07 Denali oil pressure talk

[Joseph Garcia]

You are only 5 psi below the 'normal' 20 psi at hot idle. As suggested above, a used oil analysis would be a great place to start, in order to further investigate your current situation. Also as mentioned above, checking out the contents of your used oil filters for any additional metal pieces is also a good idea.

I just installed new lifters, new cam, and a new oil pump as part of my motor upgrade project, and I have 20 psi at hot idle, and by 1500 rpms, it is at 40 psi or higher.

As @petethepug mentioned, the L92 motor is a rare prized racing motor, due to its non-AFM construction, and you can demand a good price for it, if you end up doing a motor swap.

 

[rdezs]

Been pondering what I would do in this situation... Take it into account it's under 100,000 miles. It's either the edge of a cam bearing, or possibly a ring landing? I think I would drop a mailing 10 296 oil pump in with the +10 psi spring. That will give you 35 PSI hot idle, and 60 PSI steady at everything over 1200 RPM. That would give some room for some extra oil clearance if you do have a worn cam bearing. And it would also address the possibility that the 15 psi at hot idle is more related to the oil pressure relief valve in your OEM pump. (A common issue at your mileage) I would also take the opportunity to install one of the pickup tube girdles to utilize two bolts to secure the pickup tube to the pump.

Oil pressures above or what I've had since doing an AFM delete on an l94, retaining VVT, and using an oem L92 camshaft with LS7 lifters. Deleted at 142,000 mi, currently at 168,000. I also had 15 psi hot idle, and when I disassembled the oil pressure relief in the OEM pump there was little pieces of grit in the bottom interfering with movement of the plunger.

Just my two cents worth...

 

[SpareParts]

I had way worse metal chunks in my oil pan. Here is what i did, HERE Starts on post #60. There is a pic showing the chunks on post #31
My oil pressure is holding steady at 23ish on a hot idle for a couple of months now.

 

[rdezs]

Yeah, unless there's evidence of copper in the metal fragments.... I think it's more likely something else. Small piece of the ring landing for example. I've torn apart several LS engines that had the Pistons with multiple fractures in the ring landings and still ran okay. If it's a cam bearing, it's probably going to be the front one and more problems will pop up sooner rather than later. 15 psi hot idle oil pressure just doesn't jive with me if it was a front camshaft bearing with a chunk missing. I'd replace the oil pump with the Melling 10296 as mentioned above and run with it. I wouldn't drive it like I stole it..... If you want to do that, tear down and go through it

 

[ny_summit]

So when I did my oil change last week I used a larger wix XP filter per recommendations I've read online. I swapped the filter out today to the normal size filter wix 57060xp, and it brought my oil pressure up. It's now idling about 17-19psi.

As for the metal pieces we found in the oil pan my mechanic friend said there was copper in it. So we are assuming a bit of the cam bearing broke off. Here's a video of the oil pressure at idle also blipping the throttle.

I'm just going to leave it for now and drive it as is. I have great pressure on cold starts and cruising speeds. And the motor sounds and feels fine. I thank everyone for the input.

I replaced the oil pan gasket in the fall due to a leak and I saw some oil under there again so I'm assuming it's the rear main or the main plate gasket smh.

 

[Fless]

So when I did my oil change last week I used a larger wix XP filter per recommendations I've read online. I swapped the filter out today to the normal size filter wix 57060xp, and it brought my oil pressure up. It's now idling about 17-19psi.

As for the metal pieces we found in the oil pan my mechanic friend said there was copper in it. So we are assuming a bit of the cam bearing broke off. Here's a video of the oil pressure at idle also blipping the throttle.

I'm just going to leave it for now and drive it as is. I have great pressure on cold starts and cruising speeds. And the motor sounds and feels fine. I thank everyone for the input.

I replaced the oil pan gasket in the fall due to a leak and I saw some oil under there again so I'm assuming it's the rear main or the main plate gasket smh.

For me the video comes up as Private; can't view it.

 

[ny_summit]

For me the video comes up as Private; can't view it.

Sorry you can try now it should work!

 

[rdezs]

19 PSI hot is just fine.... And then that does sound like the edge of a cam bearing. Just keep an eye on your oil pressure.

You will find different brands of filters flow differently. The more restrictive it is, the larger the drop in pressure up by the sending unit.