Ok all you engine gurus, I have a question. You may recall that I have a horrible oil pressure of about 15-25 in my 302. Today, after putting the petal to the floor, I had oil gushing from my driver's valve cover. Apparently the bolts became loose and the gasket finally popped. Subsequently, my oil pressure dropped from the measly 15-25 to nothing. Does the valve cover create a backpressure in the system that affects the pressure reading? People tell me that 60-80 is a desirable pressure but I find it hard to believe that a loose valve cover is affecting my pressure by such a large amount. I am just wishing that it is not the more serious problems the other list members suggest. Surely if the pressure in this area were so high that the PCV valve and the breather filter would be pushed out. I am just thinking out loud. Any thoughts? TIA, Mike

I have the PCV valve on the driver's cover and a breather filter on the passenger cover. There is no knock and my pressure reading is zilch on my electrical pressure sender and reads 0 on my mechanical unit.