c5 oil pressure zero! HELP!
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 4,439
Likes: 405
From: Portland OR
Unfortunately no. Although you don't have to completely remove it. Still a pain in the ***. I did mine on jack stands.
Removing the balancer isn't too awfull bad, but you need to rent the proper puller.
Good luck!
Removing the balancer isn't too awfull bad, but you need to rent the proper puller.
Good luck!
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 4,439
Likes: 405
From: Portland OR
Anyway, be sure to buy a new bolt for reassembly. Can't reuse the old one.
BTW, you are welcome!
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,572
Likes: 9
From: Jackson Tn
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09
I don't see how an oil pump can go out because of the way it's made. I have heard of the bypass valve sticking and on new installs of the pump not getting the O-ring in the pick up side right. Besides that there isn't much to go wrong.
There is a plug (allen fitting) on the left front lower side of the block that is an oil port coming right off the oil pump. I relocated my sensor to this location back when I did my cam swap. Anyway, it would be easy to attach a guage there and see if the pump is pumping oil. If it's not then it is for sure something in the pump. If the pump is pumping then I would look at the oil filter for the problem.
just an idea, you could remove all the spark plugs and just crank the engine over allot to see if you get any pressure on a guage without starting the engine as a safe test. You should be able to get atleast 20lbs pressure just cranking over the engine.
There is a plug (allen fitting) on the left front lower side of the block that is an oil port coming right off the oil pump. I relocated my sensor to this location back when I did my cam swap. Anyway, it would be easy to attach a guage there and see if the pump is pumping oil. If it's not then it is for sure something in the pump. If the pump is pumping then I would look at the oil filter for the problem.
just an idea, you could remove all the spark plugs and just crank the engine over allot to see if you get any pressure on a guage without starting the engine as a safe test. You should be able to get atleast 20lbs pressure just cranking over the engine.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,572
Likes: 9
From: Jackson Tn
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09
She doesn't need a rack, you can do it on jackstands.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,139
Likes: 4,156
From: Kannapolis NC
Maybe I'm not understanding the issue, but if my car had oil pressure for 11 years and I changed the filter and two weeks later had zero pressure, I'd sure change the filter again before I started pulling oil pumps. Won't cost but a few bucks to try.
Last edited by 65GGvert; Feb 19, 2012 at 11:56 AM.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,396
Likes: 52
From: Sicamous BC
The fitting for the Oil Sender re location is easy to get at, just underneath the Alternator. You can get a gauge into there & run it to verify oil pressure. It's easier to do this underneath the car.
I've had zero oil pressure two times, both were electrical issue's.
I've had zero oil pressure two times, both were electrical issue's.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,320
Likes: 4
From: Kyle TX (Because Mojo Made me fill it in)
I dont see how the filter would cause the pressure to read 0. Worst case, the filter completely fails but that still shouldnt read 0 pressure.
Id recheck oil pressure from the relocation location as suggested by CTD. you should know instantly if you have pressure or not so the motor wont have to run very long. If it's still reading 0, my guess is the o-ring is damaged and the pump is now just spinning, not sucking up any oil. Otherwise, I it's probably electrical.
Id recheck oil pressure from the relocation location as suggested by CTD. you should know instantly if you have pressure or not so the motor wont have to run very long. If it's still reading 0, my guess is the o-ring is damaged and the pump is now just spinning, not sucking up any oil. Otherwise, I it's probably electrical.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 4,237
Likes: 11
From: Lacombe Louisiana
I dont see how the filter would cause the pressure to read 0. Worst case, the filter completely fails but that still shouldnt read 0 pressure.
Id recheck oil pressure from the relocation location as suggested by CTD. you should know instantly if you have pressure or not so the motor wont have to run very long. If it's still reading 0, my guess is the o-ring is damaged and the pump is now just spinning, not sucking up any oil. Otherwise, I it's probably electrical.
Id recheck oil pressure from the relocation location as suggested by CTD. you should know instantly if you have pressure or not so the motor wont have to run very long. If it's still reading 0, my guess is the o-ring is damaged and the pump is now just spinning, not sucking up any oil. Otherwise, I it's probably electrical.
Since this seems to have happened all at once,I would suspect the oil pickup O-ring(it is easier for the pump to suck air rather than oil) either way she will have to go into the engine.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,320
Likes: 4
From: Kyle TX (Because Mojo Made me fill it in)
8VETTE7, that's assuming ALL of the engine's oil has to pass through the filter before it circulates the block. That one heck of a bottleneck to oil flow. If Im not mistaken, and I may be, but the filter is simply part of the oil circuit.
Zero pressure assumes:
1. No oil
2. Bad pump
3. No oil being pumped
If all 3 are good and the filter is the blockage, the oil has to go somewhere since the pump is still turning and the oil is still being pumped.
Based on the assumption that zero pressure is caused by a blocked/damaged filter, where did all the oil go when the pump sucked the pan dry? 5+qts of oil has to go somewhere. It doesnt all just sit on the top of the engine. It either has to drain back to the pan or blow a seal and end up in a pool on the ground.
Oil will drain back into the pan. That's what automatically happens when you fill the engine with oil. The pump pickup is sitting in the pan so if the pump is working, it will pump oil. If it pumps oil, you will have oil pressure.
I may be wrong, but IMO, there is no way the filter can cause a 0 oil pressure problem. It sounds coincidental.
Zero pressure assumes:
1. No oil
2. Bad pump
3. No oil being pumped
If all 3 are good and the filter is the blockage, the oil has to go somewhere since the pump is still turning and the oil is still being pumped.
Based on the assumption that zero pressure is caused by a blocked/damaged filter, where did all the oil go when the pump sucked the pan dry? 5+qts of oil has to go somewhere. It doesnt all just sit on the top of the engine. It either has to drain back to the pan or blow a seal and end up in a pool on the ground.
Oil will drain back into the pan. That's what automatically happens when you fill the engine with oil. The pump pickup is sitting in the pan so if the pump is working, it will pump oil. If it pumps oil, you will have oil pressure.
I may be wrong, but IMO, there is no way the filter can cause a 0 oil pressure problem. It sounds coincidental.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,572
Likes: 9
From: Jackson Tn
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09
8VETTE7, that's assuming ALL of the engine's oil has to pass through the filter before it circulates the block. That one heck of a bottleneck to oil flow. If Im not mistaken, and I may be, but the filter is simply part of the oil circuit.
Zero pressure assumes:
1. No oil
2. Bad pump
3. No oil being pumped
If all 3 are good and the filter is the blockage, the oil has to go somewhere since the pump is still turning and the oil is still being pumped.
Based on the assumption that zero pressure is caused by a blocked/damaged filter, where did all the oil go when the pump sucked the pan dry? 5+qts of oil has to go somewhere. It doesnt all just sit on the top of the engine. It either has to drain back to the pan or blow a seal and end up in a pool on the ground.
Oil will drain back into the pan. That's what automatically happens when you fill the engine with oil. The pump pickup is sitting in the pan so if the pump is working, it will pump oil. If it pumps oil, you will have oil pressure.
I may be wrong, but IMO, there is no way the filter can cause a 0 oil pressure problem. It sounds coincidental.
Zero pressure assumes:
1. No oil
2. Bad pump
3. No oil being pumped
If all 3 are good and the filter is the blockage, the oil has to go somewhere since the pump is still turning and the oil is still being pumped.
Based on the assumption that zero pressure is caused by a blocked/damaged filter, where did all the oil go when the pump sucked the pan dry? 5+qts of oil has to go somewhere. It doesnt all just sit on the top of the engine. It either has to drain back to the pan or blow a seal and end up in a pool on the ground.
Oil will drain back into the pan. That's what automatically happens when you fill the engine with oil. The pump pickup is sitting in the pan so if the pump is working, it will pump oil. If it pumps oil, you will have oil pressure.
I may be wrong, but IMO, there is no way the filter can cause a 0 oil pressure problem. It sounds coincidental.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,139
Likes: 4,156
From: Kannapolis NC
8VETTE7, that's assuming ALL of the engine's oil has to pass through the filter before it circulates the block. That one heck of a bottleneck to oil flow. If Im not mistaken, and I may be, but the filter is simply part of the oil circuit.
Zero pressure assumes:
1. No oil
2. Bad pump
3. No oil being pumped
If all 3 are good and the filter is the blockage, the oil has to go somewhere since the pump is still turning and the oil is still being pumped.
Based on the assumption that zero pressure is caused by a blocked/damaged filter, where did all the oil go when the pump sucked the pan dry? 5+qts of oil has to go somewhere. It doesnt all just sit on the top of the engine. It either has to drain back to the pan or blow a seal and end up in a pool on the ground.
Oil will drain back into the pan. That's what automatically happens when you fill the engine with oil. The pump pickup is sitting in the pan so if the pump is working, it will pump oil. If it pumps oil, you will have oil pressure.
I may be wrong, but IMO, there is no way the filter can cause a 0 oil pressure problem. It sounds coincidental.
Zero pressure assumes:
1. No oil
2. Bad pump
3. No oil being pumped
If all 3 are good and the filter is the blockage, the oil has to go somewhere since the pump is still turning and the oil is still being pumped.
Based on the assumption that zero pressure is caused by a blocked/damaged filter, where did all the oil go when the pump sucked the pan dry? 5+qts of oil has to go somewhere. It doesnt all just sit on the top of the engine. It either has to drain back to the pan or blow a seal and end up in a pool on the ground.
Oil will drain back into the pan. That's what automatically happens when you fill the engine with oil. The pump pickup is sitting in the pan so if the pump is working, it will pump oil. If it pumps oil, you will have oil pressure.
I may be wrong, but IMO, there is no way the filter can cause a 0 oil pressure problem. It sounds coincidental.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 4,439
Likes: 405
From: Portland OR
The oil flow through the filter goes from the outside of the element to the inside. Exit is the passage where it screws on. Hence the term implode.
Always best to use a high quality filter!
I had a Fram filter do this on my rat motor. It didn't block the flow, but it never filtered either. Either case is bad. I've never used a Fram filter since. Only AC, Wix or NAPA gold (made by Wix)
And yes, if it blocks flow, the pump bypass simply opens and the oil just circulates inside the pump.
Ron
Always best to use a high quality filter!
I had a Fram filter do this on my rat motor. It didn't block the flow, but it never filtered either. Either case is bad. I've never used a Fram filter since. Only AC, Wix or NAPA gold (made by Wix)
And yes, if it blocks flow, the pump bypass simply opens and the oil just circulates inside the pump.
Ron
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 188
Likes: 0
From: Fredonia Wisconsin
Fram filters have issues on gen I small blocks...I remember from stock
car racing; however the symptoms of an imploded filter were the oil-
pressure would jump up on startup then slowly drop to zero while
running. Never ZERO immediately. Even people with torn or twisted O-
rings on the pickup tube usually claim some (LOW) oil pressure with alot
of valvtrain noise. By the description here it sounds like the oil-pump
bypass stuck open.
car racing; however the symptoms of an imploded filter were the oil-
pressure would jump up on startup then slowly drop to zero while
running. Never ZERO immediately. Even people with torn or twisted O-
rings on the pickup tube usually claim some (LOW) oil pressure with alot
of valvtrain noise. By the description here it sounds like the oil-pump
bypass stuck open.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,139
Likes: 4,156
From: Kannapolis NC
"I hope she pulls the filter before tearing the engine apart...."
He/she has another post where they have pulled the steering rack/water pump and asking how to get the balancer off, so I guess not.
He/she has another post where they have pulled the steering rack/water pump and asking how to get the balancer off, so I guess not.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
From: ca
update on the pressure issue
Yup the bypass valve was stuck literally jammed...i dont even know how that happens. o ring flawless and oil filter was fine. noticed other issues tho...balancer is separating from itself it seems and is cracking, and timing chain is extra loose.. i know it should have some play but it seems like mine has too too much play....man when will it end
