Oil Pressure Drop
CamaroRS92
04-22-2006, 11:00 PM
Ok guys, on a 350 engine upon start up I get right at 50psi oil pressure. After warm up, I am getting 30psi at idle and 45psi at acceleration.
No problem there, however when she has been driven for some distance the oil pressure falls to near 1 psi and sometimes it will bottom out at 0psi when stopped at a traffic signal. The pressure will come up by increasing rpm, but it is still very low (around 5psi). The pressure will come back up to 30psi again while driving .
I have a mechanical pressure gauge installed so that i can see what the "real" oil pressure is doing instead of the electric guage and sending unit set up.
The oil and filter was changed to rule out oil break down or gasoline thinning, but it did not change a thing.
my first thought is oil pump failure, but cant really decide if that is what the cause is or not since it has such good pressure at start up and while driving, & evidentally it is getting atleast some lubrication to the top of the engine since i dont hear any lifter chatter
what could be the cause of this pressure fluctuation?
No problem there, however when she has been driven for some distance the oil pressure falls to near 1 psi and sometimes it will bottom out at 0psi when stopped at a traffic signal. The pressure will come up by increasing rpm, but it is still very low (around 5psi). The pressure will come back up to 30psi again while driving .
I have a mechanical pressure gauge installed so that i can see what the "real" oil pressure is doing instead of the electric guage and sending unit set up.
The oil and filter was changed to rule out oil break down or gasoline thinning, but it did not change a thing.
my first thought is oil pump failure, but cant really decide if that is what the cause is or not since it has such good pressure at start up and while driving, & evidentally it is getting atleast some lubrication to the top of the engine since i dont hear any lifter chatter
what could be the cause of this pressure fluctuation?
mrwonderful
04-24-2006, 07:53 AM
:2cents: It is either oil pump is weak or bearings are. You can pull the pan and plastiguage rod and mains. If ok put a high volume oil pump in and you will be ok.:2cents: Ok guys, on a 350 engine upon start up I get right at 50psi oil pressure. After warm up, I am getting 30psi at idle and 45psi at acceleration.
No problem there, however when she has been driven for some distance the oil pressure falls to near 1 psi and sometimes it will bottom out at 0psi when stopped at a traffic signal. The pressure will come up by increasing rpm, but it is still very low (around 5psi). The pressure will come back up to 30psi again while driving .
I have a mechanical pressure gauge installed so that i can see what the "real" oil pressure is doing instead of the electric guage and sending unit set up.
The oil and filter was changed to rule out oil break down or gasoline thinning, but it did not change a thing.
my first thought is oil pump failure, but cant really decide if that is what the cause is or not since it has such good pressure at start up and while driving, & evidentally it is getting atleast some lubrication to the top of the engine since i dont hear any lifter chatter
what could be the cause of this pressure fluctuation?
No problem there, however when she has been driven for some distance the oil pressure falls to near 1 psi and sometimes it will bottom out at 0psi when stopped at a traffic signal. The pressure will come up by increasing rpm, but it is still very low (around 5psi). The pressure will come back up to 30psi again while driving .
I have a mechanical pressure gauge installed so that i can see what the "real" oil pressure is doing instead of the electric guage and sending unit set up.
The oil and filter was changed to rule out oil break down or gasoline thinning, but it did not change a thing.
my first thought is oil pump failure, but cant really decide if that is what the cause is or not since it has such good pressure at start up and while driving, & evidentally it is getting atleast some lubrication to the top of the engine since i dont hear any lifter chatter
what could be the cause of this pressure fluctuation?
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