Well, just finished the Vortech s/c and new motor install. For those of you who know...I was having a low oil pressure problem, especially at idle when it was warm it was about 8lbs. I just found three 1/2" plugs in my box of parts. Thanks to all of your advice, I think they are from the front oil galley behind the timing cover. Couple of questions:
Obviously, I cannot confirm this untill I pull it apart,....But I am hoping I only have to disconnect the water pump, timing cover and the crank pulley/ balancer. Is that correct? Or do i have to pull the serp acesssory brackets? and the oil pan? will the timing cover come off without pulling the pan and acessories? Also, I did a cam break-in, and with these plugs missing (if they are), the pressure did stay around 20 lbs while I did my 20 minute break-in at 2,300 rpms. I also took it for a mile or 2 drive. DO you think my bearings and everyting else is okay? It's a brand new motor. thanks -J

 

*CONFIRMED*




You are right about everything I read. You can get the timing cover off and without causing a leak. Be careful. Hopefully everything works out.

 

Galley plugs - oh, yeah.... https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=299137

It's best to at least loosen the oil pan when you do this in order to clear the front cover lip more easily.

As for your bearings, they may be okay, depending upon how hard those 2 miles were. Might be justification for an oil analysis.

 

well, the miles were not hard at all, infact pretty timid....but i did have pressure....form 8-20 lbs....it rose as the rpms rose...so I'm thinking they are okay...I had pressure on the cam break-in also, up around 25lbs.....So they should be okay right?
The only thing that I don't understand is that other people are saying that if I forgot to put them in....that I would have no oil presure at all, but I do....it's just low...I do have a high vol. pump though...thoughts?
also, what is the cam plate for...i eon't recall using one of those, but I have a older style 350 pass side dipstick pre-87 block....but if I need it...i can change it while i am there. thanks -J

 

my stupidity isn't confirmed yet, either, but i hope to confirm it soon... been chasing an electrical ground gremlin for months, finally put the car in the garage to find the source, and i think i've discovered what it was. i gotta go and get some parts to hook some stuff back up, but i think i definitely created my own problems... nothing like whipping one's own butt, you know?

 

yeah.....now it seems I am getting no fule pressure and can't start the motor! It just died on me about a mile from my house on my first ride. ideas?

 

Not enough oil pressure to keep the pressure switch closed.

 

What do you mean? you are saying that I did wipe the bearings, so the fule pump won't come on?

 

i thought the oil press switch was a back-up to ecm failure...(?)

 

Believe that is correct for some years.

 

so what does that mean for me ? i'm confused now. my fuel pump doesn't even prime before i turn on the motor (when i turn the key to "on")

 

In my 89 gta it will blow the 20 amp fuse by the battery that runs to the fuel pump if the oil pressure falls to low, its to protect your motor. When mine blew because of a burnt out sending unit i didnt get an ses light with the key forward and the fuel pump wouldnt prime.

 

The fusible link correct?

 

I think he was talking about a fuse. it's right next to the battery(drivers side). It actually doesn't look like a fuse at all, it's a little black connector that's screwed to the radiator core support.

 

Ohhhh I remember that fuse. Its on the fender on my 91. Sorry, its been a while since i've had the original engine in the car.

 

okay, good news is i found it....I replaced the fuse and got fuel pressure. However, when I started it, I now have no oil pressure again! WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING?

 

Ok first off how is it running? Second is it always zero pressure or does it fluxuate? If the sending unit goes bad it will read zero and blow the fuse.

 

well, it was running rough, but it was running rough when i first started it. and the pressure is always 0, nothing on startup at all or when i rev it. the sending unit was just put in a week ago as part of trying to fix the other low oil pressure which was due to the galley plugs missing. what do you think? did the sender go bad, or did i damage the bearings from the initial low oil break-in? After i put the galley plugs in, the pressure did come up to normal though.

UPDATE:
just disconnected the blower and now the pressure is perfect.....I don't think it was the blower, but maybe the sender was clogged. I have no clue what the hell the problem was. seems to be okay now. I'm going to try to rig something up so i can run it without the blower hooked up to break it in.