Re: oil pressure guage
It is a commonly accepted practice to expect at least 10 psi per thousand rpm's. If your engine is healthy, I would expect it to be indicating at least 20-30 psi at idle when at normal operating temps. 40-50 psi is considered normal at cruising and WOT rpm ranges. If you are worried about the readings you are getting, try using a brand new mechanical gauge plumbed directly into the oil gallery on the block to get a bench reading.
BTW, 1K rpm at idle sounds very high to me, but understand I'm a Merc guy. I would advise you to check the factory idle settings for your powertrain. Mercruiser outdrives usually like engine idle at 700 rpm max.
I have my 5.7 idling down to 600 rpm in the water, and it sure makes shifting easier. But again, that is an Alpha related issue. Penta drives don't suffer from the "grind-clunk" shifting phenomenon.
