possible bad oil pump

[jcjjmj]

How do you know when your oil pump is going out in your 90 Buick Regal Limited?

[GTP Dad]

You may see several issues. First you may hear a knock from the engine due to low oil pressure. 2. You may see an increase in the water temperature due to a lack of lubrication and an increase in friction. 3. If you have an oil pressure guage the oil pressure will either remain low or drop as the car heats up. Or you have no pressure at all. All of these will indicate a problem with the oil pump. Before assuming that the oil pump is bad change the sending unit from the engine. They can go bad and cause you to have a false reading.

By the way, Welcome to AF!!

[MT-2500]

Originally Posted by jcjjmj

How do you know when your oil pump is going out in your 90 Buick Regal Limited?

Oil pumps very seldom wear out.
As said if oil light on time for a manual oil pressure gauge test.
What is it doing or not doing that makes you ask about oil pumps?
MT

[JustSayGo]

I agree with MT-2500, oil pumps don't wear out. The pressure relief spring can break and cause low oil pressure and the symptoms described by GPT Dad. Hydraulic lifters usually cause noise first. You can replace the spring or buy a new oil pump. The new oil pump housing that will have a new pressure relief spring that controls the oil pressure. Use a mechanical oil pressure gauge to find out if you have low oil pressure. The gauge will answer your question.

[rhandwor]

I agree that oil pumps seldom wear out but if oil isn't changed regularily the strainers will plug up causing low oil pressure at idle.