IMPORTANT: The Chronicles of Low Oil Pressure by 07burb

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Wolfbraid

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Welcome to the club.. ME.... not sure if it was related, but today after a pretty hard acceleration(harder than normal, not 100% throttle) I found myself
with 0 pressure reading, and a "low oil pressure stop engine" DIC message. Engine quiet, I pulled over and listened, had my boys with me so I drove home 2 miles to get another vehicle.
No signs of oil loss, levels good, oil looks good and clean. changed the oil about 2000 miles ago with Mobil 1 and I think a K&N filter.

Parked now at home Oil gauge will move slightly if revved up.. engine sounds normal.
I'm aiming at oil pressure switch and the little filter with it as first line.
Although I may change oil/filter first to see if that has effect.

Would love to hear feedback, hope it's not the o-ring because that will have to be a shop job for me, don't have the time or tools for that one.
 

CobraKing

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@Wolfbraid Do you have service records for the truck?

With it being 10+ years old I would have that O-ring replaced. Replacing the sensor and the filter are good start but they don't tackle the problem of the O-ring not having a good seal.

Oil level and condition have nothing to do with this problem.
 

Wolfbraid

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@Wolfbraid Do you have service records for the truck?

With it being 10+ years old I would have that O-ring replaced. Replacing the sensor and the filter are good start but they don't tackle the problem of the O-ring not having a good seal.

Oil level and condition have nothing to do with this problem.

Well it was the Sensor/Filter Being I wasn't getting any reading at all, most o-ring failures will at least show a little pressure when cold.
and this was the cheaper start(because if it comes down the o-ring job, I'll have to pay someone, I don't have the patience, tools or time for that one.

Going to add a couple pictures of the tools needed, and my yucky filter.(I'm guessing my driving it really hard, loosened up some gunk in the engine)
IMG_20181117_235829667.jpg
 

CobraKing

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Yes agreed on getting some type of pressure reading with the original o-ring. Glad you got it fixed too.

Do you think just replacing the screen filter itself would've sufficed?
 

Wolfbraid

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Yes agreed on getting some type of pressure reading with the original o-ring. Glad you got it fixed too.

Do you think just replacing the screen filter itself would've sufficed?

Yes probably but the plastic on the original sensor was so brittle that it broke off when removing it...
 

CobraKing

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Yes probably but the plastic on the original sensor was so brittle that it broke off when removing it...

Yikes, I've got the screen filter replacement on my to-do list but I was planning on keeping the original sensor as the truck's a '14 model. Might have to keep a sensor on hand in case mine breaks off too.
 

Tatman48

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I kept having low oil pressure messages along with shut off motor. Turns out, the place I was having oil changed at was using an oil blend and the viscosity was off enough to set off my issue. I stopped using then and did it myself using proper oil and a good oil filter and no more issues.
 

donjetman

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To determine if low oil pressure is being caused by a bad o-ring between the block and the oil pump pickup tube, overfill the crankcase by 2 qts of oil, start it up, and if the pressure is OK you know where the problem is.
 

JonnyTahoe

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You guys don't use AC Delco oil filters ? Never had any issues with them. '00 5.3 292,000 mi. Never had that screen problem ever. Truck was purchased from a friend who was the original owner.
 
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07Burb

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You guys don't use AC Delco oil filters ? Never had any issues with them. '00 5.3 292,000 mi. Never had that screen problem ever. Truck was purchased from a friend who was the original owner.
When I had my original problem that started this thread it happened whether I used AC Delco, WIX, K&N or whatever :shrug: so, obviously the issue was not oil filtered related. I cannot speak for others, however.
 

JonnyTahoe

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I thought about doing a engine flush but after removing the oil pan to replace the Oil Tube O-Ring I decided not too. You will Never get all the oil to drain out of your pan just by doing an oil change. The inside of the bottom of the pan is designed in such a way that not all the oil can be drained out.
 

JonnyTahoe

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I thought about doing a engine flush but after removing the oil pan to replace the Oil Tube O-Ring I decided not too. You will Never get all the oil to drain out of your pan just by doing an oil change. The inside of the bottom of the pan is designed in such a way that not all the oil can be drained out.
Even if you put the truck on ramps there is debris that stays in the bottom of the pan and will not just drain out.
 

CobraKing

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I thought about doing a engine flush but after removing the oil pan to replace the Oil Tube O-Ring I decided not too. You will Never get all the oil to drain out of your pan just by doing an oil change. The inside of the bottom of the pan is designed in such a way that not all the oil can be drained out.

@jonnytahoe They put the drain bolt at the side as opposed to the rear, so on ramps you're absolutely right that there will always be some dirty oil left behind.
 

JonnyTahoe

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When I had my original problem that started this thread it happened whether I used AC Delco, WIX, K&N or whatever :shrug: so, obviously the issue was not oil filtered related. I cannot speak for others, however.
I was only asking that because you mentioned how you like the K&N filter because of the removal nut on the bottom and you mentioned you can't get it tight by hand without it leaking and most wrenches wont fit because the pan is in the way. I use mechanics gloves and tighten by hand only and have never had one leak.
 
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07Burb

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I was only asking that because you mentioned how you like the K&N filter because of the removal nut on the bottom and you mentioned you can't get it tight by hand without it leaking and most wrenches wont fit because the pan is in the way. I use mechanics gloves and tighten by hand only and have never had one leak.
yeah, I've sense moved away from the K&N because they're so much higher to pay just to get a nut. I've found a system to where I can get the proper tightness on the filter now. Still a much bigger pain in the tookus than it needs to be but it is what it is LOL
 

JonnyTahoe

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@jonnytahoe They put the drain bolt at the side as opposed to the rear, so on ramps you're absolutely right that there will always be some dirty oil left behind.
Really. My '00 5.3 has the drain plug in the rear and you still will never get all the oil to drain out because of the factory sump that is below the drain plug and even if you could get all of it out you will never get all the sludge out without removing the pan.
 

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