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No oil pressure!

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Old Nov 5, 2002 | 01:46 PM
  #1  
TaTommyWS6's Avatar
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Default No oil pressure!

I have a 2000 TransAm with 33k miles. The other day I started my car (already warm from just driving it), and my oil pressure gauge read zero. This happened to me over a year ago at about 15k miles. After a little while the gauge shows pressure, and it is back to normal. The first time this happened, I took it to the dealer, and they told me they could find nothing wrong. They said they replaced the sender unit. It has been OK since then, now it happened again. I have heard some people say that the pressure relief valve on the oil pump could get stucj during startup dumping all the oil back inot the pan, therefore giving the engine no oil pressure. I did not hear any unusual noises.... I want to go back to the dealer but I really want them to replace the pump if that it the problem, but I'm not sure how to convince them since it happens very rarely.... I would hate to see my engine get destroyed... Any suggestions would be great.

<small>[ November 05, 2002, 01:47 PM: Message edited by: TaTommyWS6 ]</small>
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Old Nov 5, 2002 | 02:51 PM
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Default Re: No oil pressure!

If you don't hear any noises, it might be the sending unit. It's in back of the manifold and is easily broken. When my oil pump took a crap I heard the lifters within seconds of it happening. If it is the oil pump, I wouldn't accept anything less than a new engine.
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Old Nov 5, 2002 | 04:27 PM
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Default Re: No oil pressure!

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by TaTommyWS6:
<strong>I have a 2000 TransAm with 33k miles. The other day I started my car (already warm from just driving it), and my oil pressure gauge read zero. This happened to me over a year ago at about 15k miles. After a little while the gauge shows pressure, and it is back to normal. The first time this happened, I took it to the dealer, and they told me they could find nothing wrong. They said they replaced the sender unit. It has been OK since then, now it happened again. I have heard some people say that the pressure relief valve on the oil pump could get stucj during startup dumping all the oil back inot the pan, therefore giving the engine no oil pressure. I did not hear any unusual noises.... I want to go back to the dealer but I really want them to replace the pump if that it the problem, but I'm not sure how to convince them since it happens very rarely.... I would hate to see my engine get destroyed... Any suggestions would be great.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Why don't you just let the dealership swap the sender and go from there? Is this a stock motor? If so, I don't see what the big worry is since it's all under warranty. If you're really worried, you can plug in a mechinical oil pressure gauge and show them that it's zero (if it wasn't the sender and still is zero). But trust me, if it's zero, you would know about 15 seconds later when your lifters stop pumping up.
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Old Nov 5, 2002 | 05:10 PM
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TaTommyWS6's Avatar
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Default Re: No oil pressure!

My factory warantee conveniently expired one month ago! I bought the car Oct 1999.

Where could I connect a machanical oil pressure gauge without having to tamper too much with my currently stock engine?

Also, my friggin' exhaust is soooo loud I can barely hear myself think in my car, nevermind a few lifters tapping...

I am having a new clutch put in my car tomorrow, so after I get it back, I think I am going to take it back to the dealer and explain the problem existed while it was under warantee, and it was not properly diganosed or fixed...

This sucks! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Mad]" src="gr_images/icons/mad.gif" />

Tommy
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Old Nov 5, 2002 | 06:41 PM
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Default Re: No oil pressure!

The mechanical sender would screw into the existing threads where the electrical sender currently resides.
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Old Nov 5, 2002 | 07:36 PM
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Default Re: No oil pressure!

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by TaTommyWS6:
<strong>My factory warantee conveniently expired one month ago! I bought the car Oct 1999.

Where could I connect a machanical oil pressure gauge without having to tamper too much with my currently stock engine?

Also, my friggin' exhaust is soooo loud I can barely hear myself think in my car, nevermind a few lifters tapping...

I am having a new clutch put in my car tomorrow, so after I get it back, I think I am going to take it back to the dealer and explain the problem existed while it was under warantee, and it was not properly diganosed or fixed...

This sucks! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Mad]" src="gr_images/icons/mad.gif" />

Tommy</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Like eallan said.

And trust me, you'd know if your lifters weren't pumping up. If you couldn't hear it, you'd feel it.
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Old Nov 5, 2002 | 09:46 PM
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Default Re: No oil pressure!

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by eallanboggs:
<strong>The mechanical sender would screw into the existing threads where the electrical sender currently resides.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Which is under the intake manifold, requiring removal to access it. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Sad]" src="gr_sad.gif" />
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Old Nov 6, 2002 | 01:55 PM
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Default Re: No oil pressure!

I had the IDENTICLE problem on my 99 SS about a 1.5 years ago...

Oil pressure guage said zero upon intital start-up but no abnormal noises (lifter/valve noises). This actually happened more than once!

I immediately shut the engine off and had the car towed to the dealer. They kept it for three days and said they could not find any defect.

I have not had any problems since. My typical oil pressure has increased over time with typical pressures about 60psi now when engine is running over 2.5K or so.

At the time I read about the bad factory oil pumps that dealers have been replacing so I thought it must be a defective pump.

I just keep watching it like a halk now...

Since your car is off warranty, GM will do nothing for you - thus, beware!

If you want a good warrannty, buy a HONDA! Chances are, however, that you will not need it since they are great cars...not like chevys
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Old Nov 6, 2002 | 07:24 PM
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Default Re: No oil pressure!

Check the sending unit, if not it is more than likely going to be your oil pump failed.
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