Oil pressure dropped to nada the other day driving home from work. There was no knocking so i think i killed it in time. I drained the oil and it was about2 quarts low so i figed maybe it just got pumped dry. Nope, changed the oil and cranked, still no oil pressure. Thought maybe the sensor went bad so i took the valve cover off and cranked and no oil shot me in the eye so i think the pump is bad. There was no oil in the new filter either. But thats my question, i thought the pump was run off gears? what could go bad with it then?

 

The pump runs off the back of the cam, using gears. The drive stub is held in place by a fairly flimsy bracket. Might have broken off. You might want to attach a mechanical oil pressure gauge to the port right above the oil filter.

 

so that mean i'll have to take off the intake to check that stub right?

 

yep...you got it. I actually broke the piece mentioned in my cam swap, so it is pretty flimsy.

 

No need to check the oil pressure its obvious you don't have any...The main oil gallery runs to the filter. You didn't get any oil in the new filter. Therefore you have a problem with your oil pump...If I were you the first thing I'd do before removing the intake manifold. Lift the car up drain the oil and try hitting the oil pan listen for anything lose inside. Your pick up screen could have fallen off. If it was just pressed on and not welded on most likely that's what happen. If you don't hear anything then remove the intake manifold. Under the manifold you'll find a "stud" held down by a 1/2 bolt. Remove the stub. Inspect the gear on the stub and cam. Also there will be an oil pump drive shaft inside. Get any long enough screw driver and try to spin the shaft manualy. If it spins you have either a bad oil pump or clog oil galleries....

 

tnx for the info seven, i'll take my oil pan off and inspect first, but if i took the intake off and the stub out, doesn't the shaft spin anyway? i mean thats how i primed it, and it wasn't broken at the time?

 

Yes, That's how you prime the engine because that's what drives the oil pump. If that shaft doesn't spin neither will the oil pump. The cam runs the stud and the stud runs that shaft. However I think your problem is the pick up screen.... Don't remove the pain just yet. Remove the oil level sensor. Stick a wire magnet threw going down to the sump. If the screen fell the magnet should pick it up. That way you'll know for sure oil, An oil pan can be a pain... Good luck

 

Alright,

I took the pan partially off, couldn't get it all the way off, but i i look around inside the best i could and didn't see anything loose. Then I took off the intake and popped out the oil drive assem. and it was chewed all to hell. One side had its teeth completely ground flat, and the other side had a new pattern cut right in the teeth. I inspected the cam for dmg the best i could, it still had all its teeth, (or what i could feel with one finger) and i took a mirror and looked a bit, but i couldn't really tell much. Im sure that the cam gear is made out of much harder metal, so i thought it was ok. I think the melling hv pump is putting to much stress in the gear ane wearing it out, i mean at idle its pumping almost 65psi. I'm gonna put my stock pump back in with a stiffer spring.
So then I ordered a new oil drive assembly, and when i pre lubed the engine there was water all in my pan! so that got pumped!....the hard rain we got the day before somehow got under my hood and in my open lifter valley, and my dumb *** didn't think to check the pan. I changed the oil 3 times w/o cranking or anything to flush everything, put it back together and cranked it, using fresh oil and a new filter. I have oil pressure again, lots of it, and the motor roared to life like its supposed to, but there is an awful grinding sound in the motor now, not a knocking or pecking or ticking, ...grinding. I'm thinking that cam gear got wore out real bad, and its not meshing right with this new oil pump drive gear, you think i'm right? or is it something else. My local garage is coming to pick it up tomorrow, i'm sick of it.

 

ouch...good luck. Sounds as if the cam walked and mauled the oil pump drive "stub". Sucks, but if you want a new cam, now would probably be a good time, as well as a good set of lifters.

chris

 

what would cause a cam to walk?