Low oil pressure

[ntymd8r]

I have a 2013 Tahoe 5.3 liter with about 225,000 on the clock. I had no oil pressure on the gauge about 2 years ago along with a check engine light that said the oil pressure sender was bad. Replaced it along with a new screen and all was good.

A couple days ago I was backing out of my garage and the red oil light came on and began singing. The display red “Low Oil Pressure, Turn Off Engine.” No check engine light. Gauge only reads about 3 PSI. So I shut her down. I checked the oil and it was just below full. I am 4,000 miles into my religious 5,000 mile oil/filter changes. Later in the day I started her up again and the same thing happened. Let her sit over night and hoped it would have fixed itself. Started it and gave her a couple healthy revs, same condition happened several seconds later. Let her idle for about 30 seconds and then she shuttered and died. No abnormal noises at all.

Anyone ever experience this????

 

[Marky Dissod]

EDIT: this issue cropped back up again about a year later. Looks like the issue is fixed!
The culprit is a screen that sits between the oil sensor and the oil flow.
It gets gunked up over time which in turn leads to false readings.

Here's a pic of the screen that was removed.

Whether or not you disabled v4 mode, permanently deleted the v4 mode valvetrain stuff, there's a screen that clogs over time.
At some point, it clogs enough to mess with the oil pressure sensor's reading.
Clean or replace that screen, and the oil pressure sensor as well.

If that doesn't fix it, there's an Oil Pump O-Ring Seal that splits.
The oil pan needs to come off, which is likely more of a pain in the arse for AWD or 4WD vehicles.

 

[Marky Dissod]

This'd be the O-ring.

A common problem is a bad o-ring on the oil pump pickup tube in the oil pan.
Over fill it by 2 qts and point the frt of the vehicle down hill and see if pressure improves.
Don't drive it overfilled.View attachment 388761

 

[iamdub]

I have a 2013 Tahoe 5.3 liter with about 225,000 on the clock. I had no oil pressure on the gauge about 2 years ago along with a check engine light that said the oil pressure sender was bad. Replaced it along with a new screen and all was good.

A couple days ago I was backing out of my garage and the red oil light came on and began singing. The display red “Low Oil Pressure, Turn Off Engine.” No check engine light. Gauge only reads about 3 PSI. So I shut her down. I checked the oil and it was just below full. I am 4,000 miles into my religious 5,000 mile oil/filter changes. Later in the day I started her up again and the same thing happened. Let her sit over night and hoped it would have fixed itself. Started it and gave her a couple healthy revs, same condition happened several seconds later. Let her idle for about 30 seconds and then she shuttered and died. No abnormal noises at all.

Anyone ever experience this????

Died and wouldn't restart?

The first step is to confirm you actually have low oil pressure and it's not an erroneous reading.

 

[ntymd8r]

Thanks for the replies!

I’ve read a bunch about the screen and sender unit. But I think that’s good. Also pondering the o-ring and oil pump. My added difference is the “shutter and engine self shut off”, which scared the heck out me. It will start again. Just self shuts off after a bit. I’m gonna try it again tomorrow to see what it does. I’ve read oil filter and oil could be culprit, too. Used GM Dexos from day one with AC Delco filters. This last go around I changed to a FRAM and Mobil 1 (Dexos approved) because of inflation. Used this in my 01 Camaro and never had an issue but could that be it??? I’ll update tomorrow with what I find in the filter.

 

[iamdub]

Check engine light on?

 

[ntymd8r]

No check engine light this time. Only the red oil can light and the dinging. Then the shutter and shut down. Check engine light only came on when the oil pressure sender code came on a couple years ago.

 

[swathdiver]

Add 2 quarts of oil and see if the pressure comes back up. If she's got a pressure issue, you keep running the motor and you'll wipes the bearings real quick.

 

[iamdub]

No check engine light this time. Only the red oil can light and the dinging. Then the shutter and shut down. Check engine light only came on when the oil pressure sender code came on a couple years ago.

I was hoping for you that the sensor was faulty again and the PCM was shutting it down as a safety.

 

[ntymd8r]

I did add oil to make sure and the dipstick confirmed I’m in the good, but to no fix. Still alarmed and shut down.

I was hoping it would too, but no check engine light like before, and the engine shut off by itself.

 

[NickTransmissions]

I did add oil to make sure and the dipstick confirmed I’m in the good, but to no fix. Still alarmed and shut down.

I was hoping it would too, but no check engine light like before, and the engine shut off by itself.

Pull the sending unit and check the screen (clean or replace it) Re-install then stick a mechanical oil gauge on it then fire it up to view the reading. Should only need to run it for a few seconds or so.

That would confirm/deny you actually have low OP or not.

 

[Foggy]

Change the oil filter to an AC or Wix... The fram filter (or any brand) could have
an issue, be clogged with debris, or failed...
That's where i'd start. $10
I don't care for/ or will ever use a fram oil filter on anything of mine or the others I work on.
But that's my deal.. Others are ok with fram... I've had bad experiences and will never spend $ on
them again.

 

[j91z28d1]

I'd definitely stop starting and running it till you're willing to repair something and then only ****** as a test.

I can't imagine anything about this is going to reset itself.. shaking and dying has me thinking you actually have no oil pressure.

I like the change oil idea, especially to check the oil for metal after running it so much. then replace the oil pressure sensor with a oem one, not an Amazon oem one. they got me twice now. dealer, gm parts direct or rock auto is all I trust these days.

 

[NickTransmissions]

If you see babbit material (or bronze looking matter) in the oil when you drain it, that's wiped bearings (main and/or rod).

 

[Marky Dissod]

... The fram filter (or any brand) could have an issue, be clogged with debris, or failed ... That's where i'd start.
$10 I don't care for / or will ever use a fram oil filter on anything of mine or the others I work on.
But that's my deal ... Others are ok with fram ... I've had bad experiences and will never spend $ on them again.

Very generally speaking, I avoid the basic no frills version of ANY brand oil filter (or oil).
IFF I were to use a Fram oil filter, it'd need to be their fanciest. Same goes for ANY other brand oil filter.
(I also use the longer oil filter instead of the shorter one.)

then replace the oil pressure sensor with a oem one, not an Amazon oem one. they got me twice now.
dealer, gm parts direct or rock auto is all I trust these days.

Just one of a few good reasons not to trust amazon.

 

[j91z28d1]

Very generally speaking, I avoid the basic no frills version of ANY brand oil filter (or oil).
IFF I were to use a Fram oil filter, it'd need to be their fanciest. Same goes for ANY other brand oil filter.
(I also use the longer oil filter instead of the shorter one.)Just one of a few good reasons not to trust amazon.

I guess it's all about the seller. like I think there's an acdelco store with legit parts. but eh, it's such a hassle to change. I just don't want to deal with it.

 

[Marky Dissod]

I guess it's all about the seller. like I think there's an acdelco store with legit parts.
but eh, it's such a hassle to change. I just don't want to deal with it.

ebay, at least for me, has been more reliable / trustworthy than amazon, provided I choose sellers with at least 99% positive feedback.

 

[iamdub]

Very generally speaking, I avoid the basic no frills version of ANY brand oil filter (or oil).
IFF I were to use a Fram oil filter, it'd need to be their fanciest. Same goes for ANY other brand oil filter.
(I also use the longer oil filter instead of the shorter one.)Just one of a few good reasons not to trust amazon.

Case in point: The basic orange Fram is junk while the Fram Ultra has been proven to be among the best.

 

[Marky Dissod]

Case in point: The basic orange Fram is junk, while the Fram Ultra has been proven to be among the best.

Bet the same goes for ACDelco, WIX, etc - not to mention conventional motor oils, parts sources ...
In Spanish, it's 'lo mas barato casi siempre sale caro'.
Translates to 'the cheapest almost always turns out expensive'.

Oh: does the new Fram 'Ulitimate', go by Fram 'Titanium'?

 

[Charlie207]

Pull the pressure sender and clean that little orifice out. The smallest particle of gunk can get in there and mess up the readings.

Then I'd remove the oil filter, and blow compressed air or brake cleaner down the pressure sender threaded hole. It goes straight down to the filter, so pressurizing that passage will help blow out the accumulated gunk.

Install cleaned pressure sender without the screen, add new filter and oil, and start engine to see what it says. If it's good, replace new screen & sender, and start up to check for pressure.

You could also thread a pressure gauge into the sender threads, and actually test the issue.