Suddenly lost most of my engine oil. Suspect the oil pressure sensor because this has happened before. (Sensor has been relocated to driver's side engine block right behind power steering pump which is standard procedure for supercharger install.) I hope I shut it off in time! So, it is not seized, but I can't start it. Someone said if oil pickup couldn't get oil, something in the top-end would prevent it from starting. Any advice would be appreciated.
2005 Denali -Sudden loss of oil, now won't start?
- Thread starter E-Force
- Start date
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strutaeng
Full Access Member
Not that I'm aware of...
So what does it do? It cranks but won't fire?
If it cranks over just fine and you suspect you lost oil pressure, hook up a mechanical guage and crank it over. If you see oil pressure, proceed with diagnosing why it doesn't start. If you don't see oil pressure, well then, you'll have to reconsider then.
okay, I will try that. Thank you!
strutaeng
Full Access Member
Pretty much, yes. You'll need to remove engine, completely tear it down, inspect, possibly machine shop work, etc. It will get expensive quickly. Or junkyard or crate engine swap.
If you run it with low or no oil pressure, it will cause a catastrophic failure such as spun bearings, broken connecting rods, blown pistons, holes on the block, ...things like that.
you need to clarify the issue
1. just no oil pressure shown on gauge?
2. no oil in engine?
3. gauge/sensor can go bad and not show pressure, hence a mechanical gauge is used to verify the problem
if the pickup tube came off or something of that nature then oil pump needs to be fixed or replaced, this involves dropping the oil pan
rockola1971
Full Access Member
There is nothing in the electrical system that will keep a bonehead from starting up a engine with zero oil pressure. If there were then your vehicle wouldnt run with a bad oil pressure sending unit which is what tells the gauge on the cluster what your pressure is.
There used to be many years ago quite a few GM cars that had an oil pressure switch that was wired in series with the fuel pump control relay coil so it would prevent engine start with zero oil pressure.
To Doubeleive: Thanks. To clarify: since the sudden loss of oil, I've drained the remaining oil, replaced the oil filter, and put 5 quarts new oil in. I also replaced the suspect oil pressure sensor. When I try to start the vehicle, it cranks and oil pressure as seen on dash is zero (coming from new sensor). I noted there was a few specks of metal in the remaining oil and I opened-up the old oil filter and looked at the pleats which also had a few specks of metal. There was not a lot of "glitter" in either the remaining oil or filter, but perhaps even a little is too much.
I agree it would be time to connect a manual pressure gauge and see what that reads as I crank the engine over.
I'm also going to check if I've got fuel at the fuel rails, but it seems that would just be a coincidence if there is not.
I agree it would be time to connect a manual pressure gauge and see what that reads as I crank the engine over.
I'm also going to check if I've got fuel at the fuel rails, but it seems that would just be a coincidence if there is not.
metal? eh that's not good, sounds like it is time for a deeper look a simple oil change is not going to fix that.
and sudden loss of oil? did it leak out on the ground, tail pipe smoking?
you are leaving something out here.............
In the beginning, I was driving about 45 miles per hour and that's when the sudden loss of oil occurred. Lots of oil on the pavement and all over the driver's side engine and wheel wheel. this has happened before and the culprit was the oil pressure sensor which is mounted in the engine block on the driver's-side due to the Edelbrock supercharger installation which requires relocating the sensor to that position. Edelbrock tech support swears relocating the sensor there does not create a problem. I attributed the first sensor failure to a bad sensor part, but now two bad sensors? I can't verify the second sensor was bad, but the symptoms are the same. (except this time the truck won't start again).
strutaeng
Full Access Member
Dude, you have a Supercharger?! I feel like you should of told us that in the beginning, just for information and back story. LOL
Yeah, I don't think having the sender in a slight different location would make a big difference. Analogy is like in Math: zero divided by any other number is still zero.
Please keep us updated on what you find...
Yeah, I don't think having the sender in a slight different location would make a big difference. Analogy is like in Math: zero divided by any other number is still zero.
Please keep us updated on what you find...
I'm new to the forum. Somehow, I think I have two threads going on this same subject which is why you didn't know I had a supercharger. Correct, Edelbrock has told me there is no difference and no problems with relocating the oil pressure sensor.
I think it's just this thread. The oil pressure sender relocation for a supercharger is mentioned in post #1.
Mudsport96
Full Access Member
Ok. So. The engine does spin when trying to start but doesn't start and run? That sounds like an issue other than just the oil.
I am not super concerned about a few flecks of metal in the oil at the moment, I've seen some flecks in my vehicles oil before. Unless it is full on glitter soup?
Do you have fuel pressure? Do you have spark? If it spins it isn't locked up. Have you done a compression test? I know you stated in the first thread that the sender was moved as is common with a supercharger.... didn't catch that you meant you had one. Hell I have a mechanical port for oil pressure at that spot so I figured you did something similar.
So, is the computer tuned well for the supercharger? Usually, you will loose one hole and get massive blowby causing a big oil leak. Not lose enough to not start.
Is the belt on the supercharger pulley? Did the oil cause it to come off and now the truck is starving for air?
I just feel this is something being overlooked, and hard to diagnose over the internet, ya know
I am not super concerned about a few flecks of metal in the oil at the moment, I've seen some flecks in my vehicles oil before. Unless it is full on glitter soup?
Do you have fuel pressure? Do you have spark? If it spins it isn't locked up. Have you done a compression test? I know you stated in the first thread that the sender was moved as is common with a supercharger.... didn't catch that you meant you had one. Hell I have a mechanical port for oil pressure at that spot so I figured you did something similar.
So, is the computer tuned well for the supercharger? Usually, you will loose one hole and get massive blowby causing a big oil leak. Not lose enough to not start.
Is the belt on the supercharger pulley? Did the oil cause it to come off and now the truck is starving for air?
I just feel this is something being overlooked, and hard to diagnose over the internet, ya know
update: yes, I'm slow. Good thing I have other vehicles to drive.
I feel dumb because I noticed I forgot to connect a ground wire. That's why it wouldn't start.
Double dumb. When I started it, oil came gushing out the oil cooler line where it was connected to the radiator. I didn't think of it, but no one else suggested where all my oil went out either. -> THE OIL COOLER LINE TO THE RADIATOR! DUH! i was so focused on the oil pressure sensor since that let loose before with same symptom's that I didn't check the other places oil could be lost suddenly.
Appears engine oil line to radiator was never connected very well. Many attempts to re-connect it failed. The retaining clip still was there. When I looked closely, the lip on the metal oil line doesn't go into the connector far enough for the retaining clip to close behind it and secure it. Do I have the wrong connector type? Is there a difference between a radiator transmission oil line connector and a radiator engine oil line connector? If so, maybe I'm using a transmission connector instead of a engine oil line connector. (I do have an after market all-aluminum radiator.)
I feel dumb because I noticed I forgot to connect a ground wire. That's why it wouldn't start.
Double dumb. When I started it, oil came gushing out the oil cooler line where it was connected to the radiator. I didn't think of it, but no one else suggested where all my oil went out either. -> THE OIL COOLER LINE TO THE RADIATOR! DUH! i was so focused on the oil pressure sensor since that let loose before with same symptom's that I didn't check the other places oil could be lost suddenly.
Appears engine oil line to radiator was never connected very well. Many attempts to re-connect it failed. The retaining clip still was there. When I looked closely, the lip on the metal oil line doesn't go into the connector far enough for the retaining clip to close behind it and secure it. Do I have the wrong connector type? Is there a difference between a radiator transmission oil line connector and a radiator engine oil line connector? If so, maybe I'm using a transmission connector instead of a engine oil line connector. (I do have an after market all-aluminum radiator.)
update: yes, I'm slow. Good thing I have other vehicles to drive.
I feel dumb because I noticed I forgot to connect a ground wire. That's why it wouldn't start.
Double dumb. When I started it, oil came gushing out the oil cooler line where it was connected to the radiator. I didn't think of it, but no one else suggested where all my oil went out either. -> THE OIL COOLER LINE TO THE RADIATOR! DUH! i was so focused on the oil pressure sensor since that let loose before with same symptom's that I didn't check the other places oil could be lost suddenly.
Appears engine oil line to radiator was never connected very well. Many attempts to re-connect it failed. The retaining clip still was there. When I looked closely, the lip on the metal oil line doesn't go into the connector far enough for the retaining clip to close behind it and secure it. Do I have the wrong connector type? Is there a difference between a radiator transmission oil line connector and a radiator engine oil line connector? If so, maybe I'm using a transmission connector instead of a engine oil line connector. (I do have an after market all-aluminum radiator.)
transmission line connectors are completely different, so it would not fit at all.
you can grab a new oil cooler line connector at most auto parts stores. for ease of installation I would remove the clip, insert the line then put the clip back on.
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