chuckyt1

iTrader: (33)

When you replaced the o ring did you pull the pan? I know many people, (including myself), put the o ring on through the front cover. I have however, seen what can happen to o rings when you do. I've also seen a slight drop in psi with a pinched ring. I pulled the pan, replaced the ring the proper way and saw a significant increase in oil psi.

From personal experience, I will always replace the ring with the pan off.

blkbird

iTrader: (28)

I did this and it made no difference.....

Paint_It_Black

iTrader: (1)

Take your car out for a quick cruise. Hold a gear around 3000 rpm's. Step on the gas and watch the oil pressure guage. Does the pressure drop before it goes up with rpm's?

blkbird

iTrader: (28)

Ive heard that if you have a cam bearing go you wont hear anything different with your engine, just the oil pressure drop.

hanzel69

Ok, so, I still haven't changed the sender, haven't had time. But it's actually got a ported melling pump on it now, The oil pressure is approx 10 psi at idle, 1000 rpms. When driving it maintains about 20-30 psi. (This is an improvement) I used to run 5W30 Royal Purple, this time along with the pump, I put in Mobil 1 5W-30 I believe. I like the fact that the pressue is higher, I still don't like the fact though that it is lower then it used to be. The old pump (Stock) I took off looked perfectly fine... DOH! Other then removing the intake, any trick to getting that sender off. I know I should be able to get a sender socket, but is there enough room for it to work?

blkbird

iTrader: (28)

Too much of a hassle to leave the intake on. Best bet is to take it off, that way you see what you are doing......

hanzel69

Ok, thanks for the help guys, after several hundred dollars, an oil change, a ported melling and a new oil sender, I now have 20 psi at idle and it tops at about 40 around 3000 rpms. I didn't want to push it further. I assume that then it is something internal and I don't have time to mess with it. Thanks for the help, for the record, if you don't mind looking like you're emo or freddy kruger got ahold of your arms, it takes about 10 minutes to change out the sender, with the intake on. I have my egr stuff removed, so it was real easy.

blkbird

iTrader: (28)

Have you done a WOT run to see what it registers??

nuckifuts

iTrader: (7)

more than likely the motor is hurt. like others have said cut apart the oil filter (chain exhaust pipe cutters work good) and look inside.


good luck.

hanzel69

I still gotta check the filter, and I'm not going to run it up to WOT, I'm afraid it'll break. I gotta drive it 700 miles to Alabama on Tuesday, once I'm down there, then I can afford to trash it. I'll let you know if I make it... If not, there will be a free 99 WS6 on the side of 75 somewhere.

StevieZ

iTrader: (3)

Yes check that. If the PSI do dip a tiny bit before going up then it is bearing wear.4 My guess is your bearings are worn.

98Camarod

iTrader: (43)

There is a seal on the cam retainer plate that may be the problem. But sadly, more than likely, its hurt.

hanzel69

I did notice that earlier today, I guess that solves it then. What are your guys thoughts on driving it around then? It's holding 20 psi now at idle and runs about 30 psi at 2000 rpms. Is it safe to drive at low rpms, so long as I don't get into it? Any thoughts? Obviously sometime in the near future I will be getting it repaired, but I gotta get some $$$ first, this sounds expensive. And I know it's beyond my comfort zone for repair.

StevieZ

iTrader: (3)

Shim the oil pump .120" with any correct sized washer and the pressure should go up about 20 PSI. I had some bearing wear in my stroker after about 15K miles . My PSI was down to about 25 at idle. I shimmed the pump, put in 20W50 and got 40 to 45psi at idle hot and 65psi at WOT and I drove the car hard for another 15K miles before I had to tear down because of a bad reluctor wheel..

Blackhawk777

Would a rebuild fix that or is the whole engine toast?

StevieZ

iTrader: (3)

Try shimming the oil pump before you do anything else. You may still be able to get a lot of milage out of that motor without hurting anything.

punisherTA

I don't know about that.

BTW There are some other manufacturer engines 32valve V8's that only require 10psi at idle. It should be enough to keep engine damage by reduced oil pressure at bay.

A thicker oil and a shim should be fine until you have time to throw new bearings in it.

veee8

iTrader: (40)

You have to keep in mind that oil pressure was good, then all of a sudden it has taken a nosedive. There is going to be a reason for this. It is correct that even for an LS1 the min. spec is 8-10 psi per 1000 rpm. BUT the fact that it had great psi one day, then 10-20 the next has to be accounted for. Sure you could shim the pump, and it might get you some psi back. It might last 15000 like posted, but what if it doesn't what if it band aids it for 15 miles and it destroys everything? Like my earlier suggestion, first thing you should do is slice open the filter, preferably the one when the problem started, and the current one. It will tell you a lot. If it is full of copper looking stuff, there is no sense in taking it further. If it does not not look too bad, you MIGHT be able to limp it by. I believe you said that you put the melling pump on there? That is already going to have a bit more psi than a stock pump, and shimming might not do anything for you.

punisherTA

Ahh, you have a melling pump? Why don't you try putting the stock one back in with new o-rings and seals?

hanzel69

The stock pump looked fine, I don't feel like putting it back in, I don't have the time right now. I've been driving it for 3 weeks about 200 miles and it's still going. I cut open the filter, and it looked clean... I don't know what to say. I'm just going to drive it till it blows, then it'll sit for a year or two till I put a stroker in it. Thanks for all the help, but I really think I'll just drive it into the ground and worry about it when the time comes. Either way I don't have the time or money to fix it right now so...