I don't think my oil pump has much more life left. It's running 23lbs at hot idle and a little ticking comes off the valve train. When it's cold it's at 38lbs at idle and almost 50lbs at 3500rpm, and no ticking. After it's hot it's at 28-29lbs at 1500rpm. The engine has 100,000 miles on the clock and runs really strong. a year ago I installed a new 228R cam and lifters, BUT NO OIL PUMP or Timing chain. I tried to keep the costs down. I also had a valve job done on the heads in January. I pulled the valve cover and checked the rockers for trunnion bearing damage and any pushrod slop.

I'm going to call TSP and order a new higher flow Melling oil pump and a new LS7 Timing chain next Monday.

Does that sound like a plan? I'm thinking last year my stock oil pump was like 45-50lbs at idle?

Anyway, it's coming apart in the next couple of days. After all my experience on the car, it's a piece of cake.

Youtube of idling oil pressure.

http://youtu.be/AbokjJ6O8AQ

 

23psi at idle and 29psi at 1500rpm is just fine.

 

I agree 100%! Looks fine to me. My 2011 GS Vert has simular HOT pressures.

If you have valve noises, look at the trunions , springs rockers ect.

That engine sounds great!!

Bill

 

Thanks Bill for looking..... You are the guy in the know. I suspect something in the valve train is trying to go out , maybe. It's the ticking that drives me insane at a hot idle. I will pull the valve covers and rockers to inspect a little closer as well as make sure all the spark plugs are tight(once it happened a couple years ago). I've been told that LS engines have a noisy valve train with cam and valve work, but don't buy into it much.

Anyway...something is amiss and the oil pump was just a suspect cause of the oil pressure concern.

Thanks,
Rick

 

Try to use a stethoscope to isolate where the ticking is coming from before you pull the valve covers. If it is the valvetrain you may be able to determine which valve it is and look more closely at it when you have the valve cover off.

 

Rick

Before you close everything up,, try this:

I use a stethoscope but, a 4 foot length of fuel line will do just as good. Start the engine and when the TICKING starts, hold one end of the rubber hose to your ear and POINT the other end at each rocker.

As you run by each rocker you will hear each valve move thru its complete cycle and any ABNORMAL noises. That will help you pin point the noise to a specific valve and the specific part of the valve train thats making the noise.

You should be able to hear the EXACT source of the noise/s

 

Great minds think alike!!

BC

 

 

 

Ok I took it apart this morning and couldn't see anything really wrong with the rockers or trunions. I put it back together to try Bill's advice on oil weight to see what would happen.

Anyway after all was done I cranked it up and the ticking is gone....I HATE IT when a problems goes away and you DON'T know what you actually did IF ANYTHING to make it run better!!!!!!





http://youtu.be/CSxFfVkJpdg

 

2 things....

when you install that Melling you will crank up the car and see the pressure gage pegged

I can also tell you that oil pressure below 20 at idle will get you the chance to build a new motor.....I suffered a low PSI issue that eventually revealed itself to be a broken roller on a lifter...on the girlfriends 02 low oil pressure cost her a set of cam bearings and a cam....and...and....


after 100K anything is possible especially on a modified car.

Good luck

 

Hmm, wonder how a splash lubricated lifter roller failed due to low oil pressure....

 

see my pics posted here http://forums.corvetteforum.com/1580660597-post18.html

 

Are you trying to say that low idle oil pressure means the cam is failing or that the roller failure was caused by the low oil pressure? Not sure what you're claiming here.

 

something is not right.

I run hot 40 lbs idle and 60 at 2000 rpm

 

An LS1 needs 7 lbs of oil pressure to float the crank at idle. General rule is 10 psi per 1000 rpm and you're safe. 23 lbs at hot idle is fine.

 

where did you get that info? never heard that before

 

I need more information on this as well

 

Service manual

 

Thanks for the info