I've noticed that my oil pressure drops sometimes to 0 during hard braking. I don't know if my gauge is being stupid, or I really don't know. Cuz I've never seen that happend even with my stock motor. I do have a stock oil pan with no windage tray, but I wouldn't think I would drop to 0 psi when I brake hard, even medium braking does it. Engine don't make any noise or act different, just my gauge reads the pressure drop. Any ideas would be appreciated.


Tyler

 

Pickup fell off the oil pump.

RBob.

 

I'm NOT trying to ba a smart a$$, but haave U checked the oil level?

How much pressure does it normally have at idle + at speed after oil is warmed up?

My wife's car (87 RS--V-6)--did that until I replaces the oil pressure sending unit--might want to try replacing that.

 

i'd have to agree. i would have assumed that he has checked the oil level. but then again.....

 

oil pressure sensor right behind one of valve covers and the distributer cap.

 

No the oil level is just fine and dandy. I changed it today. And the pick up should be fine. I have about 30-35 psi at idle, and I run somewheres around 50-55 at cruse speed. Just when i brake it goes way down. I thought about the pick up tube also. And my sensor is right above the oil filter on the side of the block.


Tyler

 

Does it do the same thing WOT?

 

Oil pressure is good all the time, but when I come to a stop it drops down. Like I said oil level is fine, no clattering, nothing. Just the gauge reads low psi when I come to a stop. Drops way fast when braking hard.

 

my car did the same thing. it was fine until i hit the brakes. the pressure was the same as yours too when not braking. it was just that sensor.

 

Mine is doing the same thing and wont really hit over 35 either. I did just go from 5W-30 to 10W-30. So I might switch back.

 

yeah I was thinking, that it shouldn't be starving from oil. You would think it would make noise. I know I'm full on oil. And my sensor is new, but that doesn't mean its any good. I'll prolly try changing it and see what happens. I highly doubt my pickup tube fell out. You would think there would be no pressure at all.

 

yeah I was thinking, that it shouldn't be starving from oil. You would think it would make noise. I know I'm full on oil. And my sensor is new, but that doesn't mean its any good. I'll prolly try changing it and see what happens. I highly doubt my pickup tube fell out. You would think there would be no pressure at all.

 

Mine was doing the same exact thing. It's been doing it for over a year. At first I thought it only did it when it was less than 1/2 quart below full, but the last quart I added brought it up to full and it definately was still doing it. I also recently changed the oil pressure sender, no difference.

I pulled the engine this past weekend in prep for the 350 shortblock project. When I pulled the pan, much to my dismay I saw the pickup had divorced itself from the pump. I found I could not get it to stay by simply trying to drive it into the pump. This was a ZZ4 take-off pan, pump, & stud-mounted baffle from SDPC back in '01. Basically brand new parts (why the pump and pickup were separated I have no idea).

So, now my question: Is hardening Permatex #1 adequate for a lasting marriage? It'll have plenty of time to set up before being installed. Or, should I just bite the bullet and borrow the co-worker's flux core wire welder and weld the two together? I don't have access to brazing equipment (although I could probably get out the carbon arc equipment for my old Lincoln stick welder and give that a try).

 

to be on the safe side just tack it. don't start running beads, the heat might distort the pump body.

 

2 small spot welds are plenty good for holding the pickup to the pump.

You would think that with as much force as it takes to drive a pickup home into the pump that it would never come out again. But they do, and with frightening regularity. I never assemble my engines until I tack weld the pickup to the pump, or use a pickup that bolts to one of the oil pump corner bolts.

 

To my eternal shame, this one did not drive in hard. I should have known it wasn't going to stay in.