I get a drastic fluctuation in oil pressure everytime i take a left or right turn or if i get on the gas a little hard. In turns and hard acceleration the car will read no pressure but as soon as i straighten out or let up the oil pressure will spike for a moment then returns back to normal. (somewhat) I dont think this is normal. if not, does it pose i potential problem?

 

Have you checked your oil pressure sending unit to make sure it is good?

 

Nope. What should i check for?

 

You can take out the sending unit and hook a gauge up to the engine to check for accurate readings.

Also, IIRC, if you turn the key on, without starting the engine, you can disconnect the wire from the sending unit and the gauge should peg out. Then if you ground out the wire, the gauge should read 0. That won't tell you what your oil pressure actually is, but it will help you find out if the gauge/circuit are working. I am not sure what the specific procedure is to check the sending unit itself, but a quick search would probably pull something up.

 

Cool. I will try that. thank you. Do you know if this fluctuation issue could lead to a much bigger/expensive problem?

 

I had a similar issue, and I threw a connecting rod through the oil pan. Take that for what its worth. If it isn't the sending unit, make sure you find the culprit and fix it... idk if that is why I threw a rod, but it likely contributed.

 

Sorry to hear that. What else could it be? just in case the sending unit does check out i can try more than one component.

 

If the gauge and sending unit are both good, my next guess would be oil pump.

 

Generally the cause of low oil pressure is failing bearings in the bottom end of the engine.

Generally the cause of low oil pressure gauge readings is failing oil pressure sending units.

Oil pumps can fail, but that's very rarely why people ahve low oil pressure. If your oil pressure is ACTUALLY low, then you likely have a damaged bearing and you will likely be headed down the same road seibertjd was on. Listen for knocks in the bottom end, if you hear any I would park the car before you destroy your block.

 

Would a thicker or thinner oil work as a temp fix while i look for the problem? Cause this is my only mode of tranportation.

 

The engine itself sounds in good condition apart from a possible minor exhaust leak that i cant find.

 

Check your oil level, could be low in oil.

 

personally Id put the car up on a lift or jack stands and drain the oil then Id get out my lighted visual inspection tool, that slips easily thru the drain plug hole and look for a oil pump pick-up thats loose because thats what it sounds like your problem is
http://www.tooltopia.com/provision-pv618.aspx


http://forum.grumpysperformance.com/...0&p=5526#p5526

http://forum.grumpysperformance.com/...hp?f=54&t=2376


this is a common unsupported or secured oil pump pick-up, they come loose occasionally and fall off resulting in little or no oil pressure under hard acceleration braking turns or high rpms, but decent oil pressure at idle in many cases

first Id point out that if you failed to braze the pick-up tube to the pump body it can vibrate loose and fall out and thats not really rare,a simple spot/TACK welding if done with a typical arc welder leaves a brittle weld in some cases, and that BRAZING the complete joint is the PREFERRED method of locking the pick-up tube to the pump body

next, Id suggest a TIG or MIG weld but brazing is a bit more flexible

adding a brace and brazing it to the pick-up tube and use loc-tite on the bolt threads helps durability


brittle welds cause problems, the oil pump pick-up tends to vibrate at some engine speeds and over time it will weaken the joint if thats not braced or supported with a second support point, welding or brazing a brace and bolting it on the pump body helps, but a brazed connection tends to be a bit more flexible. many guys seat the tube with a hammer and flat screw driver blade against the rib on the pick-up tube shoulder with the result that it caused stress risers and the pick-up fails eventually, even if
fully supported but fully supported
bolt on pick-up designs are less likely to fail

 

Yep, it sounds like the pickup has fallen off of your oil pump.