07 Denali oil pressure talk

[ny_summit]

So I made a post few months back about my oil pressure after swapping out the pick up tube O-ring. **We did find 2 small pieces of metal in the oil pan** assuming it was from the cam bearings.

2007 denali oil pressure questions. *video posted*

i have a 2007 denali with 97k miles. i recently changed the oil pan gasket because of a leak. i swapped the whole pick up tube with a new tube and o-ring. i also blocked off the oil relief valve. now the issue. my friend (the mechanic) found 2 small pieces of metal which be believes are from the...

www.tahoeyukonforum.com

I've since changed the driver side valve cover to the updated design. I plugged the oil galley's under the valley pan, valley pan gaskets new oil pressure sensor and intake manifold gaskets. The valley pan and Intake manifold bolts were just fingered tight.

My cold psi is 60, cruising 35-40 psi depending on rpm. My hot idle seems to be really low. Some say it's normal but at 60 psi cold is 15ish idle normal?

 

[Doubeleive]

20 hot is considered normal, the low oil pressure money light will not light up until it hits 10psi
my guess is you are running on borrowed time if "metal" was found in there, engines do not heal themselves, neither do transmissions.

 

[ny_summit]

20 hot is considered normal, the low oil pressure money light will not light up until it hits 10psi
my guess is you are running on borrowed time if "metal" was found in there, engines do not heal themselves, neither do transmissions.

At just under 100k miles that's unfortunate, it drives great and sounds good. Not sure what else to do besides run it.

 

[rdezs]

Those damn OEM valley cover bolts. Everyone I've seen that's never been touched since day one.... Always has a few that are barely finger tight.

Because of the metal you found in the pan...Realistically you're looking at a complete teardown to get to the cam bearings.

If you want to limp it along, 10w30 might be the trick.

 

[ny_summit]

Those damn OEM valley cover bolts. Everyone I've seen that's never been touched since day one.... Always has a few that are barely finger tight.

Because of the metal you found in the pan...Realistically you're looking at a complete teardown to get to the cam bearings.

If you want to limp it along, 10w30 might be the trick.

Yea I assume that'll ultimately be the answer. Other than idle all other pressure seems normal and good.

 

[Marky Dissod]

10W30 is going to do absolutely nothing to CLEAN up the problem (except MAYBE if it's Valvoline Restore & Protect?).
Something near the oil pressure sender is causing a low reading at idle.
That may very well mean that the rest of the engine is getting good oil pressure.

Only way to be sure is to get your oil pressure checked manually.
If the other reading is good, and yours is still low, then you definitely have something in the way of your sender.

I'm the guy that would find a 0W30, hoping that the oil can sneak around the obstruction,
but I'm assuming you have an obstruction, and I don't want to make an @$$ out of anyone else.

 

[petethepug]

Thanks for linking your other post. The two bits of metal in the pan are simply a heads up to listen and watch for more telltale signs.

Now if we knew exactly where the the metal came from, that’d be different. The L92 is such a stout engine in its current form without the AFM.

Not many get a heads up on their high milage engine as well as dodge a bullet on the oil pressure issue.

If I were you I’d have a local Indi or diesel mechanic keep his eyes out for a GM 2500 or 3500 that’s wrecked with a good 6.0L L96. They have alum block, iron heads, runs on reg fuel and later versions on e85 too.

You could literally drive the twisted mess to your tech, have him cam the motor while in the wrecked truck to get you from 360 to 400/420hp on reg fuel.

Sell the wrecked truck and L92 after the transplant and offset your costs.

 

[strutaeng]

You could switch to 40 wt. (could even go to 50 wt. if the pressure drops even more like in the summer months) oil to increase the pressure slightly. If it doesn't knock, just keep running it. But at 15, I would just keep running it and monitor the oil pressure.

Start saving for an overhaul or another engine is good advice.

 

[j91z28d1]

15 hot idle and it jumps up from there quickly with a throttle blip?

I bet it runs a very long time like that. I'd just cut the oil filters open and inspect for it metal starts showing up.

 

[Marky Dissod]

Forgot to suggest doing a used oil analysis, or maybe more than one.
It'd be very likely to let you know if your engine is wearing itself down.