Oil Pressure!!
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Teching In
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 48
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From: Camden, SC
Oil Pressure!! My oil pressure has dropped.. Certain times it drop all the way into the red! so I haven't been driving the car since July... I have had 2 mechanics tell me it's something to do with the Main Bearing... If anybody have any other Idea's it would be appreciated. Thanks
Staging Lane
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 82
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From: Alabama
I would not rely on the gauge inside the vehicle, you need to try a outside oil pressure gauge thats plugs in to the sending unit. Yeah, its a bitch but hey its tells the real story on the oil pressure do this then write us back to tell us what the reading is. Hate to say if its a main it will be knocking somewhat the car will run like **** all the time, cause the knock sensor will be picking it up, most of the time it will not idle at all. I say its a faulty gauge.
Teching In
Joined: Apr 2007
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I had this problem too. Usually it would drop when I came to a stop, took off from a stop, or turned a corner. I think my problem was legit because I finally checked the oil after hearing faint knocking noises at random RPM's and it was nearly bone dry. The next day I romped on the gas (after putting oil in the motor) and I believe a bearing went out (still working on pulling the motor out to solve the issue), but a rod is bouncing around in the block no with a MUCH louder noise. This is what it was diagnosed as after an LT1 mechanic listened to it for a few seconds. So either the connecting rod bearing went out or connecting rod broke. Can anyone shed some light on this?
you can check oil level first...but the gauge is known for gettin less accurate with time...so install a new sending unit or new gauge and checking...then report back...
also what is the pressure cold a hot? what kinda oil? what filter?
also what is the pressure cold a hot? what kinda oil? what filter?
same here cold idle stays at 35ish first start up cold is 45 then hot idle is damn near the red like 2psi it was been droping in the red at lights to where check gauge comes on but when i get on it it shoots up to 30 it is raising 10psi per 1k but will not make 40 psi at 5k car has 115k now replace sending unit at 106k and did not help the needle does kinda stick sometimes i was hoping i can just swap the op and be good i dont have enough save for the motor i want to do yet i have m1 20w40 in it now with a m1 filter im switching to pensoil 20w50 next week trying to drag it out sorry for steeling your thred
just to let you know how much that gauge can be off when my autometer mechanical gauge reads around 70 the one on the dash will read around 50. i wouldnt trust it if it was brand new. get a different gauge to check it with and you might find its not as bad *** you think. and before i built the 383 and everything mine had the same things going on yours does. it would drop when i would come to a stop, take off, and other random times.
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Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 48
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From: Camden, SC
The cars isn't knocking or nothing... but I can hear I faint scrapping noise when I first crank it up on a cold start but it's only for like 2 sec.. The car still has full power.. but I appreciate the help everyone and I'm going to check it with an outside oil pressure gauge.. and I will let everyone know...
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Part of the problem with the factory oil pressure sending unit might be its location. It's at the top of the motor and when you're just idling and the oil pump is turning slow, it's hard for the oil to reach the diaphragm of the unit. That's just a theory, does anyone have any insight or facts? Of course when the oil is cold it will show high pressure so IDK.
same here. the reading is more accurate across the board. i forgot to add the one at the back of the block is brand new on mine. i broke it and went and got another and i still get the off readings.
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Joined: Sep 2007
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yea i just rebuilt my 96 LT1 trans AM with everything ballanced and boring it 40 over. I also got the bigger oil screen ( i believe its the 3/4" diameter tube instead of the 1/2" diameter) when i bought the new oil pump and mine does that too... im gonna hook up my manual oil pressure gauge and see it thats the problem (see if the stock guage is giving a false reading) and if not then my next plan is to buy a new oil sensor because it might be going bad and then replace the guage in my instrument cluster so see if that fixes anything. for me i know its not the bearings cuz i just rebuilt my entire motor with brand new bearings... so my advice is to try the manual guage and if that doesnt work then buy a new sensor off ebay, there pretty cheap for brand new ones
Last edited by carjunkie33; Oct 15, 2007 at 01:50 PM.
This thread makes me feel good. I got the same problem with my caprice. When it comes to a hot idle it stays at about 500rpm so the oil pump isnt' spinning real fast so it goes down. I've been thinking that it's my oil cooler and was gonna take it off b/c i heard somewhere that the caprice uses a different oil pump than the camaro, and since i've got a motor out of a camaro i thought that i should maybe take the oil cooler lines off. but question about the sending unit near the filter. Is it the same thread and stuff as the one up top??? And if for anybody that needs the sensor, i got one at oreilleys for like 12 bucks.
This thread makes me feel good. I got the same problem with my caprice. When it comes to a hot idle it stays at about 500rpm so the oil pump isnt' spinning real fast so it goes down. I've been thinking that it's my oil cooler and was gonna take it off b/c i heard somewhere that the caprice uses a different oil pump than the camaro, and since i've got a motor out of a camaro i thought that i should maybe take the oil cooler lines off. but question about the sending unit near the filter. Is it the same thread and stuff as the one up top??? And if for anybody that needs the sensor, i got one at oreilleys for like 12 bucks.
the caprice has the same oil pump IIRC. the camaros/vettes use a different spring for oil pressure if I remember right.
That's kinda what I figured. I will be installing an Autometer in the project car and will tee the turbo oil feed and oil pressure gauge there.
97M6--- dude i have that same freaking noise right when i start it up i reminds me of a spun rod bering sound but it last like a second, no other knocks pulls strong still Lmao i called gm today and the said 738 parts+labor for oil pump install........ 3g's to do mains rods and oil pump i said pshhh im leaning toards http://www.golenengineservice.com/sp...l/lt350sb.html in a couple months