calimanv

Ok so I have an 05 v that has about 88k miles on her. Not driven very hard. starting about 3 weeks ago my oil pressure started to get low enough to alarm. So when I start her up she runs about 30psi at idle and gets up into the 40s around 3k rpm. But as she warms up its starts to drop drastically, to the point at idle the pressure will drop to around 8 and sometimes down to 6 and even 5 that's where the alarm is. The engine has never Been touched that I have knowledge of. Other than routine maint. I have had it since it had 36k miles on it. Any suggestions would be appreciated. My plan of attack is to start with the sender, and put a analog gauge on it. If it is correct I'm gonna throw an oil pump in and go from there. Thanks

DMM

Replace the oil pressure sending unit. It's located on the back of the engine, slightly off center towards the drivers side. It's a common problem.

raven154

iTrader: (14)

It's a common problem but you issue doesn't sound like a sending unit to me. Sounds more like an oil pump or bearings. Definetly change the sending unit first. It's cheap and if that is all it is great! Sounds to me you have a real issue though.

AAIIIC

iTrader: (19)

I agree with raven154. Typically when the sending unit goes, it starts reading high all the time, or reading nothing all the time. The fact that yours is tracking normally (goes up with RPMs, drops off as the oil warms up) leads me to think the sending unit is not the issue.

Personally, I probably wouldn't drive it anymore until I get the sending unit replaced and confirm if that's the problem or not. And if you confirm it's not the sending unit, I definitely wouldn't drive it anymore.

calimanv

yea I stopped driving it the first time I got the alarm. I towed it to the dealer and they didn't even look at it they just went off of what I told them and they said it needed a new engine and that they found me a used one with more miles than mine has and said the engine would be 4600 plus labor. I have a pulley bearing going bad and wanted them to look at that too and they said that that noise was internal and the engine would have to be torn down to find it? I was so disgusted with that dealer it made me sick. it is hard for me to believe that it is actually that low because the engine doesn't get noisy. no lifter slapping or knocking...

calimanv

oh yea and after I told the guy that I was getting it towed out of the dealer he goes and says well the used engine I have is out of Nicholas cages car.. does he think that was going to change my mind and tell them to go ahead and put an engine that has 3k more miles on it than mine in? lol what a joke

DMM

Just spend the $38 on the sender and another $8 for the socket...don't know what everyone else is saying, I've had just about every GM sending unit fail this exact way. You may have some oil leaking past the resistor membrane internal to the sensor, causing it to read low. Just installed one two weeks ago on a 2001 Suburban, same thing. GM uses cheap aluminum sending units on our cars and the aftermarket unit (Standard) is brass and much more robust.

When the sending unit went bad on my V, it dropped to 3-7 psi regardless of RPM...no engine noise. Odd thing was that it was not leaking.

calimanv

awesome thanks... that will be what I do first..

01_SuperSlow

iTrader: (7)

LSsomethingorother

iTrader: (1)

nickolas cages car?!? what a joke that probably means he beat the snot out of it

meatyCTS-V

No, this is a joke... are you ******* kidding me?

What the **** is wrong with these people? What does this even mean?

Maybe if someone said "yeah, we got this motor out of one of Jay Leno's cars, with a signed certificate of authenticity, and here's a photo of him with it and here's a little plate riveted to the motor saying it was hand-built for him."

But really, Nicholas Cage? Give me a ******* break. I would have **** on this guys desk. What an idiot.

thefullmonty_07

iTrader: (1)

This solved my issue before, doesn't hurt to spend a few bucks to see if it helps or not.

Lbar

If my oil pressure was suddenly dropping I would change my oil filter on the off chance of some type of filter element failure.

jamesdem1123

I had a low oil pressure problem a little while back. I thought it was the seal on the pump, or the pump, or the sender. Replaced all of them and still little pressure. Thought it might be time for a rebuild to replace bearings, but turns out it was the gasket on the cam retainer plate. Saved me a rebuild.

BUKSING

iTrader: (2)

I had low oil pressure during cold starts. Replaced the sending unit, still had low pressure. Realized pressure goes back to normal after quick accel. Ended up changing the pump and it went away.

calimanv

So I replaced the sender and no change. Upon first fire up it goes up to 35psi and as it heats up it slowly drops down. Although it doesn't seem to be dropping as far. The lowest I have seen now is 10 but that still seems too low to me. I honestly don't remember what it used to run when it was warmed up at idle but 10 seems too low.

calimanv

Oh I spoke too soon. It is now at 8psi and I'm shutting her down!!! Damn it I was so hoping that the sender was the fix.

AAIIIC

iTrader: (19)

Everyone else is saying that his indications don't match yours. His pressure changes with RPM, and also changes (gets lower) as the oil warms up (as expected). That's completely different than reading 3-7psi regardless of RPM.

tmonttt

iTrader: (10)

Time to order you a new oil pump (I chose the melling high pressure from Summit Racing), and throw that bad boy in. I did mine in my garage in about 5 hours start to finish.