More problem!!! This time engine...whens it gonna stop??

[BC69]

Okay, so lets see if you can solve this or give me some ideas? I was driving home today from a cruise night and I noticed some odd things. First not even a mile down the road I was running like 170, the car had been sitting for 2.5 hours with the hood up, and the drive to the show was only 25 minutes. But thats the little thing.

I was a few miles from home and I noticed the oil pressure gauge was down to 25lbs. I have seen it down, but it will come back quickly, well it didnt and stayed there til I got home.

Here is the kicker, I come up my street (I live on a hill so you are kinda on the gas good coming up the street) I turn into my drive way, and NOTHING...car died!!! Just shut down, no sounds, no clangs, no nothing, but dead!
I get out, look under the hood to see if something popped, get in, turn it back on a little heavy to start but nothing big, and its fine, but the oil pressure is now at 10lbs. I let it run for a min in the driveway, put it in the garage, and came up here to type this out.

Help?!!?! Any ideas?

Thanks
Tim

[BC69]

Okay also, I checked oil yesterday, was pretty much full, maybe needed a top off, but its only got 500 miles on the engine, and I am getting the oil changed and some check ups when I get stereo in next couple weeks.
I just hope its nothing big, otherwise that stereo will have to wait.

Thanks
Tim

[68protouring454]

is oil presure gauge mechanical or electric, i bet it is something in a wire if its electric or the plug end is loose cauing it to misread.
other than that you could be losing a lifter, filling oil pump up with metal, but let us know what you have for a gauge, maybe plastic line melted and is leaking??
jake

[BC69]

Okay. Electrical gauge. I topped off the oil, then ran it in idle, normally it would shoot right to about 60lbs, but it started once at 25lbs, and then 5 minutes later at 10lbs. When I sit it in idle and rev the engine, it will push up to 50, but never got any higher. I have had issues as you all know with the tach and other electrical things. But I dont think the gauge is messed up.

Any other ideas.

Tim

[Musclerodz]

Cut the filter open and eliminate the engine. Then you can breath a sigh of relief. Is the wiring original or new?

Mike

[68protouring454]

as mike says cut open filter, change oil to make sure nothing as come apart inside motor, can you change the oil?
jake

[forced induction]

Did you use a new pick up in the oil pump? I have seen them fall out on chevy engines. If you welded the new pick up on the pump with out dissasembling the bypass spring then the spring is ruined from the heat. What are the crank bearing clearances at? I have also seen cam bearing on a small block chevy installed wrong and cause oil pressure to go crazy. Thats why they are numbered 1 thru 5. Not all cam bores are the same size on small blocks.

[lil427z]

Tim that happened to me i took the oil pan off took the rod cap off the barrings were in the brass . the oil pan had barrings in the bottom .
the motor had 15 miles on it . when cold it had oil pressure when hot hade none .
rick kirkindall :mad:

[clill]

First I would buy a mechanical oil pressure guage and screw it into the block just to make sure it is not the electrical guage.

[MaxHarvard]

if its possible can you check the clearance on the oil pick up and the oil pan? i've had that problem before. that may explain the lack of significant pressure.

Sounds like the gauge is working properly to me.

[ohcbird]

I with Charlie on this one- start simple. Run it & warm it up to see if the readings go the same way as the electric gauge. Tap off right above the oil filter if you can get to it, if not there, then use the plug on the back (near the dist) of the block where late model senders usually are.