Potential oil pump failure
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Sep 2023
Posts: 154
Likes: 11
From: Louisiana
Potential oil pump failure Went to start my car today for the first time in almost 6 years. Changed the oil did everything I was supposed to. Went to crank it and I had a fuel leak. In the meantime I figured I might as well see if it has oil pressure. Cranked the motor in 5-10 second increments and the needle didn’t budge. Called around and it could be a bad/clogged oil pump. Not certain if I just wasn’t cranking it long enough but I don’t want to dry out the bearings. It’s not a can of worms I want to open but is there anything else I could do to avoid having to pull the motor and disassembling the front end?
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 383
Likes: 108
Probably just fine. Fire it up and see if it builds pressure. Apparently, oil pressure won't really register or build enough pressure to register by simply cranking over.
I can't see the gerotor oil pump failing from just sitting there...
I can't see the gerotor oil pump failing from just sitting there...
I think OP realized that he or she, he-she, she-he/ whatever did have oil pressure and never bothered to reply back? So often this happens. It's the world we live in today so just trying to say it correctly.
Last edited by 01CamaroSSTx; Jul 11, 2024 at 09:49 AM.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Sep 2023
Posts: 154
Likes: 11
From: Louisiana
Trending Topics
Glad to see you're making progress. By the way ICT Billet makes a nice block off plate for the LS oil pan that's threaded for a 4AN male fitting which would allow you to run a steel braided line to a mechanical oil pressure gauge. The electronic oil pressure sender should show oil pressure build as the engine is cranking and if it gets clogged or has a bad connection it won't give a reading so that's something else to consider as a potential reason for not seeing oil pressure.
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
On The Tree
Joined: Sep 2023
Posts: 154
Likes: 11
From: Louisiana
Glad to see you're making progress. By the way ICT Billet makes a nice block off plate for the LS oil pan that's threaded for a 4AN male fitting which would allow you to run a steel braided line to a mechanical oil pressure gauge. The electronic oil pressure sender should show oil pressure build as the engine is cranking and if it gets clogged or has a bad connection it won't give a reading so that's something else to consider as a potential reason for not seeing oil pressure.
TECH Addict
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 2,180
Likes: 969
Sounds like it has NEVER had oil pressure since all this "building" and "turbo" and whatnot? Essentially a new motor on a used short block?
Post up a picture of the INSIDE of the blockoff plate above the oil filter. The side of it that's up against the oil pan. Leave any/all fittings installed in it.
Post up a picture of the INSIDE of the blockoff plate above the oil filter. The side of it that's up against the oil pan. Leave any/all fittings installed in it.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Sep 2023
Posts: 154
Likes: 11
From: Louisiana
Sounds like it has NEVER had oil pressure since all this "building" and "turbo" and whatnot? Essentially a new motor on a used short block?
Post up a picture of the INSIDE of the blockoff plate above the oil filter. The side of it that's up against the oil pan. Leave any/all fittings installed in it.
Post up a picture of the INSIDE of the blockoff plate above the oil filter. The side of it that's up against the oil pan. Leave any/all fittings installed in it.
it ran perfectly fine years ago before life got in the way. This was my dad’s car, now it’s in my lap. It’s SBE, the motors been sitting for 6 years. Went to start it to verify that it runs. Got a fuel leak and noticed that I didn’t have oil pressure.
TECH Addict
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 2,180
Likes: 969
That's kinda about what I was expecting to see.
Keep in mind, that little hump in that block there, is the oil passage that connects the oil pump to the engine.
How much of it does that fitting block off? (can't tell how tall it is, i.e. how far it sticks into the block and occludes the passage)
Keep in mind, that little hump in that block there, is the oil passage that connects the oil pump to the engine.
How much of it does that fitting block off? (can't tell how tall it is, i.e. how far it sticks into the block and occludes the passage)
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Sep 2023
Posts: 154
Likes: 11
From: Louisiana
That's kinda about what I was expecting to see.
Keep in mind, that little hump in that block there, is the oil passage that connects the oil pump to the engine.
How much of it does that fitting block off? (can't tell how tall it is, i.e. how far it sticks into the block and occludes the passage)
Keep in mind, that little hump in that block there, is the oil passage that connects the oil pump to the engine.
How much of it does that fitting block off? (can't tell how tall it is, i.e. how far it sticks into the block and occludes the passage)
Last edited by 66OldsLS; Jul 11, 2024 at 02:35 PM.
TECH Addict
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 2,180
Likes: 969
Clears everything.
As said, EVERY BIT of oil going to the engine, must pass through that passage; meaning, AROUND that fitting. ANY blockage is going to lead to a reduction in flow, therefore pressure.
If it was mine I'd fix that. Maybe something sorta like this. https://www.improvedracing.com/ls-en...rbo-ports.html I know it's kinda $$$spendy$$$ butt seems cheeeeeeper than replacing short blocks over and over without realizing why they keep tearing up for no oil pressure.
Maybe also consider cutting the unneeded part of that hardware-store fitting off of there so there's none left hanging into the passage. Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Sep 2023
Posts: 154
Likes: 11
From: Louisiana
Doesn't sound completely researched and measured.
As said, EVERY BIT of oil going to the engine, must pass through that passage, meaning, AROUND that fitting. ANY blockage is going to lead to a reduction in flow, therefore pressure.
If it was mine I'd fix that. Maybe something sorta like this. https://www.improvedracing.com/ls-en...rbo-ports.html I know it's kinda $$$spendy$$$ butt seems cheeeeeeper than replacing short blocks over and over without realizing why they tear up for no oil pressure.
As said, EVERY BIT of oil going to the engine, must pass through that passage, meaning, AROUND that fitting. ANY blockage is going to lead to a reduction in flow, therefore pressure.
If it was mine I'd fix that. Maybe something sorta like this. https://www.improvedracing.com/ls-en...rbo-ports.html I know it's kinda $$$spendy$$$ butt seems cheeeeeeper than replacing short blocks over and over without realizing why they tear up for no oil pressure.
TECH Addict
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 2,180
Likes: 969
did you see the photo by chance?
I'm talking about the INSIDE of it. Where the oil goes. What's on the outside is irrelevant. Doesn't matter if that part is all pretty.
Also what’s the issue with the short block I have now?
Again, if it was mine, and especially I had a power adder on it, I'd be doing everything within my power to assure that that CRITICAL oil passage right there, is AT LEAST as large and free-flowing as it is in showroom stock condition.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Sep 2023
Posts: 154
Likes: 11
From: Louisiana
Yup.
I'm talking about the INSIDE of it. Where the oil goes. What's on the outside is irrelevant. Doesn't matter if that part is all pretty.
No idea; maybe, probably even, nothing; butt looking into my crystal ball (yes I have one, long story; yes it's kinda murky) after seeing a partially blocked oil passage in a motor intended for ... at the very least, "hard" usage, ... makes me see problems ahead for it.
Again, if it was mine, and especially I had a power adder on it, I'd be doing everything within my power to assure that that CRITICAL oil passage right there, is AT LEAST as large and free-flowing as it is in showroom stock condition.
I'm talking about the INSIDE of it. Where the oil goes. What's on the outside is irrelevant. Doesn't matter if that part is all pretty.
No idea; maybe, probably even, nothing; butt looking into my crystal ball (yes I have one, long story; yes it's kinda murky) after seeing a partially blocked oil passage in a motor intended for ... at the very least, "hard" usage, ... makes me see problems ahead for it.
Again, if it was mine, and especially I had a power adder on it, I'd be doing everything within my power to assure that that CRITICAL oil passage right there, is AT LEAST as large and free-flowing as it is in showroom stock condition.
TECH Addict
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 2,180
Likes: 969
Good luck. And pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. 
I've been talking about the one passage inside that plate, that the end of that fitting sticks down into and partially blocks. You don't really need a borescope for that one. But yeah, anything you can do to inspect anything critical like that in a non-destructive way, can't be a bad idea.
And pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. I’ll take a look at the oil passages with a bore scope,
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Sep 2023
Posts: 154
Likes: 11
From: Louisiana