been changed and still, no decent oil PSI. Wondering if the tune has been corrected to stop so much fuel from being dumped into the engine, plus getting the bad injector(s) fixed?

 

I feel like I'm just chasing my tail at this point. I'm really thinking I should get things ready and pull the engine back out and take it apart and just do a basic rebuild. Re-ring it & new crank & rod bearings. Maybe do the valve stem seals also?

When I built it the first time I'd used Total Seal gapless upper rings. This time I'm thinking I'd just use Sealed Power or Mahle or?

MAHLE Original 40564CP.030 Mahle Original Premium Piston Ring Sets | Summit Racing

DODGE Clevite Engine Parts MS-1266P Clevite P-Series Main Bearings | Summit Racing

DODGE Sealed Power 82130CP Sealed Power CP-Series Rod Bearings | Summit Racing

And of course a Fel Pro gasket set. Suggestions on different parts? I have Keith Black pistons & the block is 0.030 over while the crank was standard.

 

I've had to do so much to this thing over the past 10 months that I'm not sure exactly when I started to have the poor oil pressure. It seems that it was after one of the times I'd pulled the 6 pack intake manifold. At this point it's a mosquito fogger every time it's running. And as you've said I think I may have messed up some clearance parts.
And remember the first 6-7 times I had it running it was running lean on the passenger side bank. So I never got the chance to run it at the suggested 2K RPM to seat the rings properly.

 

What would I need to do to the cylinder walls if I was to do all this? Can I just run a hone thru them? Like a Flex Hone?
Or do I have to take it to the machine shop again?