Thoughts on high volume oil pumps?

[BobsArmory]

I am going to have some extra time around the house in Feb. and to keep the marriage intact I was thinking about doing a little project in the garage.

While looking at Summit Racing web site I saw a high volume oil pump that would fit my 2009 Chevy Silverado 6 liter engine with the Max Trailer Package & 6 speed auto trans.

Summit High volume pump

I was thinking this might be a good idea since I pull heavy trailers often and I do have an engine that has some "piston slap".

So people, what are your thoughts? Good, Bad or Indifferent?

How much extra volume do you think I could flow with this pump?

 

[SteveSRT8]

The pumps are fully regulated so there is little benefit unless you have excessive clearances in the pressure fed portions of the oil circuit.

Note that your year and model do not usually exhibit piston slap. How did you determine the problem exists? Are you aware of carbon knock? Lifter/follower noises?

 

[Donald]

I would leave the motor oil as is.

I might consider a transmission cooler, but you may already have one. Maybe a high quality synthetic ATF like Amsoil.

Get a OBDII code reader (good one) and find out your ATF temp while towing.

 

[440Magnum]

The only real way to know if a HV pump will help you is to KNOW your RPM vs oil pressure curve as it stands now. If you spend most of your time running at an RPM that results in a lower than maximum oil pressure, then the HV pump could help by providing maximum pressure (and flow) at the RPM where you spend most of your time.

On the other hand if you already are near your maximum pressure at your normal working RPM, then the HV pump would just waste power by pressurizing and then dumping a lot of oil out the pressure regulator bypass.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

The old racer's rule is: Don't use a HV oil pump unless absolutely needed - even in near race conditions. Theses can be a Big HP drag and also strain on the pump drive system. Big clearances + high temps demand higher viscosity, HFS oil. Period. Pump pressue does not make up for viscosity.

 

[OVERKILL]

A HV pump makes no sense in a stock application unless the stock pump is a flawed design and the engine is known to have issues with the stock pump failing to provide adequate volume.

To be short: What is the point of a high volume pump when the added volume is going straight out the bypass?

 

[Chris142]

Originally Posted By: BobsArmory
I do have an engine that has some "piston slap".



the hv oil pump won't fix that. Imo there's no reason to change your oil pump. I'm sure that gm did plenty of testing to determine how much oil volume was needed for your usage.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: BobsArmory
I am going to have some extra time around the house in Feb. and to keep the marriage intact I was thinking about doing a little project in the garage.

While looking at Summit Racing web site I saw a high volume oil pump that would fit my 2009 Chevy Silverado 6 liter engine with the Max Trailer Package & 6 speed auto trans.

Summit High volume pump

I was thinking this might be a good idea since I pull heavy trailers often and I do have an engine that has some "piston slap".

So people, what are your thoughts? Good, Bad or Indifferent?

How much extra volume do you think I could flow with this pump?


So to keep the marriage intact does that mean you need to be out of the house?

Most wives would prefer you to paint a room, or update a batchroom. Not replace an oil pump.

 

[BobsArmory]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8


Note that your year and model do not usually exhibit piston slap. How did you determine the problem exists? Are you aware of carbon knock? Lifter/follower noises?


The Tech at the Dealership stated that was most likely the problem although it could be a lifter/follower noise. Still under warranty but they seem to have little interest in resolving the issue.

As far as the Trans temps.
I am seeing 95F when the outside air is 6F
135F during the summer months without a trailer
185F when pulling a trailer. (I have seen it as high as 230F when pulling a trailer in the mountains out west)

 

[BobsArmory]

Originally Posted By: Donald
So to keep the marriage intact does that mean you need to be out of the house?

Most wives would prefer you to paint a room, or update a batchroom. Not replace an oil pump.

Good point

 

[daman]

The factory oil pressure is all you need,no more.

 

[Shannow]

Given that the oil pump has only to get the oil to where it's needed, and the hydrodynamics of lubrication does all of the heavy lifting, I don't believe in high volume pumps, unless you've built a new engine and purposely increased bearing clearances and side leakage.

If you've got adequate pressure, then the oil is getting where it needs to go, in the volumes that it needs to be there at.

 

[LeakySeals]

Make a video of the noise and post it here.

 

[simple_gifts]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
A HV pump makes no sense in a stock application unless the stock pump is a flawed design and the engine is known to have issues with the stock pump failing to provide adequate volume.


V8 Buicks come to mind. I had a HV pump on both my 350 and 430.

 

[dailydriver]

Is everyone on here confusing high volume with high pressure, thinking that they are one and the same??

Melling lists TWO distinct oil pump options for LSx engines;

A high volume, but stock pressure unit,
AND a high pressure but stock volume unit.

Are they selling the same exact thing in two differently labelled boxes?

 

[GMBoy]

Leave it alone. The powertrain engineers have ceritfied the stock oil pump to be more than enough under all conditions the truck may encounter including max towing.

As for the piston slap sound..do a top end decarbonizing. Simple way is to spray a can of carb/intake cleaner thru the intake with motor running. It will wash the valves and piston tops of carbon. I do this once a year on my Sierra Denali with the 6.0L. Usually so much will be cleaned out it takes a few miles for the PCM to relearn fuel trim!

 

[SS1970chrysler]

Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
A HV pump makes no sense in a stock application unless the stock pump is a flawed design and the engine is known to have issues with the stock pump failing to provide adequate volume.


V8 Buicks come to mind. I had a HV pump on both my 350 and 430.

I'm currently using one of those old plates on my '77 350 "J". I've also had a need for them on late 70's-early 80's 302 and 351 engines.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: SS1970chrysler
Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
A HV pump makes no sense in a stock application unless the stock pump is a flawed design and the engine is known to have issues with the stock pump failing to provide adequate volume.


V8 Buicks come to mind. I had a HV pump on both my 350 and 430.

I'm currently using one of those old plates on my '77 350 "J". I've also had a need for them on late 70's-early 80's 302 and 351 engines.


I don't believe there was ever a time when a Windsor engine "needed" a high volume oil pump. All they often caused was power-robbing drag on the engine and licorice-sticked oil pump drive shafts. The Windsor is not an engine that suffered from oil system design problems. They did however seem to be prone to sludge and varnish if the PCV system was neglected or cheap oil was used, as I've seen many of them in that condition.

 

[ls1mike]

Originally Posted By: BobsArmory
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8


Note that your year and model do not usually exhibit piston slap. How did you determine the problem exists? Are you aware of carbon knock? Lifter/follower noises?


The Tech at the Dealership stated that was most likely the problem although it could be a lifter/follower noise. Still under warranty but they seem to have little interest in resolving the issue.

As far as the Trans temps.
I am seeing 95F when the outside air is 6F
135F during the summer months without a trailer
185F when pulling a trailer. (I have seen it as high as 230F when pulling a trailer in the mountains out west)

Put a larger trans cooler on it. That will keep your temps down (How heavy are you towing? I tow right at about 8000lbs, in the summer I don't see above 190 with my extra cooler going over the larger passes. 150 to 165 when towing and 100 to 110 with no load)

You do not need a HVOP. I don't have one in my 6.0 Truck or my modified Trans Am, both are very similar to your application. Infact your oiling is better, over time GM made some updates to the oiling system on the LSx engines. It is pain to change out and piston slap and or lifter noise will not kill the motor.
My guess it is neither. Most likely carbon knock as is the case on the newer trucks.

You can spend time obsessing over it and chasing it but you will just end up mad. Drive it and watch you transmission temps. Like I said the best thing you can do is add an extra 30,000 GVRW Hayden plate cooler and drive the truck to the end of time.

Here is the one I put on. Fluid goes from the tranny, to the radiator, out of the radiator, through this cooler and back to the tranny.

Stock VS aftermarket

 

[ls1mike]

So in summary to keep your marriage intact. Do a transmission service, pull the grill and put a bigger aux transmision cooler on. It will also save the truck.