Generation III Internal Engine 1997-2006 LS1 | LS6
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Old Jul 30, 2006 | 09:57 PM
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Default oil pressure....

ok got all that done in my sig,
and my oil pressure varies on idle sometimes its around 20-30, it use to be around 40 or higher.
When im driving and i come to a stop put the clutch in the oil pressure drops really low and its like my car wants to stall oil pressure drops below 20 sometimes during this, I wish i could give a more detailed example but thats all that happens.
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Old Jul 31, 2006 | 11:06 PM
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are you using a high volume high pressure
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Old Jul 31, 2006 | 11:09 PM
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It looks like the TSP LS6 ported/blueprinted pump. I have one in both cars, and the thing likes to sit in the 20-28 range at idle and around 40 at half throttle followed by 50-55 WOT. You might have a dried out O-ring on the pickup tube or it is slightly pinched.
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Old Jul 31, 2006 | 11:12 PM
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The lower your rpm, the lower your oil pressure will be. If your car isnt running properly thats a separate problem. But if your car is running fine and you're only getting 20psi then you probably have a problem. Start with the guage, check to make sure its acurate. then go from there.
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Old Jul 31, 2006 | 11:18 PM
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rule of thumb 10psi for every 1000RPM. Stick with a stock LS6 Pump. High volume high pressure pumps suck the oil pan dry leaving with bad oiling. Unless you have a deep oil pan from a truck, you shouldn't use those style of pumps
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Old Jul 31, 2006 | 11:19 PM
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Originally Posted by Jorge Olmos
rule of thumb 10psi for every 1000RPM. Stick with a stock LS6 Pump. High volume high pressure pumps suck the oil pan dry leaving with bad oiling. Unless you have a deep oil pan from a truck, you shouldn't use those style of pumps
I run a deep truck pan.
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Old Jul 31, 2006 | 11:43 PM
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was i talking to you
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Old Jul 31, 2006 | 11:46 PM
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Im giving advice to those that need it
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Old Jul 31, 2006 | 11:48 PM
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anyway if you have at least 60psi @ 6000 RPM you are OK
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Old Jul 31, 2006 | 11:51 PM
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its not real good but its OK. If you have the time swap it out for a LS6 pump. But don't lose any sleep think about your car, its alright
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Old Aug 1, 2006 | 12:01 AM
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Originally Posted by Jorge Olmos
was i talking to you
You don't have to come in here with attitude. Not the best way to make friends right off the bat either.
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Old Aug 1, 2006 | 12:14 AM
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Originally Posted by Jorge Olmos
anyway if you have at least 60psi @ 6000 RPM you are OK
So your saying if you have 10psi @ 1000rpm everything will be fine?
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Old Aug 1, 2006 | 12:28 AM
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NO, dont listen to this 10 psi bs....thats THE FAIL RATE....at idle warm you car should be around 40....highway 60....it could be several things coming from your car....failing sending unit, bad o-ring, pick up tube, oil pump failure, spun bearings......i had the last two in my 99 motor....the psi hung around 26-35 and only like 40 something on driving....i had two spun bearings and lots of metal, due to a FAILING oil pump....luckly it was warrantied....and i got a new ls1....now my car runs at 40 idle and 62 highway
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Old Aug 1, 2006 | 12:30 AM
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Originally Posted by Boostaholic
So your saying if you have 10psi @ 1000rpm everything will be fine?
That is a rule of thumb, but if you have and LS1 and its that low, you got problems. I remember reading about one of dodges motors from the past that ran on 3psi at idle, but has ~40psi by 3500rpm. Dodge gave it a dummy pressure gauge so people wouldnt freak out over it.
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Old Aug 1, 2006 | 12:35 AM
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Originally Posted by DONAIMIAN
That is a rule of thumb, but if you have and LS1 and its that low, you got problems. I remember reading about one of dodges motors from the past that ran on 3psi at idle, but has ~40psi by 3500rpm. Dodge gave it a dummy pressure gauge so people wouldnt freak out over it.
Well my point is this, a LS1 with good lifters and bearing clearances will make 30-40 on a cold start and possibly more, and I have a mechanical gauge.

If you were making say 40 stock and now you see 10@1000rpm that means you have a serious problem in your engine that needs to be addressed, with a spun rod bearing I still made 10-20psi and things were not fine, but the pressure gauge still showed pressure.
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Old Aug 1, 2006 | 12:38 AM
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lol i tell u what yall let your motors run at 10 psi and you can have fun with the bill....aint my car
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Old Aug 1, 2006 | 12:49 AM
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Originally Posted by staringback05
NO, dont listen to this 10 psi bs....thats THE FAIL RATE....at idle warm you car should be around 40....highway 60....it could be several things coming from your car....failing sending unit, bad o-ring, pick up tube, oil pump failure, spun bearings......i had the last two in my 99 motor....the psi hung around 26-35 and only like 40 something on driving....i had two spun bearings and lots of metal, due to a FAILING oil pump....luckly it was warrantied....and i got a new ls1....now my car runs at 40 idle and 62 highway

When my car is 230deg I see about 35-38psi on my manual gauge, but it takes a little more oil to feed the turbos
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Old Aug 1, 2006 | 12:50 AM
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Originally Posted by staringback05
NO, dont listen to this 10 psi bs....thats THE FAIL RATE....at idle warm you car should be around 40....highway 60....it could be several things coming from your car....failing sending unit, bad o-ring, pick up tube, oil pump failure, spun bearings......i had the last two in my 99 motor....the psi hung around 26-35 and only like 40 something on driving....i had two spun bearings and lots of metal, due to a FAILING oil pump....luckly it was warrantied....and i got a new ls1....now my car runs at 40 idle and 62 highway

Advice like this is what keeps me out of most of the threads I see here.

Many, many things can come into play with oil pressure. Every car out there isn't automatically susposed to have 40 at idle and 60 at cruising.. and the fact that your car has that doesn't make it any better built or great.

10 PSI for every 1k rpms is more than sufficient to keep the bearings lubed in any small block style chevy motor.... hell even the minimum 7 psi per 1k rpms is enough.

Take for instance my new forged motor... it was built slightly looser than a stock ls1 for bearing clearances and I am getting 40 cruising, 65 or so wot and 28-35 at idle.

Does this mean this motor has a problem? Or will have a problem? I highly doubt it.

Take for reference a friend of mines 2000 LS1. Car seemed to have an oil pressure problem at 45k miles on the clock. It would drop as low at 18-20 at idle.. 35 cruising and maybe 55-60 at wot. Swapped the oil pump and the problem persisted, however the more we got to thinking about it.. was it really a problem?

Big stall, cam... and 125 shot later the car is still chugging at 89k miles, and doesn't burn a drop of oil nor show any metal in the oil during an oil change.

Another good friend of mine with a 98 ls1 has maybe 15 lbs at idle, and 30-40 at cruising and 55-60 at wot.... he bought the car this way expecting the motor to die and 25k miles , which is now 135k miles the motor is still running strong.

Oil pressure is all subjective.. if one day your car is making 40 going down the road and the next week its making 25 going down the road.. you might have a problem... varying oil pressure is normally what shows your car having a problem. But if you just changed an oil pump or something and the pressure dropped to slightly lower than before but still within spec... I wouldn't worry too much about it. As its not a problem as much as it is a change in characteristics of the motor?
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Old Aug 1, 2006 | 12:52 AM
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Originally Posted by staringback05
lol i tell u what yall let your motors run at 10 psi and you can have fun with the bill....aint my car
Who said that they were? Makes you wonder why your sig starts off with "New LS1 Motor".
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Old Aug 1, 2006 | 12:55 AM
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Originally Posted by orangeapeel
Who said that they were? Makes you wonder why your sig starts off with "New LS1 Motor".
Good point
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