Hello I am dire need of some quick help with less than 2 weeks away from Camaro Superfest (www.camarosuperfest.com) My engine isn't ready to go. I have been chasing problem after problem. Well here is the new one. The motor has been rebulit back around 98, I have upgraded and modded a few things since then, the car is a 78 Z28 Camaro 350 (2-bolt) I even had a high flow oil pump put in when I had the build. The car has been running fine, and just recently I had a heating problem and got it fixed by getting a bigger radiator. Then right after the the oil pressure has been on the wack. When we were putting in the radiator some how the oil pressure line got snapped and oil went everwhere but I fixed it.

So when I start the car up it has a good idel and pulls 30-40psi oil pressure, so after I go driving for a while and the engine gets warm thats when it happens, when I come to a stop the oil pressure goes down to zero on the gague (mechanical) and the idiot light even comes on. So to counter this I just reved the engine up and got around 10 psi pressure. Well i had a guy pull out in front of me and it stalled and crushed #1 lifters. Will I be able to just pump them back up or will I have to buy new ones???


So questions:
1.) Any ideas why I am losing oil press. when I come to stops?
2.) Are the lifters shot

Oh ya when the car is warm and going down the road the oil pressure is fine, please help.

 

well a few things come to mind and i'm not saying any of these are your cause, but it never hurts to ask. oil level up? main bearings going? i would replace the lifters just to make sure that another one or two don't go in a week or two. as for the bearings you are going to have to pull the pan and check all of them, if you don't and one let's go you could tear up the block,crank,rods etc. it's better to be safe than sorry. last, your oil pump or pick up could have come loose and you have to pull the pan any way's.

 

Well as most of you know that I "was" having an oil pressure problem. So of you already know the story about Performance Clinic doing an engine re-build for those who don't know here it is. Last summer I was going to change the vavle springs, becuase come to find out Performance Clinis only had 60 lbs of seat pressure on them. So me and a buddy put a tool on the stud that allows you to get the spring out easily. Well when he pushed down to get the spring out the stud broke like a pencil. Come to find out Performance Clinic welded all my press in studs into the head. So there is a weld all the way around the stud.


So Ohio George had to fix their "f" up he had to cut below the weld on the head and tap it out and put a screw in stud.

So now that was all fixed last summer and now this summer I have had oil pressure problems. Well I did what everyone said I cut the oil filter in half and noting was in it not a single metal shaving was in the filter. So then we wanted to see if oil was getting up to the heads so we put a oil primer on it and spun it and the oil was coming up through all the push rods. So it was time to fix that crazy rocker that was turned sideways on the stud. Well then thats when my Dads like "Oh ****" well the pic below will show. The weld the Performance Clinic put around the stud broke in half , half is on the head and the other half is still attached to the stud. So we are trying to get the rocker arm out and the stud, nut, and rocker arm just spin and can't get out.

Now before you post anything, I know it can be fixed and the car can get back on the road. Thing is I am on such a tight budget with the new motor coming , it would cost me over $100 bucks to get the current stud problem fixed. I rather just take the motor out and clean/ paint the engine bay and get it ready for the new motor. Also to Performance Clinic welded all 16 studs so if I did get the motor fixed how long before the next stud problem???

Thanks for all your support and help and the Z will be back in late Aug, early Sept