99 Tahoe oil pressure

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slingblade

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Not correct I changed the oil pump in mine about month ago hoping it would solve my knocking/low oil pressure problem. Ended up being a wrist pin anyway... All you have to do is take off the plastic part on the top of the motor that says vortec, take out motor mount bolts, jack up motor. There is a wire that runs along the crossmember that will need to be disconnected also. Then once jacked up just remove the oil pan. No removing the front accessories at all. Once off you will have 2 bolts on a pan if I'm remembering correctly and also 2 bolts also in the acutall pump. It's easy and takes about 2 hrs. Oh yea might as well replace the gasket while your there also. One more thing the oil pump has a 2 piece rod that has a plasic clip on it be sure and buy the replacement that has the metal clip.

But did replacing the oil pump help out your low oil pressure? I will be hooking up a mechanical gauge this weekend to get a true reading
 
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slingblade

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UPDATE: Hooked up a mechanical gauge this AM and same results. At about 3000 rpm I got 20 lbs. then as it goes down to idle it slowly decreases until about 5 lbs then snaps to 0 lbs. I am going to try to remove the fitting that the oil pressure lines and sending unit screws into and see if it clogged. If not then Saturday I will be spending the afternoon replacing an oil pump. FYI: I talked to a co-worked that has a 1998 Z-71 and he says that the oil puimp in his truck is weak too. When he cranks it it rattles like hell until the pressure builds.He thinks its the oil pumps in the Vortec engine generally.
 

T-Bagg

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yea usually if i run a fram filter, my truck will want to kill me. The oil pressures always wacked out with that fram, but once i change it to ac or mobil1, its fine. idk, but yours seems pretty intense. sorry

I've heard to much bad about Fram products. I use K&N filters. They're wrench off too, which is nice.



slingblade,
Keep us updated on the outcome. And good luck.
 
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slingblade

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I know I'm beating a dead horse bout this low oil pressure, but with vacation time rolling aorund I don't want my family stranded on the side of the road. Today I checked out the specs and oil pressure listed in a Haynes repair manual. The manual states the oil pressure as 6 psi at idling, and 20 pis at 2000 rpms on a 4.3L 5.0L. , 5.7L engones. Now going by that I checked the oil pressure with my $17.00 sunpro oil pressure gauge and got 0 psi at idle and 15-16 psi at 2000 rpms. Thas pretty close say for the 0 at idle, but considering I used a cheap gauge I amy be O.K.
Is there anyone that has knowledge of how a mechanicla guage actually works. I was thinking that the oil goes thru the tubing to the mechical gauge to register on the scale, but with this gauge the oil in the plastic tubingnever gets to the gauge. Also after taking out the fitting in the block that the sending unit screws into I started up the engine expecting to spray oil out of the hole, but nothing came out, I thought for sure oil would come out. Apparently oil is not making it to the top. Short of taking off a valve cover to see it the engine is oiling, what is the chararterisitc of a Vortec engine do they oil the same as a regular small block?? Still no noises,..... makes me wanna go hmmmmmmmmm
I am reluctant to start disasembly since we only a Mazda Miata as a back up and the three of us can't fit. I need to know for sure its a one day repair.

Also what effect will too much oil have on oil pressure


Any thoughts???
 

99_2door

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UPDATE: Hooked up a mechanical gauge this AM and same results. At about 3000 rpm I got 20 lbs. then as it goes down to idle it slowly decreases until about 5 lbs then snaps to 0 lbs. I am going to try to remove the fitting that the oil pressure lines and sending unit screws into and see if it clogged. If not then Saturday I will be spending the afternoon replacing an oil pump. FYI: I talked to a co-worked that has a 1998 Z-71 and he says that the oil puimp in his truck is weak too. When he cranks it it rattles like hell until the pressure builds.He thinks its the oil pumps in the Vortec engine generally.

how long would you say it rattles before the pressure builds? are we talking like a couple seconds? thanks

i'm noticing a new issue with my 99. hot or cold start, as soon as it cranks it will knock (at least thats what i think it sounds like) for about 3-4 seconds and then idle fine. no other odd noises come from the motor and it makes good power. not really sure what to do about this.
 

Broken Truck

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I feel for you here.

235k miles on my hoe and the pressure is dropping and at least one lifter is making noise.

I may be doing an oil pump myself...
 

riviera rider

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wow im definitely only using delco or k&n filters from now on and may have to change my oil pump also, a while ago my truck was making bad lifter noise and i cant tell exactly what my oil pressure is at cuz i messed with my guages and not sure if the oil pressure one is on exactly correct

however i changed the oil/filter and dont think ive heard the noise since, but from now on im sticking with ac delco or kn filters i think
 

Broken Truck

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I have the KN filter in.

So far so good. No lifter noise for two days. Oil pressure at idle and running is up about 5-10 psi. About 20-30 at idle, 40-50 running, sometimes up to 60.

I had also run some seafoam through the oil, gas tank and on top of the cylinders before the oil change and KN filter...
 

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