93M6Formula

Okay so i posted this thread a few days ago about the "ticking" problem my car developed.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/lt1-lt4-m...help-asap.html

Well yesterday i went to work on my car some more when all of the sudden I had ZERO oil pressure. Now my car has kinda had a fluctuating oil pressure for the last year where it kinda skips around on the gauge a bit.

So now I think I found the ticking problem. would the oil pump drive gear have gone bad and made that sound? or whatelse could have happened?

I had great oil pressure before even when it was ticking but just yesterday it had absolutely none.

Any help is appreciated!

BlackBird87

iTrader: (6)

put a mech. gauge on it and see what the pressure is. If its under 10 psi on cold startup then i would just suck it up and pull the pan from there you can check the pump and drive gear and check the bearings. And drain the oil into a clean jug so you can check it later for metal flakes

riceburnerZ28

iTrader: (20)

^^I agree...get another gauge on there first. If its not the pump or related components then it could be the op sensor or possibly a faulty gauge

killagt

iTrader: (3)

check the sensor first, how the car running ?

96capricemgr

iTrader: (1)

Is the oil glittery as checked at the drain plug?
If NOT I might risk another start with a mechanical gauge. If it is glittery then you know things need to come apart and no sense risking further damage with a restart.

Really if the oil at the drain plug looks clean you could disable the injection and see if any oil pressure registers on a mechanical gauge just cranking with the starter.

pro94lt

mech gauge, if you have no pressure then I'd pull the intake and look at your fake distributor that turns the oil pump. it could have came loose, or broke. How many miles?

RamAir95TA

iTrader: (2)

I agree with Dwayne. It's probably unlikely the gauge is bad at this point. Before you check the pressure with a mechanical gauge I'd strongly consider checking the oil for metal and checking the oil pan to see if the pickup fell off (rap on the bottom of the pan with a mallet to see if it's bouncing around).

No use starting it again potentially causing more damage.

93M6Formula

I changed the oil right before I fired it up for the first time this spring and after 200 of driving, it still looks brand new so I suspect that my bearing are good yet.
Im gonna get a new sensor cause I ran the motor with the VC off and it's definately getting oil up there.
Car runs just as it always has which is flawless, just has a tick now.

Oil looks flawless and it is getting oil pressure so my sensor must have just gone bad but I still have a tick.

Car has 104K on it.

I ran it for a bit with the valve cover off and it's definately getting oil up there so my sensor must have just failed. The oil looks brand new yet so I suspect my bearings are ok. I just can't for the life of me figure out where the tick is coming from.

I narrowed it down to the #5 cylinder because when it's running, that particular cylinder has more of a high pressure popping action from that primary compared to the other 3. So maybe a burnt valve?

speedracer2536

iTrader: (15)

Can you pull the plug on CYL 5 so we can see it.. Also take a few shots around the #5 primary

93M6Formula

I can try, that one is a complete pain in the *** with the header on. I had it out last week and it seemed like it was a little wet compared to the 3 plugs.
I'll try to snap some pics if I can.

RamAir95TA

iTrader: (2)

Just because you have oil at the rockers does not mean that your sensor is bad. Some oil pressure is still enough to force oil to the rockers but may not be enough to provide adequate oiling to the mains.

Hopefully it IS just your sensor...

93M6Formula

Hmm....i'm hoping it's just the sensor cause when I say that it was oiling the heads I mean it was squirting everywhere and I would think that if it had 0 pressure that it wouldnt do that. Plus ever since it started this ticking noise it has never gotten worse or better and I assume that if a bearing or the pump was bad that it wouldnt even run right now, but it starts up great and runs pretty good except for that damn tick noise.

The only things I can think of that would be making that sound are:
Oil pump drive gear
Burnt exhaust valve
possibly my flywheel or clutch (most likely not)

All I know is that it sounds like it's in the drivers head somewhere near #5
Rockers are fine, Pushrods look good, I think Icould tell if a lifter was stuck so I don't f***in know.

speedracer2536

iTrader: (15)

Well take a video maybe that would help

93M6Formula

I'll try to do that today

3 pedal SS

iTrader: (1)

Hmmm,lets think...You did exhaust work ( headers ) and then it developed a tick. For some reason,I am thinking it has an exhaust leak.

93M6Formula

Thats what I was hoping it was but I can guarantee you it's not, i've had the header off 3 times and nothing changed. It's for sure somewhere in the valvetrain.

speedracer2536

iTrader: (15)

Can you take a picture or the #5 primary exhaust port area... This is a guessing game with the info posted.. What gaskets are you using..

93M6Formula

If I have time i'll pull the header back off, but it's the Dynatech gaskets that came with my headers. I don't think it's just a leak cause the car just feels dead when I get on it as if a cylinder is missing slightly. And it had full power the day before when I first put the hearders on.

speedracer2536

iTrader: (15)

So even though its showing low to no oil pressure your still driving it? you need to verify your psi

BlackBird87

iTrader: (6)

Have you checked the plug wires. If it started a day after the header install I'm gonna beat its a burned wire.