Written by Douglas Glad on May 9, 2017

Zero Oil Pressure, Full Throttle

Every engine builder knows the answer instinctively, but seeing it happen on a dyno is something else entirely. What happens when oil pressure drops to zero and you keep your foot in it?

Richard Holdener and Chad Reynolds set out to answer that question on The Wheel of Death, a recurring series where a junkyard engine meets its end under controlled, deliberately destructive conditions. Each episode, the wheel determines the method: a fastener dropped down the carburetor at wide-open throttle, an extended nitrous hit, or in this case, sustained operation with no oil pressure.

Controlled Destruction, Real Analysis

The format serves a purpose beyond spectacle. Each engine is properly set up with correct jetting, timing, and baseline calibration before the destructive test begins. The result is usable data on how forgiving an engine can be under specific failure conditions, followed by a full teardown and failure analysis.

For builders working with performance rotating assemblies and forged internals, this type of testing reinforces what proper engineering is designed to withstand and where the limits actually are.

Watch the full video on the HOT ROD Network.

Sources: COMP Cams, compcams.com; Edelbrock, edelbrock.com; Holley/Hooker/NOS, holley.com; MSD, msdignition.com; Speedmaster, speedmaster79.com