please help the oil psi is at ZERO!!
10-10-2009, 02:34 PM
#1
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please help the oil psi is at ZERO!! hello guys i went to go start my car this morning when i noticed the check guages light is on and oil pressure was at zero. i shut the motor off. (it ran for 5 seconds until i shut it off) the car has 92k on it now. i did notice when i came home yesterday the oil pressure was almost down to 20 psi it usally runs at 40 on idle. now if my wiring for the oil pressure sensor was damaged wouldent the ses light go on? or could my oil pump just go bad lik that?
there is oil in the engine right now, and the engine has never been opened up internally. what are some ways of checking for oil psi in the engine? is it possible to poke a hole in the oil filter? can i drill and tap the corvette oil cooler blocked off area by the oil filter? thanks guys
there is oil in the engine right now, and the engine has never been opened up internally. what are some ways of checking for oil psi in the engine? is it possible to poke a hole in the oil filter? can i drill and tap the corvette oil cooler blocked off area by the oil filter? thanks guys
10-10-2009, 05:26 PM
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Your oil pump could go out just like that I've seen it before. Sounds like its time for a cam swap to me. My buddys pump with less miles than yours went out as we were pulling on the dyno.
10-10-2009, 06:27 PM
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thanks for the responses guys, i have changed the oil pressure seding unit when i did the LS6 manifolod swap 5 months ago with a new ac delco unit. the oil has 1500 miles on it and is 5w-30 i used to use mobil 1 but now valvoline full synthetic. i also just changed the filter thinking that it could have been colapsed or clogged and it was just fine.
ABQ99TA-- humm i was guessing maybe a pick up tube o ring or something, i was planning on the cam swap i guess its time now. but i think im going to have to connect a mechanical guage to the oil pressure sending unit first to make sure. and what did the pump look like when it went out? was it broken inside or was it something else like the pick up tube o ring?
ABQ99TA-- humm i was guessing maybe a pick up tube o ring or something, i was planning on the cam swap i guess its time now. but i think im going to have to connect a mechanical guage to the oil pressure sending unit first to make sure. and what did the pump look like when it went out? was it broken inside or was it something else like the pick up tube o ring?
10-10-2009, 07:03 PM
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im trying to look for a mechanical guage to buy, or maybe il try to pull open the valve cover which i think would be easier then connecting a guage back there
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10-10-2009, 07:43 PM
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so i just removed the valve cover and started the car, and there is no oil coming out the hole on the rocker arms where the pushrod is connected. so do u guys think i should still use a mechanical pressure tester or should i start taking apart the engine?
10-10-2009, 08:01 PM
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LSxGuy widda 9sec Mustang
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Mechanical gage is best to verify, but as stated above it is probably in the oil pump. The 97-00 oil pumps have a problem with sticking pressure regulator valves, if it sticks open, the oil pump will loose its prime and never gain it back. The sign is usually lower pressure or fluctuating pressure the in the day(s) before the "0" oil pressure startup.
10-10-2009, 08:07 PM
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Mechanical gage is best to verify, but as stated above it is probably in the oil pump. The 97-00 oil pumps have a problem with sticking pressure regulator valves, if it sticks open, the oil pump will loose its prime and never gain it back. The sign is usually lower pressure or fluctuating pressure the in the day(s) before the "0" oil pressure startup.
10-10-2009, 08:20 PM
#12
Get a mechanical guage on there ASAP. Tap into the rear of the oil pan, like everyone else does, or use the spot on the front/side of the block near the alternator.
I had the same thing happen to me post FAST 92/92 install. I initially thought my sending unit got messed up, although I didn't break it (common during intake swaps), so I replaced it and magically the guage started reading properly. About 4 wks later, it started acting up again, (20psi then 0psi like you) so I figured the sending unit messed up again and losing ground or something. On my way to the shop to get it checked with a mechanical guage, it started knocking and that immediately clued me in to what was happening. Pure coincidence that it stated functioning when I replaced the sending unit, but the oil pump was the culprit the whole time. The pumps are notorious for the regulator valve to stick open, which is what started happening when your psi dropped to 20, and now 0 I bet. Time for a ported LS6 pump and maybe a rough idle mod
.
I had the same thing happen to me post FAST 92/92 install. I initially thought my sending unit got messed up, although I didn't break it (common during intake swaps), so I replaced it and magically the guage started reading properly. About 4 wks later, it started acting up again, (20psi then 0psi like you) so I figured the sending unit messed up again and losing ground or something. On my way to the shop to get it checked with a mechanical guage, it started knocking and that immediately clued me in to what was happening. Pure coincidence that it stated functioning when I replaced the sending unit, but the oil pump was the culprit the whole time. The pumps are notorious for the regulator valve to stick open, which is what started happening when your psi dropped to 20, and now 0 I bet. Time for a ported LS6 pump and maybe a rough idle mod
. Last edited by '02 WS6; 10-10-2009 at 09:11 PM.
10-10-2009, 08:35 PM
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Get a mechanical guage on there ASAP. Tap into the rear of the oil pan, like everyone else does, or use the spot on the front/side of the block near the alternator.
I had the same thing happen to me post FAST 92/92 install. I initially thought my sending unit got messed up, although I didn't break it (common during intake swaps), so I replaced it and magically the guage started reading properly. About 4 wks later, it started acting up again, (20psi then 0psi like you) so I figured the sending unit messed up again and losing ground or something. On my way to the shop to get it checked with a mechanical guage, it started knocking and that immediately clued me in to what was happening. Pure coincidence that it stated functioning when I replaced the sending unit, but the oil pump was the culprit the whole time. The pumps are notorious for the relief valve to stick open, which is what started happening when your psi dropped to 20, and now 0 I bet. Time for a ported LS6 pump and maybe a rough idle mod.
I had the same thing happen to me post FAST 92/92 install. I initially thought my sending unit got messed up, although I didn't break it (common during intake swaps), so I replaced it and magically the guage started reading properly. About 4 wks later, it started acting up again, (20psi then 0psi like you) so I figured the sending unit messed up again and losing ground or something. On my way to the shop to get it checked with a mechanical guage, it started knocking and that immediately clued me in to what was happening. Pure coincidence that it stated functioning when I replaced the sending unit, but the oil pump was the culprit the whole time. The pumps are notorious for the relief valve to stick open, which is what started happening when your psi dropped to 20, and now 0 I bet. Time for a ported LS6 pump and maybe a rough idle mod
.
cool man thanks, anybody can suggest a good website to buy my cam package from? i already know the grind and all the parts i need, any website somebody can reccomend me? and also should i buy the lingenfelter oil pump from ebay? i think its like $100 i will be doing the cam swap myself
10-10-2009, 09:07 PM
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LSxGuy widda 9sec Mustang
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Yea I wouldn't start it up anymore, I would just look for the problem. I'd replace the pump before doing the cam/springs/etc, then put it back together far enough to have the front cover and crank pulley on it. At that point start it up with ideally a mechanical gage and see what happens. The pump (pressure regulator valve) is very common to stick.
About the oil to valvetrain:
Lack of oil in the valvetrain isn't really good nor bad at this point. At a cold engine idle, it can take a few minutes for a consistent oil supply to reach the rocker arms.
About the oil to valvetrain:
Lack of oil in the valvetrain isn't really good nor bad at this point. At a cold engine idle, it can take a few minutes for a consistent oil supply to reach the rocker arms.
10-10-2009, 10:21 PM
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Yea I wouldn't start it up anymore, I would just look for the problem. I'd replace the pump before doing the cam/springs/etc, then put it back together far enough to have the front cover and crank pulley on it. At that point start it up with ideally a mechanical gage and see what happens. The pump (pressure regulator valve) is very common to stick.
About the oil to valvetrain:
Lack of oil in the valvetrain isn't really good nor bad at this point. At a cold engine idle, it can take a few minutes for a consistent oil supply to reach the rocker arms.
About the oil to valvetrain:
Lack of oil in the valvetrain isn't really good nor bad at this point. At a cold engine idle, it can take a few minutes for a consistent oil supply to reach the rocker arms.
10-11-2009, 03:05 PM
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ok guys i started the car this morning again ( i dident want to but my uncle wanted to see it) so i started it then revved it to 1500 rpm as he said and then the oil psi went up to 60 and the engine went quiet and then i started to see drips of oil come out the rocker arms, seems like everything is normal lol, now its guarantee a stuck relief valve, i feel more comfortable knowing the problem. i am still going to take everything apart still and change the cam and oil pump. also what color o ring should i use for the pick up tube?
10-11-2009, 07:32 PM
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thanks for everybody who replyed in my thread, you all have been a great help. seems like im going to order all the parts tonight from thunderracing, they have a %10 off sale on everything. also what color o ring should i use? i ordered the oil pump too
