weird oil pressure reading
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: HOUSTON,TX
weird oil pressure reading Ok I have had some issues going on with this engine. Its a forged ls1 engine with a turbo cam with 8 psi from turbo. Now this problem I have has been for a while but I don't drive the car much and so I haven't really paid too much attention to it. I have about 2000 miles on it in 2 years and I went threw a turbo about 4 month ago due to oil starvation. Now I went through turbo#2 due to the same issue with only 100 miles on it. I broke it down and replaced the oil pump with a hv pump and now running 20w50. The car oil pressure starts fine with 60 to 70 psi and warmed up at idle comes down to about 40psi. When I go for a ride and it starts to boost it will run ok until I come to a stop and it will drop to about 30ish at idle. Good so far... until I put it in 1st and it drops to bout 25 30 through all rpm range. But I put it neutral and rev it it goes up as normal 40 50 psi. Only under load does it drop pressure. I installed an oil cooler thinkin this maybe the issue but it was a no go. I have the pan down to check the ussual suspects o-ring pickup and screen. O-ring was fine and the screen had some trash in it but nothing major. What causes a low oil pressure reading when warmd up and under load??? Now since this a turbo app I know the oil temps get pretty hot but its just bothering me tha I went through 2 turbos because of this. I am ordering a ball bearing turbo because it can work with lower oil pressures but I don't wanna throw a rod later. I just don't know if bearing clearences would be it because when the oil pressure is bad its fine when its in neutral and rev'ed up. Any ideas???????
before you get into the crank walk and start changing bearings!! Did you check the cam retainer plate or did you install thread lock to old bolts?? The cam retainer plate has a seal if its broken in will give you oil problems!!!
https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...ate-handy.html
https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...ate-handy.html
Last edited by 09camaro383; Sep 11, 2010 at 07:30 PM.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 537
Likes: 2
From: Lehighton Pa
before you get into the crank walk and start changing bearings!! Did you check the cam retainer plate or did you install thread lock to old bolts?? The cam retainer plate has a seal if its broken in will give you oil problems!!!
https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...ate-handy.html
https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...ate-handy.html
Cam retainer plate seal if it was bad would hemorrhage oil all the time
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: HOUSTON,TX
Humm ok... but on the crank itself how much play can it have?? I checked it earlier and well I don't have a mic setup on it but I know how much .001 and .010 is and thr isn't more than .005 walking. Another thing do u think I have damaged anything else with tha low oil pressure at wot??
Trending Topics
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: HOUSTON,TX
No I didn't... no but I it slides just a bit enough to hear a small thump where it stops. Its also a m6 if that makes a difference. How would unbolting the tranny make a difference?? This may sound like a dumb question but could it maybe a clogged oil filter or maybe it collapsed inside?? The ppl who built the engine say that it couldn't be a clearance or crankwalking issue because the it would do it all the time but crankwalking makes sense if it is it but y not when its cold or even warmed up in gear??? And by that I mean not dogged just sitting thr warmed up and I put it in gear. If I drive the car normal it seems as if it never really drops pressure.(not 100% sure) but I drive smooth Never boosting and I think I have a seady pressure for the most part.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 537
Likes: 2
From: Lehighton Pa
Well we are internet guessing... So who knows.
You cant get an accurate measurement with the trans bolted up.
But I mean Normal oil pressure with no pressure on the flywheel and then a 15 psi drop when load is applied is "normally" a crank walk issue.
Collapsed oil filter would be limiting oil pressure all the time.
If you can feel the crank move back and forth by hand... then you have more the .005
You cant get an accurate measurement with the trans bolted up.
But I mean Normal oil pressure with no pressure on the flywheel and then a 15 psi drop when load is applied is "normally" a crank walk issue.
Collapsed oil filter would be limiting oil pressure all the time.
If you can feel the crank move back and forth by hand... then you have more the .005
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: HOUSTON,TX
True... I have just run out of ideas on wut it could be. No it doesn't by hand. I am using a small pry bar to move it back and forth. I don't want to pull the engine out find nothing wrong with it and find out its a filter etc... thrs no way it could be a main cap clearance issue??
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 537
Likes: 2
From: Lehighton Pa
Change the oil filter, pull the covers ( timing and valve covers ) check all the easy items.. oring, retainer plate, oil filter, oil level, etc.
If its a main cap clearance issue.. your still in the same boat.
If its a main cap clearance issue.. your still in the same boat.
i would check the oil pump o ring and what oil pump did u install? did you center the pump on there correctly? i have a lingenfelter HV ported pump and the lowest its been on a hot day at idle is 55 psi using 5w30. also 20w50 may be a little too much for these engines, you probobly are starving the bearings for oil
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: HOUSTON,TX
i would check the oil pump o ring and what oil pump did u install? did you center the pump on there correctly? i have a lingenfelter HV ported pump and the lowest its been on a hot day at idle is 55 psi using 5w30. also 20w50 may be a little too much for these engines, you probobly are starving the bearings for oil
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: HOUSTON,TX
Yea I even over filled it bout 1qt to make sure I'm not suckin it dry. It not the oil... its something that can cause a low oil pressure under any load but the only good side is tha its consistant low oil pressure lol... it stays at 25psi ugly but strong 25psi lol...
Teching In
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
Could this problem be from that time we drained the engine completely out of oil and ran water through it to clean out all of the "debris?"
I think we should just run water through it again and that will MOST LIKELY solve the issue.
EDIT: Also are you sure you're adding enough quarts of oil? Adding one bottle isn't enough..try two or three.
I think we should just run water through it again and that will MOST LIKELY solve the issue.
EDIT: Also are you sure you're adding enough quarts of oil? Adding one bottle isn't enough..try two or three.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 537
Likes: 2
From: Lehighton Pa
could this problem be from that time we drained the engine completely out of oil and ran water through it to clean out all of the "debris?"
i think we should just run water through it again and that will most likely solve the issue.
Edit: Also are you sure you're adding enough quarts of oil? Adding one bottle isn't enough..try two or three.
i think we should just run water through it again and that will most likely solve the issue.
Edit: Also are you sure you're adding enough quarts of oil? Adding one bottle isn't enough..try two or three.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: HOUSTON,TX
Could this problem be from that time we drained the engine completely out of oil and ran water through it to clean out all of the "debris?"
I think we should just run water through it again and that will MOST LIKELY solve the issue.
EDIT: Also are you sure you're adding enough quarts of oil? Adding one bottle isn't enough..try two or three.
I think we should just run water through it again and that will MOST LIKELY solve the issue.
EDIT: Also are you sure you're adding enough quarts of oil? Adding one bottle isn't enough..try two or three.
Wow wut kinda guys r on these sites???? Water???