Cam Install 99 Vette (Stuck!)
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TECH Apprentice
Joined: Sep 2004
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From: Kona, Pearl Ridge
Cam Install 99 Vette (Stuck!) A little history to my oil pressure woes. Oil Pressure Sensor gave out a couple months ago(Pegged Gauge Max). Decided best time to install was during the cam swap. New sensor goes in this morning as i am finnishing off the cam install.
Time to prime it.... zero oil pressure. Fanf_ckintastic!
Process of elimination time. I cant get my head around what it may be.
Added (undisclosed cam) Liberty performance dual roller timing set, 7.400" pushrods and springs.
I made sure the oil pickup tube had the o ring on it when i reinstalled the pump. made sure there was no binding, galling blah blah as it went on. timing set required shims on the oil pump but i dont think that can be the cause either.
My educated guess on the matter and yours is welcome too. The pump isnt creating enough vacume. So im thinking tear it all down again(Major PITA in a Vette) and packing the pump full of assembly lube. Im guessing the pump cant draw the oil up from the pan by itself while spinning the motor via starter.
Or... pour an *** load of cheap oil in till it fills the pan to the pumps height and it doesnt have to work as hard. assuming it works and makes pressure drain it back out and top off the 7qts of good stuff. dont think im brave enough to try this.
its all going to come down to me finnishing up the tear down again lookin for myself. My brother suggests i request your best guesses on the matter so lets hear them.
Time to prime it.... zero oil pressure. Fanf_ckintastic!
Process of elimination time. I cant get my head around what it may be.
Added (undisclosed cam) Liberty performance dual roller timing set, 7.400" pushrods and springs.
I made sure the oil pickup tube had the o ring on it when i reinstalled the pump. made sure there was no binding, galling blah blah as it went on. timing set required shims on the oil pump but i dont think that can be the cause either.
My educated guess on the matter and yours is welcome too. The pump isnt creating enough vacume. So im thinking tear it all down again(Major PITA in a Vette) and packing the pump full of assembly lube. Im guessing the pump cant draw the oil up from the pan by itself while spinning the motor via starter.
Or... pour an *** load of cheap oil in till it fills the pan to the pumps height and it doesnt have to work as hard. assuming it works and makes pressure drain it back out and top off the 7qts of good stuff. dont think im brave enough to try this.
its all going to come down to me finnishing up the tear down again lookin for myself. My brother suggests i request your best guesses on the matter so lets hear them.
These suggestions assume you have everything installed properlly. Having the plugs out of engine allows it to spin faster and is easy on starter. I turn mine over for maybe 10 seconds at a time and do that maybe 10 times...if no pressure then let it set a while, overnite is great then try it again...the time lets the air get out and makes it easier for pump to prime itself...I always get pressure before I fire engine...that is one thing I miss with sbc is the drill in the distribtor hole to prime the engine was real easy.
Thread Starter
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Sep 2004
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From: Kona, Pearl Ridge
i worked in c hevy dealer from 97 to 07 as a gm tech.
on the oil sending units only for the vette not the f body i have had them be bad rite out of the box. i know its frustrating because you have to keep removing the intake manifold. get another sending unit and see what happens.
on the oil sending units only for the vette not the f body i have had them be bad rite out of the box. i know its frustrating because you have to keep removing the intake manifold. get another sending unit and see what happens.
Joined: Nov 2001
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From: Texas and Qatar
You haven't started it? Very few I do will build pressure from cranking the motor via starter and need to be fired up for the pump to start working quickly. If it doesn't have oil pressure in 5-6 seconds after starting (slightly longer if the oil filter is dry) then there is something wrong.
Binding in the pickup tube causing o-ring to seal on only one side, pinched o-ring, loose cam plate bolts, or upside-down oil pump spacer are some I've heard about.
Then again it can just be a faulty sensor.
Binding in the pickup tube causing o-ring to seal on only one side, pinched o-ring, loose cam plate bolts, or upside-down oil pump spacer are some I've heard about.
Then again it can just be a faulty sensor.
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Joined: Sep 2004
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From: Kona, Pearl Ridge
Didnt put pump spacers on upside down. the Felpro timing gasket kit came with 3 o-rings(red, green & black). Just pulled it out and it looks good. no pinches, nicks... nothing though its the stock one and minor flatsides(top n' bottom) from being compressed.
Read this so im going to run with it and see if a new gasket will solve it but im still tripple checking everything.
As for the sending unit there is no way... pulled the one from my car and checked with the same results.
Im just afraid to kill a cam or main bearing turning the motor over forever just to build pressure... its this curse i got... if somethings going to go wrong its going to happen at the worse possible time
the goals to get some passes in sunday after we get a couple heat cycles through these new valve springs tomorrow after i finnish up the car. Tranny swap tomorrow to look forward too 
Read this so im going to run with it and see if a new gasket will solve it but im still tripple checking everything.
I talked to a engine builder at katech and he stated that with the ls6 oilpump you use the green o-ring. If i rev engine slowly and accellerate i have no issue but when i accell hard and fast the pressure dont build as fast and when i off throttle it builds pressure before it drops.!! i think im suckin air. i droping the pan to change rod bolts and the o-ring.
Im just afraid to kill a cam or main bearing turning the motor over forever just to build pressure... its this curse i got... if somethings going to go wrong its going to happen at the worse possible time
the goals to get some passes in sunday after we get a couple heat cycles through these new valve springs tomorrow after i finnish up the car. Tranny swap tomorrow to look forward too LS1 Tech Stories
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I just put a new TSP motor inn and fired it up yesterday in my vette. What I did as far as oil pressure check is fill the oil filter up, oil pump was lube up. I have put 3 motors in vettes and doing the starter no plug turn over to prime is a must but have yet to see it ever read oil pressure on the gauge. Just bump the starter 5 times for 10 sec with out plugs inn and fuel pump fuse pulled. After that hook it up and fire oil pressure within 5 sec everytime.
My new stroker (also in a 99 vette) did that. I could not get it to produce pressure off the starter. Finally I just said **** it and fired her up, and within 3 seconds I had oil pressure. I say start er up, if you've got nothing after 5 seconds kill it. There is enough residual oil on the bearings where you won't hurt it only running it for 5 seconds.
Maybe I missed something from your post, Chris, but it sounds like you never started the car. Is this correct? If so, you would not see pressure just by turning it over with the starter whether there is something wrong or not.
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Joined: Sep 2004
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From: Kona, Pearl Ridge
Great Success
1 pulled off pump and pack with thick lube.
2 install new felpro black o-ring
First startup around 1:00pm with pressure climbing as the motor found idle. Dyno time tomorrow and maybe some track passes.
expect new thread with pics and video sometime this week.
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Joined: Aug 2004
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From: Portland Oregon
I would not run it without getting pressure first. I have tried that, and after 5 seconds with no pressure, the rods start knocking, that means it's time for new bearings.
When you removed the pump, is it possible that the pickup screen is too low in the pan now.
If that happens, you will have 0 pressure.
When you removed the pump, is it possible that the pickup screen is too low in the pan now.
If that happens, you will have 0 pressure.
No the original install i started the car and let it run 10 seconds and the oil pressure didnt even blip. I have this fear that im going to toast a bearing any time the engines running and i have zero pressure. anyways
Great Success
1 pulled off pump and pack with thick lube.
2 install new felpro black o-ring
First startup around 1:00pm with pressure climbing as the motor found idle. Dyno time tomorrow and maybe some track passes.
expect new thread with pics and video sometime this week.
Great Success
1 pulled off pump and pack with thick lube.
2 install new felpro black o-ring
First startup around 1:00pm with pressure climbing as the motor found idle. Dyno time tomorrow and maybe some track passes.
expect new thread with pics and video sometime this week.
Just removing the oil pump doesn't change the position of the oil pump pickup screen since the oil pickup tube to oil pump mounting flange isn't the only place the tube is fastened. Maybe you have pressure and it's not registering. Sending unit, wiring harness and gauge are all possibilities. It takes a few seconds for the gauge needle to move after a tear down. I know those first few seconds can be nerve racking waiting for that needle to move. What about trying an old fashioned mechanical gauge to check for pressure before you blame the pump.
