motor spun one rod bearing. Bought remanufactured crank, New main and rod bearings, had the rod reconditioned, New oil pump, and installed motor and has very little oil pressure. Could get none cranking it to prime it so I started it and it jumped to 20 at idle and then faded away to nothing. Zero! Put different oil pressure sender in and same thing. Put mechanical gauge.....same thing. Took the motor back out inspected cam gear....looks good. Drive gear on shaft.....looks good. Oil pump moves oil when I spin it by hand. No broken plastic sleeve. The only thing I have not looked at its cam bearings. Could it be that? 93k and wiped out can bearings to the point of no oil pressure. I'm stumped. Ain't my first rodeo with doing this but first time with lt1. What am I over looking?

 

Spun cam bearings usually starve the top end with out much effect on the gauge. Either the pump is crap or its sucking air...or there is trash in the gally to the sender. Pull a valve cover to see if oil is making it up top.

 

Got the pan off at the moment. Looking into pump possibly. Don't see no trash but there is oil in the valve train area and the galley.

 

did you get the correct bearing size for the "remanufactured" crank?

I assume this crank is .010 under on a re-grind

 

Yeah clearances were great.

 

Been rebuilding engines for over 20 years and have never seen such a thing. Guess the only thing left its cam bearings.I just can't imagine it being that. Send like oil is flowing good just don't build pressure.

 

PM "card00" he is an expert

 

I think I would want to tear it down completely. If you have not looked at everything, you haven't been thorough.

 

I experienced this scenario once a long time ago. did you by chance replace the cam galley plugs without grinding the factory burr from being staked in. I did that once and had the same scenario you have. pulled the motor, tapped and installed pipe plugs and all was well.

 

 

I didn't remove any plugs......had decent oil pressure before I changed the crank. I must be over looking something. The check ball is in there......thought maybe that came out somehow.

 

Classic!!!!

 

Cam bearings are trashed.

 

My buddy rebuilt an lq4 and had the cam bearings walk on him since those were the only ones he didnt replace. Hopefully the cam is ok.

 

I thought you said you did not have an oil pressure issue before the teardown in one of your other post?

 

That is correct. When I bought the car, with the rod bearing spun, the car held oil pressure. Not that I ran it that long but it did not drop to zero. Yeah I know....crazy ****. I don't know what I was thinking trying to take a short cut, personally I have never seen a cam bearing do this. I'll be looking from now on, that's for sure.