akw408

I had a ARE built shortblock with the ARE ported oil pump installed earlier this year (February) and it was running great. I've put on 1600 miles and then today I ran into a big problem.

I had just finished a drive with friends and was at the gas station. I started the car and it fired right up, but then the DIC said low oil pressure and I checked the gauge and it was 0psi. So I shut the engine off. This all happened in less than 10 seconds. I checked the oil temp, 184F. I checked out under the hood, nothing out of the ordinary. Checked under the car, no leaks. I waited about 5 minutes, and then I went to start the engine again, and it started right up again and still no oil pressure. Before I shut it off, I felt the engine wasn't smooth, wasn't running right, and then I shut it off. I had the car towed back home.

So now, I'm wondering what could cause no oil pressure? I've heard of the oil pump check valve stuck open, but I heard that was on cold starts. It's strange, the car was running great all day up until I shut the car off at the gas station and then it just happened. Anyone else ever run into this kind of problem?

Max@Cartek

First thing I would do is give ARE a call. Let them walk you through your problem. Since they built the bottom end I'm sure they'll be more than happy to help you out. Sounds to me like a bad oil pump, unless maybe the sending unit went bad. Definitely do not run the car anymore since you don't know if you have any oil pressure. Doesn't take very much to ruin a set of bearings.

Max

AlonzoVersion 1.0

Maybe your oil pressure sensor went bad or there maybe something blocking the oil tube line.

m1key99WS6

iTrader: (1)

Did you check and see if there is any oil in it?

MIGHTYMOUSE

iTrader: (59)

yea they will tell you the proper troubleshooting steps.. i wouldnt know wheater you should change the oil first and filter to see if anything is abnormal in it, or pull the pump and inspect it.. or both.

MelloYellow

I had an ARE Oil Pump fail. Spun a bearing, took out the engine. Only asked for a replacment pump. Got kinda blown off. Nick asked for an email. He never sent a reply. Kinda standard. Guess he's too busy.

Used my own resources to get a new engine and went back to a stock pump. I'm real tired of some of the tuners who are just too busy. No, I don't want an explanation or a reply from ARE.

<small>[ June 11, 2002, 04:34 PM: Message edited by: MelloYellow ]</small>

akw408

Hi guys. Yes, I checked the oil level and it was full. Oil was just changed 1100 miles ago (at about 500 miles on the new motor) and it still looked really clean.

It sounds like having these oil pumps fail is not unprecedented. I thought it was rare to have an oil pump fail, but you guys don't seem to think so. I meant to call ARE today to talk about it, but I didn't have time. Mello, I'm really surprised you got blown off. That's terrible. How did your oil pump fail?

Do you guys think I should go to a stock pump or stick with a ARE ported pump? If I tried to get GM to warranty the oil pump, do you think they could tell that the oil pump wasn't stock?

jmX

GM isnt going to warranty the pump because its on a built motor. The pump is cheap. Buy another, install it, and pray to god your shortblock isn't hosed. <img border="0" alt="[barf]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_barf.gif" />

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

A stock pump has more of a chance for failure than an ARE pump. I would send it back to ARE and get a new pump, if that is indeed the culprit.

akw408

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by RPM WS6:
<strong>A stock pump has more of a chance for failure than an ARE pump. I would send it back to ARE and get a new pump, if that is indeed the culprit.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I called ARE and spoke with Nick. He said he'd send out a replacement oil pump, I'll try to get someone local to install it. Hope that fixes it.

What else could it be besides the oil pump? It sounds like the only likely culprit.

akw408

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by jmX:
<strong>GM isnt going to warranty the pump because its on a built motor. The pump is cheap. Buy another, install it, and pray to god your shortblock isn't hosed. <img border="0" alt="[barf]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_barf.gif" /> </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Do you have a write up on how to change your own oil pump? <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" />

jmX

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by akw408:
<strong> </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by jmX:
<strong>GM isnt going to warranty the pump because its on a built motor. The pump is cheap. Buy another, install it, and pray to god your shortblock isn't hosed. <img border="0" alt="[barf]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_barf.gif" /> </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Do you have a write up on how to change your own oil pump? <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" /> </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Why of course I do, its in the sig.

wizkid

iTrader: (3)

Good gosh. I bought an ARE oil pump thinking they would not fail. Now I hear of two of them. That sucks!

When did you purchase your oil pump?

Eric

akw408

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by jmX:
<strong> </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by akw408:
<strong> </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by jmX:
<strong>GM isnt going to warranty the pump because its on a built motor. The pump is cheap. Buy another, install it, and pray to god your shortblock isn't hosed. <img border="0" alt="[barf]" title="" src="graemlins/gr_barf.gif" /> </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Do you have a write up on how to change your own oil pump? <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" /> </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Why of course I do, its in the sig.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Thanks, I took a look at it. It's as I suspected, probably something I better leave to the professionals. Also, I have a C5, so the steering rack needs to go, so it's just more headache.

Eric, I think my pump probably came in the shop around December. But by the time it was on my car and I got my car back it was February.

akw408

Well, I'm taking in to a well respected shop tomorrow. The thing is he wants to take the engine out of the car to check for bearing damage as well. Does this sound like overkill? I know he's just trying to be cautious, but he doesn't believe that the oil pump could be the issue. Well, he says that the chance of the oil pump being the issue is very slim, since it is driven off the crank. He listed a myriad of other things, oil filter, seals, bearings, etc that could potentially cause no oil pressure. Anyway, what do you guys think? I think it's kind of overkill, but he might be right. If it is the seals or bearings, ARE's warranty should cover it as well right?

akw408

Okay, problem resolved. Oil pump was at fault, the pressure relief valve. All it takes is like one shred of metal and the thing gets stuck, mine was halfway open. Well, actually, there were alot of shreds of metal, probably due to the motor breaking in. All I can say is that when you break in a new motor, use a ton of magnets and change the oil very frequently (well, I only had 1100 miles on the oil). Fortunately, I caught it in time and no bearing material has shown up in the oil and oil filter. The shop flushed it out twice before putting in good oil again. Car runs as good as I remember it. I just hope it doesn't happen again, it seems like it can happen to anyone, not just someone with a new motor.

GeorgeC

Glad to hear that things seem OK...