Oil pressure drop?
- Thread starter kchamber
- Start date
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wjburken
Supporting Member
Why did you get a new pump and sending unit? What pump did you go with? Does the pressure increase when you are up to speed?
Can’t say that it’s too alarming, yet, but would definitely pay close attention since you just had work done on the oil system.
+1. That's on the low end of normal for a stock oil pump after highway driving on a higher mileage engine. Not normal if there's a new oil pump and pick-up tube o-ring in there, assuming they replaced the oil sending unit screen when they replaced the sender. More details on the work if you have them, please. It would also help to know which make and model oil pump they put in.
Did you do the work yourself? Did you replace the sending unit screen? Did you replace the pickup tube o-ring? Why was the sending unit and pump replaced? Did a shop do the work? The invoice should have a detail of what was done and why and what parts were used.
At this point you should also attach a gauge and get a reading at cold start, warm up and after being driven on the highway.
At this point you should also attach a gauge and get a reading at cold start, warm up and after being driven on the highway.
It idle my 5.3 was about that. My 6.2 with all new stuff is also about that. If it kicks right up with rpms, I wouldn't worry too much. My 5.3 with a non vvt cam was higher than stock, so might just be the VVT lowering it a bit at idle.
If you hear audible engine noise and the oil psi doesnt come up with rpms then you have a problem.
If you hear audible engine noise and the oil psi doesnt come up with rpms then you have a problem.
My ‘07 5.3L, original engine, idles about 28-30 PSI after a long freeway run. 5W-30 synthetic. My oil pressures have always been strong (or my sender/gauge weak).
Having said that, if it had that reading after a couple hours at freeway speed, I wouldn’t be concerned.
What did it register before you got off the freeway?
Having said that, if it had that reading after a couple hours at freeway speed, I wouldn’t be concerned.
What did it register before you got off the freeway?
My sending unit failed - then the mechanic stated that the pump was ultimately scarred and failed.
Strange conclusion for him to make, since there is no way to tell if the pump is damaged without pulling it, which is a fairly major job on these engines. And... the oil pump is seldom the culprit of low oil pressure on these engines.
Also, there are a few different oil pump options. Your engine has VVT which requires a high volume pump. Hence why 2 of us have asked which pump the mechanic put in. If it's the wrong one, you would have a reasonable case to go back to him and ask that he put the correct one in.
As I said, your oil pressure is on the low end of normal in my opinion, but okay to run. Just keep an eye on it
So to clarify. Replaced sending unit because it had failed. After replacing sending unit. Oil pressure still wasn’t normal. Thus they deemed it to be the unit. They said after pulling it It certainly had scarring.Strange conclusion for him to make, since there is no way to tell if the pump is damaged without pulling it, which is a fairly major job on these engines. And... the oil pump is seldom the culprit of low oil pressure on these engines.
Also, there are a few different oil pump options. Your engine has VVT which requires a high volume pump. Hence why 2 of us have asked which pump the mechanic put in. If it's the wrong one, you would have a reasonable case to go back to him and ask that he put the correct one in.
As I said, your oil pressure is on the low end of normal in my opinion, but okay to run. Just keep an eye on it
So, to clarify, the tech(s) decided that the oil pump needed replacing because the sender did not fix but did not put a mechanical gauge on the engine to verify oil pressure? Did they show and explain the "oil pump scarring"? I am assuming, maybe wrongfully so, that the scarring they talked about was caused by too many miles between oil changes, poor quality oil or contamination in the oil, like coolant or fuel, that would break down the lubricating properties of the oil? I just always backed up any diagnosis with the reasons for it and showing the problem(s).
