Low oil pressure 200 mi after rebuild

[RAR]

I just got done with the rebuid on my 95 firebird 3.4 and after 200 miles it is doing the same damn thing it was doing, that caused me to rebuild the motor....


Today (and a few days ago) the "check gauges light" came on because the oil pressure was "in the red".

Before the rebuild:
1. I replaced the oil pressure sensor

2. I teed off of the oil pressure sensor with mechanical gauge, the mechanical gauge read about 2-5 lbs higher (depending upon RPM), but for the most part they were the same.

3. This problem is made worse, when the car is stuck in traffic and the temp goes up to about 230 range, before the fans kick on at 235 (this is a STUPID design having a car go from 180 to 235 when stoped - the fans should kick on MUCH sooner).

Currently when the car starts up the oil pressure reads about 60 lbs (it is about 55-60 deg F around here this time of year). After it warms up at idle it will be in the midle of the first tick mark and the read line (I am guessing around 10 Lbs).

This only apears to be a problem at idle, if you to up to about 1,000 RPM the oil pressure is about 15-20 LBS

I am using Valvaline 5W-30 and a AC Filter.

Any suggestions?

I did the rebuild myself, everything went smoothly.

When I got the engine apart I noticed the cam barings were gold in color - like they were eating into the "core" of the barring or something... - I just assumed that was the problem.

I did plastigauge the main caps before the rebuild (but not after - my mistake) it was about 0.030-0.035" - did not check the rod barrings (this is a mistake I will not make again - I should have gauged the entire engne after the build...)

Also in the rebuild i replaced:
1. Cam
2. Lifters
3. Rings
4. All barrings
5. Freze out plugs
6. Timing chanin
7. Oil pump (stock flow)
8. Gaskets
9. Etc...

Any suggestions?


If you all need any more info, please feel free to ask - I am looking for any suggestions before I kill this fuc****ing car !!!!

[awesomeame]

i woulda thought that'd be a bearing..i had the same symtoms with a previous car, turned out to be the main bearings.

what wieght oil are you using?

--matt

[ October 21, 2003: Message edited by: awesomeame ]</p>

[RAR]

I am using 5W-30 Valvaline with an AC Delco filter

[awesomeame]

your oil pump could be sucking air on the inlet side, or pouring out oil somewhere on the outlet side. you replaced the bearings & are using proper weight oil...imho, you didn't put something together quite right. what i have no idea. you didn't reuse any gaskets or o-rings, eh? just my $.02

--matt

[RAR]

Well I think I did everything right, but you never know...

I did use all new seals and o rings

The engine is leaking oil somewhere - I can smell it when it gets hot. I think it is one of the valve covers, but I am not sure - I have looked for the leak over the weekend with nothing...

Also, you raise a good point, oil could be leaking out somewere - I did not put a gasket on the oil pump to the main baring - I do not think it had one orignaly and I called autozone and they did not show one, so I assumed there was none - does any one know if a 3.4 has a gasket for the oil pump?

[MississippiMaro]

I'm about to replace the o-ring on my oil gear drive. It's located on the top of the block on the passenger side. it is, incidentally in perfect position to drip on the y-pipe if the o-ring is bad. I have the high engine temp problem and the burning oil smell..i'll bet this is your problem.

[RAR]

Actualy I found most of the cause of the oil smell... (there is a second problem though). The o-ring on the oil filter adapter was leaking - I could not find a replacement anywhere local at 7:00PM the day I had it torn apart so I just reused the old one and put some RTV black around it - it seals up good now. On the down side I had to make a new gasket between the block and the filter adapter - that was fun !

I would like to get some orignal parts, but you can only order them in packs of 10 and they are about $1.50 each, so that is $30 is gaskets and I will have 9 sets left.