Low Oil Pressure
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 3,078
Likes: 101
From: Riverhead New York
Low Oil Pressure
My 86 Small Block has lost most of it's Oil Pressure. I'm suspicious of the replacement pump I installed two years ago. I dropped the Pan and Pump tonight and all looks normal with the pump. Gears are clean and smooth. Relief operates fine. Found some Gritty residue in bottom of pan that I think is Carbon. (Non Magnetic).
What else can cause sudden oil pressure loss. Not failure. I believe this engine to be a high mileage unit. Thanks! Al W.
C-2 Forum
What else can cause sudden oil pressure loss. Not failure. I believe this engine to be a high mileage unit. Thanks! Al W.
C-2 Forum
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 7,098
Likes: 378
From: Las Vegas - Just stop perpetuating myths please.
Here's just a few possiblities.
1 - bad oil press sensor.
2 - broken oil press sensor wire.
3 - oil pump shaft lost coupling with dist shaft - needs a little plastic/sometimes metal coupler between oil pump and drive shaft to dist.
4 - wornout eng bearings - from too large brg clearance no backpress.
5 - wornout pump - check clearance from gear teeth to cover - should be < 0.003".
6 - broken pump casting or even the eng block somewhere inside the oil galeries (long shot).
Hope this helps ya',
cardo0
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,720
Likes: 19
From: Manhattan Beach Ca
The main question is, is the pressure low at hot idle or ALL the time? If it seems to be just at hot idle then it could be fairly normal with bearing clearances being a little high. If at 2000 rpm it's still low, then it could be pump related or block. My .02
