US_Army_Z28

iTrader: (3)

Ok i just bought a 2000 camaro z28 the motor has just been rebuilt about 2 months ago and has about 500 miles on the new motor. The only parts that were carried over were the heads and the intake manifold. My question is about my oil pressure gauge reading it raises when accelerating. And fluctuates when sitting still at idle. What is the normal reading?

01transampower

iTrader: (9)

No way to tell because if they put a ported or high flowing oil pump on the motor it will read different then stock. However if it is STOCK it should stay about 35psi and when you accelerate it should hit 70 psi or so. No these motors at idle can drop down to 21psi but if it goes lower then that the pump could be going out or the oil filter collapsed on itself.

The oil pressure will never stay constant unless at idle. I have a Melling oil pump and mine now idles at 45-50psi. So as long as its above 40 psi you should be good.

US_Army_Z28

iTrader: (3)

Yeah its all stock. The guy bought it with a blown motor so he bought a new block and put all new internals in it with the exception of heads and intake manifold. What worriess me most is when at idle i have a jumpy needle it paddless back and forth slightly but its enough to notice but it doesnt feel rogh as far as the engine idle itself.

01transampower

iTrader: (9)

I wouldn't worry about it to much then. To be honest the oil pressure sensor could be slightly off. If your with-in those numbers i explained you should be good and no need to worry.

US_Army_Z28

iTrader: (3)

Alright well i mean at idle like sitting at a red light it goes down tto about 20 and thts wheree the needle bounces back and forth a lil and when i accelerate normal it usuallyy goes up to near or over 40.

01transampower

iTrader: (9)

I would try replacing your oil filter. It may have collapsed. Its happened to me. Dont know how it happened but it did. With my stock oil pump and all it use to never drop bellow about 35 at idle. Your still in the safe range but for a $8 filter id try changing it and see what happens.

US_Army_Z28

iTrader: (3)

Well if its the oil filter im cussing k&n out because i just changed the oil when i got it to say if it would make a difference also to check for any aluminium in the oil from break in and i put a k&n oil filter on when i did. But the old filter wasnt collapsed but it was still doing this both before and after i changed ghe oil and filter

01transampower

iTrader: (9)

Huh if it did it before then I would say it could be the sensor. Mine collapsed after about 1500 miles of driving on mine and I over reacted till i did process of ellimination and found it was the filter. Check the sensor then and see. If not and it doesnt change after a sensor swap then it may be the pump. If it bugs you, you can change it but it will take a few hours. You have to pull the water pump the crank pulley(need a new crank pulley bolt and rent an installer tool to put it back in after the swap), Then the timing cover the cam gear then loosen the oil pan and let it drop a little. Put a rag behing the oil pump in the pan inase you drop the oil pick up tube bolt. Or tie fishing line around it when you get it almost all the way out. change the pump and put it all back together. Lot of damn work for just a pump.

US_Army_Z28

iTrader: (3)

It does annoy mme a little but it just seemed odd considering my 98 trans am has over 200k miles on it and i dont have this problem with it but this motor has 500 miles on it and itss doing it. My biggest concern is i really just dont wanna end up with a broken down car that ill be thousands of dollars into to fix or something

01transampower

iTrader: (9)

I hear you on that. Id be pissed to if it broke down and i just bought it. You can always take it to the dealer and see what they say for the $100 diagnostic it could be a easy piece of mind forsure. And you will pin point the real problem. Something I ust thought of on the oil pick up tube going into the oil pump there is an o-ring. Now he could of just pinched the o-ring putting it back together which would reqiure the same work but save you money on only needing a cheap o-ring and a 5 dollar crank pulley bolt.

US_Army_Z28

iTrader: (3)

That is true. I honestly forgot about the o ring. Its been so long since i actually worked on an ls engine ive forgotten some of the finer details. See where workin at a honda dealership for the past year will get you. Yyou forget how to work on a real car. Ill probably test the voltage on the opsu tomorrow and if it checks out ill probly take your advice and got to the chevy dealer. While i have your attention i have another post in this same forum about the exhaust on the car its not an issue im having just kind of an opinion based question if you have a sec could you check it out

01transampower

iTrader: (9)

Yea I will check it out for you man no problem.

01transampower

iTrader: (9)

Damn those Honda's lol But now youll be driving and pounding on a real American Muscle car

US_Army_Z28

iTrader: (3)

Lol well its all i ever owned. My first car was an 02 firebird but it was a v6. Then i got a 95 z28 then i got the 98 trans am and now i got the 2000 z28. Hilight of my jobb at the hondda place though was all the little ricers coming in with the fart cans and shopping cart handles on the back sounding like a pissed off bumble bee and the people driving the pos's thinking they're the fastest and bbaddest thing on the road