Should I replace the oil pump?
Should I replace the oil pump? As you can see in my sig, I have a 99 SS. It is very well taken care of, and has just over 62,000 miles on it. I'm doing the whole cam swap thing shortly. My car has AMAZING oil pressure. 50-60 at idle when cold, swings close to 75 when I get on it and its cold. When the engines warm and has been running for awhile, it will idle around 40-45 PSI. I don't recall it ever going below 35. When warm, at around 1,500 RPM or more, its a good 50 PSI at the minimum, even when I've been driving it all day. Should I really replace the oil pump?
Well I've heard of the earlier pumps failing without warning.
I'd say the generall concensus here is to replace the pump.
I'd say defiantly replace it if your goinn with a double row chain , you have to pull it off anyways.
It is cheap compaired to the alternative.
I'd say the generall concensus here is to replace the pump.
I'd say defiantly replace it if your goinn with a double row chain , you have to pull it off anyways.
It is cheap compaired to the alternative.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,570
Likes: 1
From: San Diego, CA
i have a 99 with 19,000 miles on it and wont be replacing it when i do h/c. and even yours with more miles i dont think i would... the chances are probley greater that you would pinch the o-ring and have troubles with the new one. i think the failed oil pumps are rare......but thats just my opinion.
Definitly replace it. It's a 99 AND has 62,000 miles, which isnt exactly new. I think the general rule is replace it if it has more than 40k miles, not sure. Get a ported LS6 pump, I got mine from TSP for $130 I think and havent had a single problem with it. Idles 55-60 psi when cold, 45-55 when warm, close to 80 at WOT.
Mike, I'd leave it alone personally considering the miles the oil pump has on it without problems.
I recall when the 98/99's were having oil pumps fail most of the time it was when the engines had less than 35,000 miles on them and tended to be fairly new. I don't remember anyone posting about a car with a failed oil pump that have over 35,000 miles on it. Of course there may have been one. I had my oil pump replaced with a ported Katech one when doing heads & cam @ 32,000 miles but it never gave any trouble - more of a peace of mind mod.
For the RS's new engine a new LS6 oil pump is all I have planned. Reason for the new oil pump, I have a very sketchy idea of the motors past use (force induction at one point for sure) and since it's coming apart for re-ringing might was well do it.
I recall when the 98/99's were having oil pumps fail most of the time it was when the engines had less than 35,000 miles on them and tended to be fairly new. I don't remember anyone posting about a car with a failed oil pump that have over 35,000 miles on it. Of course there may have been one. I had my oil pump replaced with a ported Katech one when doing heads & cam @ 32,000 miles but it never gave any trouble - more of a peace of mind mod.
For the RS's new engine a new LS6 oil pump is all I have planned. Reason for the new oil pump, I have a very sketchy idea of the motors past use (force induction at one point for sure) and since it's coming apart for re-ringing might was well do it.
I guess I'm gonna replace it with a stock LS6 unit. How much do I have to drop the oil pan to get it out? Don't I have to remove it to get the timing chain off anyways? I definitely want to replace the chain, I think I'm just going to use either the LS6 chain, or go with the GMPP chain. Should I replace the timing gears too? If thats the case I may as well go with the whole rollmaster set for 70 bucks... I don't like the idea of spacers though.
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Yes, do the oil pump; you are going to be right there. Don't skimp on the o-ring like I did. I did the whole cam swap thing yesterday and I have no oil pressure at idle (see thread in this forum). It was fine yesterday, but today it dropped to zero at idle (allways has good pressure at cruise, accel., etc.). All the replys I have gotten about what the problem is point to the o-ring. BTW, the TSP modified LS6 pump is a good deal.
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Staging Lane
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 97
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by Mike94ZLT1
I guess I'm gonna replace it with a stock LS6 unit. How much do I have to drop the oil pan to get it out? Don't I have to remove it to get the timing chain off anyways? I definitely want to replace the chain, I think I'm just going to use either the LS6 chain, or go with the GMPP chain. Should I replace the timing gears too? If thats the case I may as well go with the whole rollmaster set for 70 bucks... I don't like the idea of spacers though.
I'd reccomend the Rollermast double as well, only $95 from TSP, and is a very high qualtity piece. Dont forget to get a new pick-up tube o-ring as enginjoe said, he's having problems
Dropping the pan isnt too difficult, remove the bolts and it should come loose. Mine took some light prying, I was able to get it 1/2" - 3/4" down which made putting the pick-up tube bolt back in easier, still took 2 hours though
Don't drop the bolt in the oil pan. I did three of four times, once the crank stopped it and the others I had put about 10 magnet pens down there to catch it. Good luck.
Dropping the pan isnt too difficult, remove the bolts and it should come loose. Mine took some light prying, I was able to get it 1/2" - 3/4" down which made putting the pick-up tube bolt back in easier, still took 2 hours though Don't drop the bolt in the oil pan. I did three of four times, once the crank stopped it and the others I had put about 10 magnet pens down there to catch it. Good luck. Direct replacement timing chain Are there any direct replacement timing chains? I want to put a new chain in, I'll buy a new factory piece if I have to. I want a strong chain that doesn't require spacers. Is the LS6 timing chain the same as the LS1?
Originally Posted by Ferocity02
There are aftermarket single roller chains out there. If you buy another stock one it will still have about the same slack as the one thats in there right now, just a little less.
Would a single roller use the factory cam gear?
Staging Lane
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 97
Likes: 0
Buy the Rollmaster from TSP for like $65-70 bucks or something. Also, when putting the bottom bolt in, I used one of those extension magnets and put it in against the bolt that way there was no way it could fall in the oil pan. Still took about 15 minutes to get it in but it was alot easier then fishing it out of the pan.
