carjunkie33

I have a 96 LT1 Trans AM and im losing oil pressure. When im at 2500 RMP's or more the oil pressure is at 30 but if I drop it below that (like if im at a stop light) the oil pressure goes to 0 and I have to sit at the light with the engine revving at 2500 RMP's or higher until I can drop it in gear at take off... anybody know why that is or know what to do to fix it?

letsrun97z

iTrader: (7)

well im in the same boat kinda, everyone says it's prolly a rod or mains going mine was idling at like 3psi and if i sat too long it would finnally drop to zero but right when i get on the gas it shoots up i just put penziol in it 10w50 and now hot idles at 10-15 psi and 45 at 3,000

Razor_Blade

iTrader: (8)

It would be wortwhile to hook up a manual guage just to confirm that it's really going that low.

I worked with a guy once that sold a good third gen dirt cheap because it was losing oil pressure. His uncle diagnosed it as bad rod bearings without even looking at the car. Anyway, the guy that bought it changed the sending unit and it suddenly had great oil pressure.

joelster

Yes it would be a VERY good idea to do that. I've heard of our cars varying a lot between what the guage says and what it actually is. If it did indeed reach zero, I can almost guarantee there will be SOME metal in the pan/oil, it will look like real fine glitter.

Red96TA

iTrader: (14)

Yea zero oil pressure is definitely not a good thing. Check it with a manual guage or pull out your drain plug (should be magnetic) and there might be some metal fragments on it.

Rowdy94

iTrader: (13)

Yea, you won't even really need a manual gauge, although it wouldn't hurt. Change your oil and inspect what comes out. As stated above, if you have zero pressure for any amount of time, you'll see sparkles in the oil. Then you know it's time for that forged 383 you wanted.

kinglt-1

iTrader: (26)

Im going to say prolly the sending unit best case, bad mains worst case!

slagger

iTrader: (1)

My motor did the same thing where at idle the check gauge light came on the oil pressure was super low, when I pulled my motor out to rebuild it I found the oil sensor was broken in the back. that was my problem all the time.
good luck.

carjunkie33

Yea I just rebuild it so i know its not a rod or mains going... I am going to try to change the oil and the oil sensor but I am pretty sure that when I put the oil sensor back on the block it wasnt broke.... I also just relized after driving it around tonight that doesnt have the power/ pull like it use to before i rebuild. like it wants to take off but it just wont....who knows ... IM about to the point of working on rebuilding this car after almost three years (long story of why it has taken three years) of just taking it and Firebombing and claiming the insurance off it

onephatZ28

iTrader: (8)

My car did the same thing ,it was the oil sending unit. Take a look at that before you do anything. GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR CAR.

Another_User

My car did the same thing! Right before I threw a rod...

camaro95 thug

A lot of reasons could do this

and one of them is oil pump you should check it

and of course the oil sensor

my advice for you don't start your car without fixing this problem or you will loose your engine

good luck