Low Oil Pressure Question, quick onset, Weird Symptoms

[solocus]

My daughter's car has 149K on the clock and just recently developed an oil pressure problem. Last time she drove 175 miles to school she reported to me the valves started "ticking" like it sometimes does on start up. For he last two months or so she said it drove fine at school. So she comes home for Easter and says the oil pressure dropped real low in traffic and the ticking started again.

The following morning I checked the oil and it looked full and not that dirty, Started the car and valve clatter was heard for about 20 seconds. I drove the car and it ran fine, good power, no misses, Oil psi in the middle. I drove it about 20 miles and all is fine. I pull back into the driveway and as I sit in drive, a faint ticking begins in the lifters. Oil psi drops to about the middle between the red and center marks. Ticking is kind of loud at this point. Temperature is normal as it was for most of the 20 mile drive once the engine warmed up. When the car is put into neutral and you rev the engine oil pressure remains low and unchanged. I have never seen that before on a car with low pressure. I'm also surprised how all was well and 300 miles ago, and now low oil psi.

I will be changing to oil and filter tomorrow but I feel this will not fix things. Could this be an oil pump problem? I find the symptoms unusual? Any thoughts?

TIA

Mike

[Docta]

Re: Low Oil Pressure Question, quick onset, Weird Symptoms

Mine did that, in a way. When you get oil, find a either Lucasoil or Polydyn additive, and that fixed my issues. I used to lose all pressure, it bounced, grinder, whined, etc.. now I'm consistently at 65-90 psi. Hope that helps...

[ScottS4050]

Re: Low Oil Pressure Question, quick onset, Weird Symptoms

Personally I'm not a believer in additives. If an engine is in sound condition,
it shouldn't need additives to make it run right. Adding an additive is just going
to temporarily delay the inevitable, at best. I would pull the oil pan if I were you.
I bet you'll find that either the pickup screen is clogged with sludge, or the
pump is bad. Even if it's a clogged screen, replace the pump anyway, since you've
got it apart.

This is your daughter's car, don't take the chance of leaving her stranded on
the side of the freeway with a blown engine 200 miles from home.

[Docta]

Re: Low Oil Pressure Question, quick onset, Weird Symptoms

Personally I'm not a believer in additives. If an engine is in sound condition,
it shouldn't need additives to make it run right. Adding an additive is just going
to temporarily delay the inevitable, at best. I would pull the oil pan if I were you.
I bet you'll find that either the pickup screen is clogged with sludge, or the
pump is bad. Even if it's a clogged screen, replace the pump anyway, since you've
got it apart.

This is your daughter's car, don't take the chance of leaving her stranded on
the side of the freeway with a blown engine 200 miles from home.

That last point is an aspect I don't deal with... My bad :P How hard is it to change an oil pump after the pan is out? I have to change a pan gasket soon so I might try to do the pump while I'm at it.

[solocus]

Re: Low Oil Pressure Question, quick onset, Weird Symptoms

That last point is an aspect I don't deal with... My bad :P How hard is it to change an oil pump after the pan is out? I have to change a pan gasket soon so I might try to do the pump while I'm at it.

I believe the pump is not like SB chevys at all, and it's under the engine front cover. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Mine did that, in a way. When you get oil, find a either Lucasoil or Polydyn additive, and that fixed my issues. I used to lose all pressure, it bounced, grinder, whined, etc.. now I'm consistently at 65-90 psi. Hope that helps...

I'm not a fan of additives other than maybe a short term solution. After I change the oil and filter I might drop some additive in to get me to the shop.

Personally I'm not a believer in additives. If an engine is in sound condition,
it shouldn't need additives to make it run right. Adding an additive is just going
to temporarily delay the inevitable, at best. I would pull the oil pan if I were you.
I bet you'll find that either the pickup screen is clogged with sludge, or the
pump is bad. Even if it's a clogged screen, replace the pump anyway, since you've
got it apart.

This is your daughter's car, don't take the chance of leaving her stranded on
the side of the freeway with a blown engine 200 miles from home.

Your belief of a clogged screen makes sense to me. I have never seen a car with low oil pressure due to bearing wear that didn't pick up pressure with RPM. Maybe I'll get lucky and its a filter, but I'm doubtful. Thanks for your advice.

[Pewter02Camaro]

Re: Low Oil Pressure Question, quick onset, Weird Symptoms

I believe the pump is not like SB chevys at all, and it's under the engine front cover. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

You are correct, the oil pump machined into the backside of the front cover.

OP, sounds like ther oil pump may be going down hill. You can get a pump kit for close to nothing. the whole job should only take a few hours. Not really "hard" just time consuming.

[WarShrike]

Re: Low Oil Pressure Question, quick onset, Weird Symptoms

Hardest part is getting that crank pulley off.

[Docta]

Re: Low Oil Pressure Question, quick onset, Weird Symptoms

Anyone have a write up handy? I've been trying to find one for almost two years..

[flamingchicken]

Re: Low Oil Pressure Question, quick onset, Weird Symptoms

Anyone have a write up handy? I've been trying to find one for almost two years..

for the oil pump?? its super easy, and the kit is really cheap. the worst part is, as stated above, getting the bold off the crank pulley.

[Docta]

Re: Low Oil Pressure Question, quick onset, Weird Symptoms

It seemed pretty hard when I was looking into it before... like what's the basic process?

[techsan23]

Re: Low Oil Pressure Question, quick onset, Weird Symptoms

It seemed pretty hard when I was looking into it before... like what's the basic process?

For the 3.8 you will be removing the crank bolt which will require a good m-pact with alot of air pressure, and a large pulley puller. A list of some of the other things that will be coming off include belt, hoses, crank and cam sensor wires, alternator, water jacket, water pump and timing cover. There are three bolts that go through the front of the oil pan into the bottom of the timing cover. Use a new crank bolt going back on with rtv on it, and thread sealant on the longer timing cover bolts. Plan on replacing the coolant elbow and O-rings, and its a good time to do a timing chain and tensioner. This is what the oil drive looks like.

[solocus]

Re: Low Oil Pressure Question, quick onset, Weird Symptoms

OK, so I changed the filer and oil. I used a PF52 (extended filter) and 10w40 oil. Now I have no oil pressure, and of course the lifters are clattering like there is no tomorrow. Read post #1 for previous symptoms. I guess it has to be sludge in the oil pan or oil pump at this point. Any help appreciated.

TIA

Mike

[solocus]

Re: Low Oil Pressure Question, quick onset, Weird Symptoms

Slowly, and I mean very slowly I have full oil pressure back, just over the 60 straight up mark. I still have what sounds like one lifter towards the front of the Passenger side of the engine making a lot of racket like it has yet to pump up. To me its beginning to sound like this engine is big time sludged-up despite my 5 or 6 oil changes over the past 15K miles. It may be time for ATF, Seafoam, or something else.....I guess I have little to loose.

I just cut the filter open and yes it looks like sludge. Now, what is the best way to remove it?

[flamingchicken]

Re: Low Oil Pressure Question, quick onset, Weird Symptoms

the atf has tons of detergents, so does seafoam. if you feel that the engine is on its way out then what harm would it do to add some to the oil and see if it cleans stuff up a bit. that thing is gunked up bad!

[techsan23]

Re: Low Oil Pressure Question, quick onset, Weird Symptoms

Ive heard of people using naphtha.