The other day I was just cruising around and my oil pressure decided to drop to zero -mechanical guage-. I shut it right off, let it sit overnight and had it towed the next day. Installed a new oil pump, screen, white spring, and melling all-metal driveshaft. Got the car back together, fired it up and ran for about 20 seconds until I shut it off again with no oil pressure. Whats the deal with this. Everything is intalled correctly. I even tacked the pickup screen on so it wouldnt fall. I did find a little needle inside the oil pan that looked like a pin used to hold the spring in the pump in. Dont know where it came from. Could the gear from the cam be bad? Thats the only thing I can think of. Can you replace that just by removing the intake? Maybe the the pin in the oil pan was from the gear that drives the shaft. Any help would be great. No oil pressure sucks. Thanks Nathan

 

yes, pull the intake, and there is 1 bolt holding it down, the oil pump drive flange breaking seems fairly common, did you replace the oil pump shaft when you replaced the pump?

 

What about verification of the pressure? Like one of these: http://www.ebay.com.sg/viItem?ItemId=8009098078 (maybe find somewhere that rents them) first..

 

I beleive it says in his original post that he already used a mechanical oil pressure guage. Dont take this the wrong way, I am not trying to be a dick.

 

Yeah, so that'd be the part where he said - mechanical guage - Ah well..

 

I am wondering if his drive broke, and allowed it to get pushed up into the lifter valley
well, his next step is to pull the intake, so we'll see what he finds

 

Yeh I just orded a gasket set. I'm gonna pull the intake on monday. I did put a new shaft in. The one with the metal coupling - Melling IS55E. Both the mechanical and electronic guages show zero. What parts would I need if it was broke up at the intake? Thanks for your replys. Nathan

 

If part of the shaft in the intake broke then a whole new peice should give u everything u need. I had to buy one about a year ago, I am not sure on the price. I am willing to bet this is most likely your problem.

 

Ok I got the intake off and the gear on the drive assembly is completely sheard off on one side. I can reach down in and feel the other gear spun by the cam. It feels ok but I cans see it. Is it likely that that gear got messed up too or not? And also where would all the metal shavings from the gear go? I found some in the bottom of the pan but I want to make sure I get all of them out. Thanks for all your help. Nathan

 

Yep happened to me also its from useing a high volume oil pump.
The cam should be ok but the only way to get all the matel out of the motor is to tear it down and flush and wash the block
What new oil pump did you put in ???

 

It was made by clevite. I also put the "white spring" in it, and a metal driveshaft. Just waiting for the drive assy. Nathan

 

I thought you said it lost pressure before the pump? If so i think you probably need a Bronze gear but i could be wrong.

 

I dont understand what you mean lost pressure before the pump. I lost pressure, replaced the pump and still had no oil pressure so I pulled the intake and the drive assembly was all torn up. I'm waiting for a new one of them. Isn't a bronze gear used for billet roller cams?

 

These guys said you probably busted it because you added a new high volume oil pump. You said in your first post you lost oil pressure than just replaced the oil pump and all the other parts. So it couldn't of been caused by your pump.

 

don't lt1s have a check ball somewhere in the motor that needs to be in place to keep oil pressure? think the factory needed to drill a certain spot for an oil galley then blocked it w/ a ball bearing, remember reading about it when I was going to rebuild mine.

only thing I can think of is while the intake is off, put a primer on there and see if you can see where the oil isn't getting to.