Oil Pressure Problem After Cam Install
Oil Pressure Problem After Cam Install I just helped a friend install a cam and valvesprings in his Trans Am. I am personally more of an old school gearhead and prefer small blocks but It wasnt much different. To be sure we had the LS1howto.com install guide pulled up on the computer. Heres the problem. We fired the car waited the 5 seconds for the oil pressure and never got it. Wierdly the cam sounded like stock, no chop, no lope etc. Its a TSP 233/239 on 114 LS. It should chop on a stock tune. My friend decided he had to at least try it once more so we did and got around 15 psi very slowly but i simply wasnt convinced and had him cut the car off again. We then tried it one last time and for 5 seconds had absolutely zero oil pressure. I know everyones going to say the O ring on the oil pump is the problem, but that was the one thing i felt very confident about, so the question i have is can anyone think of anything else to cause oil pressure problems and a smooth sounding cam? I just tightened all of the rocker arms down since they are non adjustable stockers. Is that incorrect, could i have pushed the plunger over the oiling hole or something? one other thing is we installed a rollmaster double roller timing chain. Do the shims for the oil pump have to be sealed? I feel aweful for my buddy. We worked our @$$es off for nothing and I am back at college and cant help him til next week. Any help will be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks
as for the cam retainer plate, i just tightened it down. should i put a bead of silicone around where it seals? is there a particular method? thanks for the reply btw the guys are tearing the front of the motor down right now and im going to drive home to change the pump o ring and now check the cam retainer plate now, tomorrow night. Is there a way to check the plate without pulling the cam gear?
yes one is the electrical stock sender that is at the back of the top of the block. the other is a mechanical autometer sportcomp gauge that is plumbed to an oil sandwich above the oil filter.
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^^^exactly, I hate to say it but you guys are going to have to take stuff back apart again to see what is causing it. Sorry I know you don't want to hear it again but the o-ring would be my bet (sorry). And truthfully with a 114LSA the lobe will not be as bad as you think. I had an MS3 (237/242 .603/.609") on a 114LSA in the stock motor and it sounded cam'd but lobed very little for a donkey shlong cam on the stock tune. If there isn't any oil on the floor (mechanical or electric sending unit), its definitely something inside. If it was the cam retaining plate I would almost figure you would be able to hear that making noise possibly. But only if you have an exhaust on the car so you can hear it.
theres no way that thing wont chop a little. My bet is with no oil psi instead of camming that cam was just compressing the lifters instead of opening the valves. As for the exhaust its currently open. Slp loudmouth II snagged on a manhole cover about 3 days before. Were just going to tear it down and check the o ring. thats all that can be dont i guess. Anyone know if you have to seal the oil pump inlet into the block of you shim it for the double roller? Btw thanks for all the replies just needed someone to confirm it before we did all this. Thanks
as for the chop we all noticed that the one time it did get some oil pressure its started to cut up and wanted to die. I feel like with oil psi it should be very choppy. The owner of the car called tsp and found out theres only 6 degrees difference duration from 112 to 114 ls.
The oil pump spacer can be installed upside down, if you do this it will severely reduce oil flow but there will be some. The cam retainer plate doesn't require silicone (bad idea) but you need to inspect the rubber gasket that is built into the plate for cracks or rips. If defective, replace the plate. You are well aware of the o-ring. The rocker arms should be tightened per the GM procedure, not the method in LS1howto.com. Here is the GM procedure:
Thanks for the Rocker Procedure. I think were going to do the oil pump o ring first then if we still have a problem go through the valves. anyone have any tips to do the oring? That may have been the scariest moment of my life trying to get that bolt in the pickup. Until i have a better idea i think ill take the pump off to check the spacers and install the pickup with the pump loose to try and get it seated perfect, then put the pump back on.
Rick
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 17
From: So.Cal.
You basically said the same thing: "left" from driver's view point (looking forward) is same as "right" when facing front of engine (looking rearward).
The usual meaning of left/right is wrt to the vehicle facing forward (i.e. from driver's seat while holding steering wheel).
Thanks for the Rocker Procedure. I think were going to do the oil pump o ring first then if we still have a problem go through the valves. anyone have any tips to do the oring? That may have been the scariest moment of my life trying to get that bolt in the pickup. Until i have a better idea i think ill take the pump off to check the spacers and install the pickup with the pump loose to try and get it seated perfect, then put the pump back on.
as for the pick up tube bolt, what i did was tie a long piece of thread to the bolt. that way if it fell, and it did, i just pulled it out of the oil pan. once the bolt was good and started, i just snipped the thread and finished tightning the bolt. good luck bro. by the way, my .02 is that its the o-ring too....
Hey Rick,
You basically said the same thing: "left" from driver's view point (looking forward) is same as "right" when facing front of engine (looking rearward).
The usual meaning of left/right is wrt to the vehicle facing forward (i.e. from driver's seat while holding steering wheel).
You basically said the same thing: "left" from driver's view point (looking forward) is same as "right" when facing front of engine (looking rearward).
The usual meaning of left/right is wrt to the vehicle facing forward (i.e. from driver's seat while holding steering wheel).
Rick
i used the oil pump pick up tube girdle, it uses the 2 pump bolts instead of the factory 1 bolt holding it. i used lots of assembly lube in the oil pump and i centered the pump before torqing the bolts. before i put the timing cover on, i pulled the coil main connector wires and i cranked the engine till i noticed the factory gauge psi move up, when the pressure builds up you will see oil dripping out the center of the oil pump and while cranking the engine the oil psi gauge will move, mine hit about 50 while cranking. make sure you use a slick assembly lube in there so the pump can create the suction and pull the engine oil up fast.