Well I think I'm going to have to install a new oil pump, seeing how I think my pressure release valve is stuck on my stock one.
So I guess I need:

1) new ported LS6 oil pump and o-ring
2) water pump and 160 or 180 degree thermostat
3) new front cover gasket
4) new oil pressure sending unit

Is there anything else I should go ahead and change while I'm doing all this?

Just to note I'm also swapping in an LS6 intake, 28.8lb fuel injectors, and new fuel rails with the new oil sending unit.

 

You're already in there so might as well get a cam. Just replacing the oil pump you have done about 90% of the work to get to the cam.

 

Well....besides that work...there's also the valve springs...that takes forever, just been through it.

They have an article on ls1howto, just in case you didn't see it.

http://www.ls1howto.com/index.php?article=4

Manny

 

I see no need for a new water pump. Unless it is faulty. I would imagine they are fairly expensive.

 

I figured if I had to take it off anyways, might as well replace it.

I'd like to go ahead and do a cam swap, but I need to replace all of this just to see if the engine is trashed or not
I don't think I spun any bearings, and caught the low oil pressure in time, but I won't know till I do all of the above and start it back up. I'm draining the oil and taking the filter off to cut it open for inspection. Hopefully all will go well and all I'll need to do is mainly replace the oil pump.

 

you don't need a water pump i have never seen one leak yet only the gaskets. i worked on a 5.3 truck that had 200,000 miles and was getting its 4th set of water pump gaskets. as far as a spun bearing i dought. we have run ls1's at work with no oil for 30 min, for extended waranty purposes wink wink.

 

30 min no oil. I find that hard to believe. Especially since people have spun bearings on here from running it 5 minutes.

 

No such thing as a Z06 oil pump..they are all the same..unless you have access to a real cheap water pump you don't need one..I work at a Chevy store and my cost on one is like $160...if you have concerns about your true oil pressure get yourself a gage pod and a real temp gage and oil oressure gage..the factory ones are pretty poor...front cover gasket is probably still good too..but you can change it if you feel you must..water pump gaskets should be changed for sure..

 

Then why are the 98-00 F-bodies known for bad oil pumps and people change to the ls6 oil pump? And it is gauge not gage. Just for future reference.

 

People say they have a Z06 oil pump cause they do not know any better...the pumps are the same..you can get one ported and blue printed..but the GM pumps are all the same...gage or gauge you knew what I was saying or you would not have answered the post...this isn't english 101.. this is advanced hot rodding ... ..(sometimes)

 

I was just letting you know since you said it like 5 times. It was an FYI. Not a bash.

 

How did you come to the conclusion that the overpressure relief is stuck open before you've done a tear down? That's a pretty healthy spring in there that keeps telling that little piston: "Stay closed, stay closed". I'll bet when you get that pump off you'll find that the piston is NOT stuck in the fully open position unless the spring is broken which is unlikely since it doesn't see that much activity. The overpressure isn't going to open unless your engine is so full of trash and debris that it exceeds the rating of that spring. No self-respectiing LS1 owner would let their engine get in such a state now would they? If they did they certainly wouldn't admit it on LS1 Tech. You might want to start now looking for some other direction in which to point the finger as the cause of your low oil pressure.

 

All I know is that the pressure relief valve is a known problem on the 2000 and older pumps. I have a 2000 and older pump.
Like I said it may well be the sensor but I'm not going to risk even cranking it with a manual pressure guage to see if it's the sensor. The pump is a known problem so I'm replacing it and the sensor to rule out both.