JJ63

iTrader: (1)

I just noticed that my oil pressure gauge shows no pressure. I checked the oil level, and it was about a quart low. The gauge still showed no pressure. The car will run and it seems to be fine otherwise. Am I correct in thinking my fuel pump would shut off if there was no pressure? I'm hoping the problem is just the sending unit and not the pump. I'm at work right now and can't really do to much to the car and I'm Wondering if it's safe to drive home.

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92 1LE Trans Am
5.0 Liter, 5 speed
SLP Headers
Dynomax Cat-back
SLP Cold Air, Chip
SFC, Strut Tower Brace

freeze92

Wiggle the wires on your pressure sender. Also, check for oil flow at the rocker by looking in the oil fill cap. I personnaly wouldn't drive the car very far, unless I was sure it is the sender. Probably is, unless you can here any strange noises coming from the engine. Can you here the lifters ticking?

JJ63

iTrader: (1)

I can't hear the lifters ticking. Does the fuel shut off if there is no oil pressure? Home is about 15 miles away. Thanks for the quik response.

freeze92

Look at the post from Christobal about his fuel pump. There is a diagram there about the wiring for the pressure switch and the fuel pump. It looks as though the pump will continue to run with voltage from the relay. The oil pressure switch is a backup circut in case the relay goes out. If you can't here the lifters ticking, then you probably have some oil pressure. If you change your own oil, then you know what it sounds like for the first few seconds when you start the car. You can here the lifters ticking until the oil pressure comes back up. Look in you valve cover fill hole for flow.

JJ63

iTrader: (1)

Thanks. It sounds like I'm safe, if not I see a 383 in my future.

JJ63

iTrader: (1)

Well I drove it home. The gauge started at 55psi, but after the car warmed up it dropped to around 10psi. I looked in the valve covers, oil wasn't splashing but it did look oily. No ticking sounds. Smoke was coming out the opening of valve covers.
Is this normal?

Well does it sound like the sender or the pump?

[This message has been edited by JJ63 (edited September 28, 2000).]

[This message has been edited by JJ63 (edited September 28, 2000).]

freeze92

It is normal to see a little smoke coming out of a warm engine with the valve cover cap off. If you are dropping pressure to about 10, the I would first change the oil and filter, and go from there. It's probably not the oil pump, but may be an internal leak. How many miles are on the engine?

Ski89Z28

I had that happen to me it was the oil pressure sending unit. Cost I think $14.95 and everthing was ok.

JJ63

iTrader: (1)

The filter was just changed about a month ago. I only have about 60,000 miles on it. For $15.00, I'll try changing the sending unit this weekend. Thanks for all the help.

Here's what it looks like, when it was running right: