lucxy

Not sure if my question makes any sense, but is there a way to determine when to replace/change oil pump before it goes bad causes and causes engine damage.

My first z06 motor spun a bearing due to oil pump failure. The only symptom was low oil pressure, but the engine had already failed by then.

Just recently I did head and cam on my second motor after about 35K miles on that motor and I kept my stock oil pump.

Should I have replaced or upgraded my oil pump? How often do the oil pump fail espeically after 35K miles on the motor?

Mark2009

I'd say a new pump is more likely to fail than a well used one. Leave it alone.

stefuel

"My first z06 motor spun a bearing due to oil pump failure. The only symptom was low oil pressure, but the engine had already failed by then."

Well if the damage happened before the drop in oil pressure then it wasn't the pumps fault. When you have a major bearing failure, you end up with extra clearance where the bearing used to be with less restriction to oil flow. No restriction means no way to make pressure. Same thing with high milage engines. As a engines bearings naturally wear you end up with additional clearance and less restriction to flow and lower oil pressure.
Not saying that pumps don't wear out but not in 35K miles unless something else came apart and damaged the pump

Mark2009

The pressure relief valve is known to fail on these pumps. Not all that common, but there was a rash of them on 2013's not long ago.

JWingo

If the pressure indicates a pump that's operating as per design, leave it alone.
Often, unneeded maintenance adds more risk than it removes. Unnecessary disassembly, contamination, installation error, etc.

lucxy

One of the reasons I asked my question is because my oil pressure went up a bit after Brodix heads, K501 cam, manley pushrods, new lifters and K&N oil filter. Oild pressure is at 68 PSI on cold start (NY cold outside) and goes down to around 40s when it all warms up. I use Mobile 1 0-40, but that's the same oil I always use. Oil pressure goes into 80s when revving warm.

It seems avg oil pressure went up by like 8psi throughout the RPM range.

Is that normal?