Where should a 396's oil pressure be when cold/hot with either high/low volume pumps.

I'm getting 20lbs at idle warm. Sounds a little low to me :( .

Thanks

20 at idle is great. Standard pump depending on bearing clearance and oil should be about 15-20 at idle and 50-60 running at speed. You could probably add 10 to that with a high volume. Again there are many variables. You are good with 20.

Yeah that is good. My 461 holds 25 at idle, warm and in gear. 80 at 3000 RPM down the highway, with a HV pump.

A lot depends on the oil but 20 lbs is fine if you aren't running straight 50wt.

What weight oil are you guys running with those numbers?

Running 30wt in my 454 it is a little over 20 at idle hot and 50 cruising. Sounds like you are ok.

Quaker State regular oil 5 W 30. I get 20-25 at idle, 75-80 at 3000 RPM

I get 20lbs at warm idle but never over 40-45lbs at any RPM. I'd be a bit leary of the 70-80 range as I've heard...too much pressure will actually push oil past the bearings not giving them sufficient lubrication and/or cooling time. May be an old wives tale, can't say, but it seems to make sense since the oil not only lubricates the surfaces but helps cool them as well.

This is from the Canton Racing site:
Pressure is created by the resistance to flow. For example, the water flowing out of a garden hose has relative low pressure, but when you put your finger over the end of the hose, restricting that flow, the pressure within the hose increases and you see the result by increasing the distance the water travels as it leaves the hose. The resistance to oil flow Inside an engine is from the clearances of the bearing and lifter bore. Engines with increased clearances will require greater flow to maintain the same pressure. As the RPM of the engine increases more oil is required. The oil pump selected should be able to flow the volume of oil required to maintain the pressure desired. A relief spring within the pump relieves the pressure when it reaches the desired level. High pressure pumps have a higher pressure relief spring as also do most high volume pumps. The main disadvantage of using a pump with the ability to flow more than required by the engine resulting in this bypass opening is a very small loss of horsepower.

My fresh 427 has a Melling HV pump installed, right off the freeway hot it will idle with 25 lbs at 900, 2500 it will hold 55 lbs. The point at where it will stop increasing pressure is around the 70 lb mark from what I have seen on the guage hot. Cold it will idle with 70 lbs at 1000 or so, this is with 10/40 Mobil straight non synthetic oil.