Low Oil Pressure
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 317
From: Fairfax, VA
Low Oil Pressure
I recently did my LT4 HOTCAM swap. Today I noticed my oil pressure was real low, like maybe at 20 or lower. But there is no knocking sound coming from the engine. What else could be causing low pressure?? How low is too low??
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 151
From: Bakersfield, CA, Kern
Well, your pressure is supposed to stay way up while it's warming up....then it's supposed to climb with your RPM, and also drop with your RPM. Your oil-pump is mechanical, I have heard other people that have problems after installing a new cam....I think it may be due to a lower vacuum in the crankcase....not sure.....I bet Shoebox could help you out though......Worst case senario.....look into a Melling Oil Pump; but I bet there's something else cheaper and easier that can be done.
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Joined: Nov 1998
Posts: 71,098
From: Hell was full so they sent me to NJ
96Z28man:
I tried to reply to your "private message" regarding the problem with oil pressure, but the system indicates it can not send my message because your mailbox is full. You need to delete old messages, since there is a limit on how many can be saved.
As far as the oil pressure, if you are saying there was a radical change in the oil pressure in your engine, both hot and cold, after the cam change, it appears that oil is somehow bypassing the system. I don't know enough about the specific path the oil takes through the engine, but it sounds like the cam bearing clearance might be too large, allowing oil to leak out of the system at that point, and reducing the pressure.
There is also a possibility you damaged the oil pump drive.
It might help if you post actual before and after oil pressure numbers for hot and cold operation. Otherwise, its hard for people to really understand the magnitude of the problem.
Fred/Injuneer
I tried to reply to your "private message" regarding the problem with oil pressure, but the system indicates it can not send my message because your mailbox is full. You need to delete old messages, since there is a limit on how many can be saved.
As far as the oil pressure, if you are saying there was a radical change in the oil pressure in your engine, both hot and cold, after the cam change, it appears that oil is somehow bypassing the system. I don't know enough about the specific path the oil takes through the engine, but it sounds like the cam bearing clearance might be too large, allowing oil to leak out of the system at that point, and reducing the pressure.
There is also a possibility you damaged the oil pump drive.
It might help if you post actual before and after oil pressure numbers for hot and cold operation. Otherwise, its hard for people to really understand the magnitude of the problem.
Fred/Injuneer
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