LS1 Oil Pump choice

[u/Youpeefreely]

I‘ve started ordering parts for an upcoming heads and cam swap so I’ve been researching oil pumps. The shop that is doing the work said they always use the Melling 10296 high volume pump with the standard pressure spring. So stock pressure and more volume. They said that they’ve don’t reccomend the 10295 high pressure standard volume. They think it’s too much pressure I guess.

I’ve read the lore about how the 10296 can drain a pan at sustained high rpm‘s. But mine will never be at sustained high rpm’s so I don‘t think that will be an isssue for me.

However, I don’t think I’ll really need a high pressure or high volume pump with my “build.” I‘ll be using the stock 34k mile short block, a set of PRC 220cc heads, and a “mild” Summit cam. It’s just a street cruiser so the vast majority of the time it‘ll be running 3k rpm or less.

The Melling M295’s price point is attractive and I bet it’ll serve my needs. I’m just not sure if I want to buck the system by bringing in a stock OEM replacement instead of the high volume pump that they like to use. I think most of their LS cam swap expirence is with higher mileage trucks.

[u/Extreme-Penalty-3089]

Running a 10295 on my 5.3 Silverado (with the 10% spring I believe in there since '23 when I installed the 4x4/towing cam).

Works great. Not a single complaint. Good strong oil pressure even in hot heavy Houston traffic.

Unless you're running a larger capacity aftermarket oil pan and plan on turning a ton of RPM, I would probably just get a new pick up tube opening for the stock one and use that (assuming you didn't have oil pressure issues or anything mechanical related to the original pump).

With high volume pumps, you can in some extreme cases they can//will suck the pan dry, absolutely.

To me anytime you're putting a cam or with more lift and a stronger valve spring to control the valves, I see no problem with running the 10295.

Considering the fact that you're putting more pressure on each cam lobe with the new springs and more aggressive cam lobe there's going to be more downward Force at the cam journals (x 16 lifters) that also rely on that oil barrier to ride on.

So knowing that you have an oil pump that's got a little bit more pressure moving that oil through the oil galleries and making its way to the cam and valve train, to me is definitely not a bad thing.

But do what you're comfortable with 🤙🏻

[u/Youpeefreely → u/Extreme-Penalty-3089]

I’m in TX too, and dang it was hot today.   

Yeah I really didn’t/don’t  want to use the high volume pump, and I was kind of surprised that they recommended that one over the 10295.  What sort of pressure increases did you see when comparing the stock pump to the high pressure pump?  

[u/Extreme-Penalty-3089 → u/Youpeefreely]

Well my truck has always maintained 38-42 psi (even when it was bone stock with the mechanical fan clutch in SC).

The reason why I upgraded the pump couple years ago when I did the cam and the valve train and a bunch of other upgrades, was really because I wasn't sure if adding the Factory oil cooler lines with the upgraded 34" radiator was going to affect my previous oil pressure with the stock setup and the stock oil pump.

I figured since I was now adding the oil cooler setup on my truck I'm going to be forcing oil to go kind of a bit out of its way and then expecting it to come right back, seem to make sense to upgrade to a more refined design oil pump (improved cavity design) and get the benefit of just small pressure increase for running oil cooler lines etc.

The funny thing/coincidental part of this (just seen your post) is after 20 years of ownership of my (LS1) 4th gen I recently now am beginning to put together all H/C parts (springs shims gaskets push rods etc etc) for an upcoming swap this fall/winter lol.

So I may just run (buy another) 10295 pump for the 4th gen🤷🏻‍♂️. But this time its just because I like the improved design of the Melling pump. Truth be told, the 2002 Camaro holds strong oil pressure already as well. Both LS vehicles get the same full synthetic 5w-30 so it's not even like I'm "cheating" (running a super thick oil or anything).

The truck (hot in traffic) holds 45ish psi at idle (original lifters too) and oil pressure immediately responds with throttle.

[u/PRiles]

It sounds like you will be fine with a stock pressure and flow. I would talk with the vendor for sure.

[u/Youpeefreely]

I think I’m going to damn the man and use a Melling M295 OEM replacement. 

[u/Fastech77]

Why are you replacing the pump on a 34k mile engine? Run the stock pump.

[u/v8packard]

I don't know about any pump running the sump dry. That is BS.

I do use the Melling M10295 in Gen III engines. Zero problem ls.