Jimmard

iTrader: (12)

Pulled into my driveway last night and the oil pressure gauge jumped around with really low pressure then went to 0. Started it the next day, still 0. Changed the sending unit, still 0. I'm guessing I lost the oil pump, but before I go chasing my tail with that job is there any way I can check for oil pressure just to make sure I have none without having to pull the sending unit out? Is there any port on the front of the block easily accessible that I can open up to see if oil squirts out? I assume I have no oil pressure since the valve train is noisy, but the car is cammed and is noisy anyway. Thanks

poltergeist 02

iTrader: (65)

You could pull a valve cover and see if it's squirting oil up through the pushrods. This still wouldn't confirm pressure though. The best way would be hooking up a mechanical guage to confirm it's not an electrical issue.

sweet99ss

iTrader: (41)

Wow that is scary I am having the exact same problem! I pulled in my driveway and looked down and had low oil pressure. It jumped around tell it went to zero. I changed my gauge out and still zero. Even put on a mechanical gauge and still zero. Finally I changed the pump and still low oil pressure! IT'S WEIRD

Jimmard

iTrader: (12)

Now that I think about it, that night I was driving I hit an elevated manhole cover that smacked the bottom of the car pretty hard. I'm pretty sure it hit the transmission crossmember though, but maybe it smacked the k-member or did something to the oil filter. Guess I'll get it in the air and change the oil and oil filter tomorrow. This engine has 120k miles on it with about 50k of that being with a TSP torquer v3 in it.

Jimmard

iTrader: (12)

Now I'm not sure if I should buy a new oil pump for 200 or a whole LS6 short block off craigslist for 400. Trying to do this as cheap as possible!!

sweet99ss

iTrader: (41)

I was so pissed when I changed my oil pump and it didn't fix the problem. My engine only has 50k miles too. Maybe you knocked a hole in your oil pan?

Jimmard

iTrader: (12)

Everything looks fine underneath the car. There's oil in the engine as it shows on the dipstick. Engine sounded fine when I shut it off when the oil pressure dropped so I don't think I spun a bearing, but I sure would hate to spend that time and money on a oil pump to find out that's not the problem...

Jvmun

iTrader: (1)

I have a similar issue. I have low oil pressure and pulling in to the drive or while turning my oil pressure jumps around and zeros out but it always comes back. I replaced my opsu a few days ago and still the same.
I also have a v3 torquer.

Cajun ELESS-ONE

mine does the same. low oil pressure. put a melling pump in ad it helped somewhat. my oil pressure needle does bounce alot at idle. it runs smooth. maybe too much clearance with the bearings???

Jimmard

iTrader: (12)

I've never had any problems with oil pressure, never low, never jumping around. Pulled in the driveway, jumped around, bam 0. I didn't know oil pumps went out instantly haha, I thought there would be a little warning...

Justhereforinfo

iTrader: (2)

Broken pickup?

Rob WS6

iTrader: (16)

Could be a gauge cluster/electrical problem... first and cheapest thing I would do is physically check the oil pressure with an external gauge. Tap into an oil port on the block and check it that way... Oil pressure usually doesn't drop off instantly unless there's been some sort of catastrophic failure, and chances are you would know if something like that happened.

I ran into a similar problem on my 04 Avalanche and the gauge cluster is the culprit.

Jimmard

iTrader: (12)

Started it this morning for about 3 or 4 seconds and I've never heard my lifters so noisy :\. I'll check with a mechanical gauge tomorrow morning before I start my oil pump swap.

sweet99ss

iTrader: (41)

I checked my with a mechanical gauge and still same problem... Weird that others have this same issue. My engine runs dead silent also...

Jimmard

iTrader: (12)

Alright I have everything apart and the oil pump disassembled. Visually, the pump looks fine, the oring is fine, and as far as I can tell, the pick up tube is fine. Is there a way to visually tell if the pump is bad? I was assuming it would have been something catastrophic and easily spotted, but the pump looks fine...

S10xGN

iTrader: (11)

Relief valve stuck open?

badazz81z28

iTrader: (6)

I know it's a little off topic, but more and more of these post keep coming up. What makes people think oil pumps are failing? Being mechanical in design with a rotor....They really can't just go bad....Over time clearances in the vanes may increase thus lowering pressure, but to just go out?


I agree with above, could be a pressure spring issue, but I would suspect the sensor or a spun bearing.

Jimmard

iTrader: (12)

Gauge and sensor are both tested and fine. I'll check the relief valve tomorrow. And yes the oil pressure at idle got really low, then popped to 0 and that's where it stayed :\, mind you this only took about 5 seconds total

sweet99ss

iTrader: (41)

I changed mine out because everyone started telling me it was very comin for the releife spring to go bad or w/e so I thought "great just the pump" and changed it out. Obviously I spun a bearing.. I didn't know it was so common for 98-00 ls1's to have oiling issues tell I contacted a pro builder

Jimmard

iTrader: (12)

Just finished up. Changed the oil pump with the melling 10296, also changed the oil filter and put new oil in it and I have oil pressure again. Now my interior lights, gauge lights, n such are all flickering at anything above idle. Sigh.....