Yet another Yukon with engine tick and low oil pressure
- Thread starter YukonDK
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Keep an eye on it for the next several weeks. If that hot idle pressure continues to come down, then you'll know the time has come to replace that o-ring. With the pressures you have, in my opinion it's not time for action yet unless you just want to replace it for preventative MX as Don suggests.
I've had the oil pan off a couple of times on my 2012. You don't have to remove the differential on 4WD/AWD models to get the oil pan off. The frame crossmember has to come out, the steering rack needs to be unbolted and hang from the tie rods. All easy work with an impact wrench and a selection of extensions. The oil dipstick tube also needs to come out. For the diff, all you have to do is remove the axle shaft bolts on the passenger side and separate the CV axle from the flange. Then remove the 2 differential mounting bolts on the same side. The differential will hang plenty low enough to wiggle the oil pan out without having to drop the diff completely. With the pan off, just remove the oil pickup tube and replace the o-ring. There are 2 sizes - a thinner one and a thicker one. You want the thicker one.
It'll be the better part of a Saturday the first time you do it. There are folks on Youtube who claim you can do the job just by dropping the front of the oil pan and using a pair of forceps to remove the bolts. I tried this approach and it was so frustrating with the limited working space there that I gave up and just dropped the pan completely out. In my case it was preventative maintenance as part of a cam swap project.
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^^^ +1. This should be your next step if the hot idle oil pressure drops any further in the weeks/months ahead.
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YukonDK
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Thank you again everyone for sharing your knowledge/input, much appreciated!
Seems like I need to have the shop look into that o-ring, already spent a substantial amount of money at the mechanic thus far, but seems like it will need a lot more work.
I did try the trick of parking the car on a very steep hill after an hour drive to see if that would make oil pressure increase, but that didn’t change anything, oil pressure on gauge stayed like it always does once warm and at idle.
However I did notice that the ticking sound is more pronounced when parked on a steep hill with a warm engine, when I’m parked on a level surface the ticking is very faint. Maybe I’m beginning to go crazy over this tick/knock thing. Never had any issues like this with the 2nd gen Escalade I had before the Yukon though - sometimes I do miss that Escalade.
Seems like I need to have the shop look into that o-ring, already spent a substantial amount of money at the mechanic thus far, but seems like it will need a lot more work.
I did try the trick of parking the car on a very steep hill after an hour drive to see if that would make oil pressure increase, but that didn’t change anything, oil pressure on gauge stayed like it always does once warm and at idle.
However I did notice that the ticking sound is more pronounced when parked on a steep hill with a warm engine, when I’m parked on a level surface the ticking is very faint. Maybe I’m beginning to go crazy over this tick/knock thing. Never had any issues like this with the 2nd gen Escalade I had before the Yukon though - sometimes I do miss that Escalade.
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donjetman
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did you add 2 qts of oil? then park and run it with the front end a lot lower than the rear end.
mattbta
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Parking nose down won't do much if you didn't put in additional oil (1-2 qts IIRC). You want to overfill it and parking nose down _should_ fully submerse the pickup tube.
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YukonDK
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If I overfill it, I will need to drain the oil and put in new oil and filter right? The overfilling is just to check?
donjetman
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correct, it's just to submerge the oil pickup oil ring under oil so it can't suck air if it's cracked and/or broke.
Then drain out 2 qts and go about your business.
Oil Change Pump Extractor, 12v 60w Oil Extractor Pump Oil Pump Extractor, Diesel Fluid Scavenge Suction Oil Transfer Pump for Changing Oil, Oil Change Pump for Boat, Tubes, Truck, RV, ATV, Riding Mowe https://a.co/d/d6dUH9U
This is what I use to get fluid back out. It's cheap enough and works great for extracting fluid back out. I use it every time before I drop a trans pan if they don't have a drain plug. If you need something to get the extra 2 quarts of oil out.
If your oil in it is old and needs to be changed then disregard this and just change the oil afterwards.
This is what I use to get fluid back out. It's cheap enough and works great for extracting fluid back out. I use it every time before I drop a trans pan if they don't have a drain plug. If you need something to get the extra 2 quarts of oil out.
If your oil in it is old and needs to be changed then disregard this and just change the oil afterwards.
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YukonDK
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Thanks again everyone.
That pump extractor looks great, I will get one, thanks.
I bought a scanner and hooked it up when the engine was warm and at idle, oil pressure fluctuated around 11.9 and 13.9 - so it is lower than what I’d like to see.
That pump extractor looks great, I will get one, thanks.
I bought a scanner and hooked it up when the engine was warm and at idle, oil pressure fluctuated around 11.9 and 13.9 - so it is lower than what I’d like to see.
donjetman
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Is this with the extra 2 qts and parked nose down?
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YukonDK
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No I haven’t done the 2 extra qts yet, I’ll need that extractor pump so I can get the extra qts out again. This was just out of curiosity as to what oil pressure was when engine was warm and at idle as I bought the scanner and wanted to test it. But when I do the extra qts and nose down, I will hook up the scanner again and see what it reads.
Meathead16
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Any update on this?
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YukonDK
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Not really, unfortunately.
I couldn’t find the ‘extractor’ so I decided that I would have the shop replace the o-ring. They will be replacing the o-ring mid April.
Symptoms still the same. However, as temperatures haven risen since it’s spring, the ticking/knocking gets quiet way faster than when it was winter.
Took the family on a 500 mile trip a couple of weeks ago. The Yukon was an absolute pleasure to drive. Driving at approximately 1800 rpm, oil pressure was steady at 40 psi. At idle still 11, when engine is warm.
Did get the exhaust manifold clamp installed, but that didn’t do the trick - tick/knock is still there at start up.
I will update once the o-ring has been replaced.
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YukonDK
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Update.
Got the Yukon back after the o-ring replacement.
Oil pressure is worse now than before the change. Before the change it was 11 psi at hot idle, now it’s 8 psi.
Oil and filter was also changed so everything should be new. However I never thought that the pressure would get worse after the change, it really sucks…
Got the Yukon back after the o-ring replacement.
Oil pressure is worse now than before the change. Before the change it was 11 psi at hot idle, now it’s 8 psi.
Oil and filter was also changed so everything should be new. However I never thought that the pressure would get worse after the change, it really sucks…
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BlaineBug
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That makes no sense. What else did they say? Did they inspect the pickup tube and screen, did they clean it out thoroughly? Making the seal refreshed and rejuvenated yet resulting in lower pressure doesn't add up IF no other factors changed.
I mean 3 psi is a pretty small difference. especially if read off the dash gauge, could be just a different brand oil filter or a few rpm lower idle.
I'd chalk that up as no change in my book. I do personally believe we overly blame the o'rings for low oil pressure, from posts I see most end up going back in with a high volume pump. Sadly that might be your next step. if it's something you can do yourself, I don't know.
I'd chalk that up as no change in my book. I do personally believe we overly blame the o'rings for low oil pressure, from posts I see most end up going back in with a high volume pump. Sadly that might be your next step. if it's something you can do yourself, I don't know.
PatDTN
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I'm fairly sure there were 3 different o-rings to choose from when I went through my junkyard 6.2 before I installed it. The existing was in tatters but I bought the same color.
PatDTN
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Oh and my oil pressure rarely gets below 40 since I blocked off the AFM oil galleries.
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YukonDK
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They said that the o-ring was flat and hard. Didn’t mention anything about pick-up screen, I think they only changed the o-ring. They did put on a new oil pan gasket, 5w30 oil and AC Delco oil filter. At this point I can’t find a reasonable explanation for having a worn out o ring replaced and then have lower oil pressure. Even on cold starts it’s a tiny bit lower (picture in post). For now it’s an unsolved mystery
