If an oil pump were to fail in an ls1 engine, what would you expect to find inside of the pump? Failed as in zero oil pressure. I pulled the pump out and opened it up, looked used but nothing cracked, broken, spring was fine etc. If it wasn't the oil pump failing, where do I look next without yanking the engine out? This is in reference to this last thread of mine https://ls1tech.com/forums/generation-iii-internal-engine/452904-oil-pump-question.html

 

I believe the relief valve piston sticks which doesn't allow any oil to go into the block, but dumps it back to the pan.

 

How would I be able to know if this is what happened? The piston looked like it was all the way up. Above it there was a small hole which I could see daylight through. Shouldn't extra pressure push the piston down against the spring. I don't know why there would be a hole above it. And the hole is round, doesn't look like an accident. I dunno, could the pickup have become blocked that quick and easy. And is there a way to check it without completely dropping the oil pan? Please help me