I duno man. How do you like your 383????
[Z06] Low Oil Pressure Issues
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,047
Likes: 207
From: Columbus Ohio
Low Oil Pressure Issues
01 Z06 with a 383 shortblock with an ported LS6 oil pump around 2000 miles on the motor
On a cold start the car will idle around 50-65psi. Upon total warm up the car will hang around 25-30psi.
Now what’s weird is the car can be ran hard without issue but once I get into the higher rpms 5-6k the oil pressure will stay around 16-21psi
! Also the pressure does not rise with the rpms as it stays consistent at the lower pressure. Then after around 10-15 minutes of being out of the upper rpms oil pressure will then stay slightly lower around idle levels of 20-25psi.
I checked the oil level and it’s full on the dipstick as I added a quart just to make sure. I’m running regular 10w30 valvoline for now and plan on switching over to a synthetic oil soon as maybe that will help.
I had a few ideas of what could be causing the issue as the oil pump could be bad, o ring is not working properly, oil pressure sender could be bad (giving a false reading).
Anyone experience a problem like this or have any suggestions?
On a cold start the car will idle around 50-65psi. Upon total warm up the car will hang around 25-30psi.
Now what’s weird is the car can be ran hard without issue but once I get into the higher rpms 5-6k the oil pressure will stay around 16-21psi
! Also the pressure does not rise with the rpms as it stays consistent at the lower pressure. Then after around 10-15 minutes of being out of the upper rpms oil pressure will then stay slightly lower around idle levels of 20-25psi. I checked the oil level and it’s full on the dipstick as I added a quart just to make sure. I’m running regular 10w30 valvoline for now and plan on switching over to a synthetic oil soon as maybe that will help.
I had a few ideas of what could be causing the issue as the oil pump could be bad, o ring is not working properly, oil pressure sender could be bad (giving a false reading).
Anyone experience a problem like this or have any suggestions?
Last edited by LCZ06; Jun 24, 2007 at 10:57 PM.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 693
Likes: 92
From: Savannah GA
Your oil pressure numbers are not that terrible. One thing you might try is to add an extra quart of oil to see if that makes any difference. I am thinking that maybe after higher RPM operation it is not draining back down to the oil pickup fast enough.
Jeff
Jeff
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,047
Likes: 207
From: Columbus Ohio
Cam is 243/250 .629/.629 112+4 cam. I'm going to try running some heavy sin oil and see if that helps 20W-50.
I like it allot besides a few little minor issues it's a great motor that pulls hard. Makes good power too. Definitely a major difference from when I had my 03 cobra. But I might go bigger one day..
I'll try that today and see but that's a good possiblity. Appreciate everyone’s input..
I'll try that today and see but that's a good possiblity. Appreciate everyone’s input..
Last edited by LCZ06; Jun 26, 2007 at 11:34 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 25,889
Likes: 7
From: Virginia Beach
CI 3-5-6-7-8 Veteran
Screams of 0-ring to me. My buddy put a LPE blower cam in his car w/ a LS4 oil pump in prep for his Vortech install.
Fired up car... OP fine, settles into a nice 30psi or so idle (should have been more like 49 w/ the LS4 pump). Then goes for a drive... as the car gets hot the OP begins to drop and he limps home on 10psi.
Had to pull it all apart and replaced the o-ring, then all was perfect. Putting that damn o-ring in was the most gut wrenching part of my cam install.
Fired up car... OP fine, settles into a nice 30psi or so idle (should have been more like 49 w/ the LS4 pump). Then goes for a drive... as the car gets hot the OP begins to drop and he limps home on 10psi.
Had to pull it all apart and replaced the o-ring, then all was perfect. Putting that damn o-ring in was the most gut wrenching part of my cam install.
Pro
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 734
Likes: 0
From: Austin TX
I was having a similar problem. I changed the oil to fresh synthecic 10-30 and put a higher flow oil filter. I filled it 1/2 quart high and have not had any addidional issues.
BTW, what PCV system do you have? Any mods to it? I was losing oil into my intake which would run my pan low. When I'd go to full throttle I saw the pressure dip once to 20 psi around 5-6k rpm and it really worried me. I got newer PCV valve and catch can and haven't had any recent problems.
Oil PSI is around 45-50 cold at idle and around 25-35 warm. At WOT it will be anywhere from 45-60 which is where I want it.
BTW, what PCV system do you have? Any mods to it? I was losing oil into my intake which would run my pan low. When I'd go to full throttle I saw the pressure dip once to 20 psi around 5-6k rpm and it really worried me. I got newer PCV valve and catch can and haven't had any recent problems.
Oil PSI is around 45-50 cold at idle and around 25-35 warm. At WOT it will be anywhere from 45-60 which is where I want it.
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,047
Likes: 207
From: Columbus Ohio
I was having a similar problem. I changed the oil to fresh synthecic 10-30 and put a higher flow oil filter. I filled it 1/2 quart high and have not had any addidional issues.
BTW, what PCV system do you have? Any mods to it? I was losing oil into my intake which would run my pan low. When I'd go to full throttle I saw the pressure dip once to 20 psi around 5-6k rpm and it really worried me. I got newer PCV valve and catch can and haven't had any recent problems.
Oil PSI is around 45-50 cold at idle and around 25-35 warm. At WOT it will be anywhere from 45-60 which is where I want it.
BTW, what PCV system do you have? Any mods to it? I was losing oil into my intake which would run my pan low. When I'd go to full throttle I saw the pressure dip once to 20 psi around 5-6k rpm and it really worried me. I got newer PCV valve and catch can and haven't had any recent problems.
Oil PSI is around 45-50 cold at idle and around 25-35 warm. At WOT it will be anywhere from 45-60 which is where I want it.
HK Enterprise 383 shortblock
TEA LS6 Stage 2.5 heads
243/250 .629/.629 112+4 cam
Manton Heavy Duty Pushrods
Morel Lifters
Stock Rockers
Ported Fast 90mm intake with NW throttle body
Halltech Ti Tric CAI
Meziere Electric Water pump
Ported LS6 oil pump
Pro
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 734
Likes: 0
From: Austin TX
I wouldn't go that far yet. What I was alluding to was that you may be losing a good amount of your oil through the PCV system. As the oil level gets lower that pump will begin to suck the pan dry (not completely) to a point where it will not be able to sustain oil pressure. A cheap way to test this is to simply change the oil and make sure there will be no oil supply issues (why I went w/ a high flow oil filter& put in 7 quarts). If the pressure is where it's supposed to be directly after the change you know you were just a little low on oil. Then proceed to the PCV fix to solve the oil loss issue. Catch cans work great, but the newer model PCV valve allowed my catch can to work so much better. I haven't seen any oil loss since I've added the newer model PCV. By this time I would've need to add at least a quart. Only time will tell though.
Should this not work, I'd look to the o-ring on the oil pump. Should that not work I could see cause for concern.
Should this not work, I'd look to the o-ring on the oil pump. Should that not work I could see cause for concern.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,047
Likes: 207
From: Columbus Ohio
Yeah that would do the trick but not on my wallet. But I just changed the oil and the pressure went up a little but not much. I also looked at the oil I had and it was like water not even oil and could tell that it broke down. I'm going to go with heavy 20-50 oil and try using a mechanical gauge first and see if that helps. I wanted to try the 10w30 first before using the expensive stuff. I'm going to try all the easy stuff before I tear into my motor...
Pro
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 639
Likes: 2
From: chattanooga Tennessee
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,665
Likes: 0
From: Rude, Loud and Aggressive! ECS Twisted Racing, "How fast do ya wanna go?"
Screams of 0-ring to me. My buddy put a LPE blower cam in his car w/ a LS4 oil pump in prep for his Vortech install.
Fired up car... OP fine, settles into a nice 30psi or so idle (should have been more like 49 w/ the LS4 pump). Then goes for a drive... as the car gets hot the OP begins to drop and he limps home on 10psi.
Had to pull it all apart and replaced the o-ring, then all was perfect. Putting that damn o-ring in was the most gut wrenching part of my cam install.
Fired up car... OP fine, settles into a nice 30psi or so idle (should have been more like 49 w/ the LS4 pump). Then goes for a drive... as the car gets hot the OP begins to drop and he limps home on 10psi.
Had to pull it all apart and replaced the o-ring, then all was perfect. Putting that damn o-ring in was the most gut wrenching part of my cam install.
All together fire it up, no effin oil pressure! Back apart sway bar rack damper ect.... Damn .05 cent effin o-ring!
