on my other car, and '88 buick regal with the good old 2.8, i am pretty sure the oil pump is going. Here is what happens..

*At idle, the oil light flashes on and off for a minute, than stays on for good, till i hit the gas, then it's off again till i am at an idle again.
*The car smells like blown wngine sometimes. Not burning oil...burning metal. Not a good smell.

I have checked the oil level many times, but it is always full. I think that the oil pump is on its way out, and may need to be replaced. What do you guys think?

If I need to do it, how is this to do? Easy? Cheap? Thanks for the info.
-Brian

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1991 Camaro RS
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Ultra Blue Metallic, T-Tops

GM 350 HO Crate Engine - Vortec Heads, Edelbrock Performer Vortec Intake, Holley 670 CFM Throttle Body, Open Air Cleaner w/14"x3" K&N, Edelbrock TES Headers, Edelbrock Victor Series Water Pump, Accell Superstock Wires, Cap, and Rotor, MSD Blaster Coil, Hypertech Fan Switch & Thermomaster Chip, AC Delco Rapidfires, 3" Cat Back, Flowmaster 40 Series Muffler

700R4 - 2,400 Stall Converter, Vette Servo, Shift Kit, B&M Transcooler

Brian's 1991 RS

Central NY F-Body Association

 

That oil pressure "idiot light"'s sensor might be acting up... try replacing that first. There's two sensors hanging off the oil filter mounting boss... one is for the idiot light, the other is the fuel pressure "backup" switch. If your fuel pump relay ever died, the car would see that "yes" you still had oil pressure, so it would keep the fuel pump engaged until you came to a stop. I suppose GM put that on so nobody would kill themselves pulling out onto a highway?

Anyway from what I remember, the fuel pump safety switch is a two-pin switch, while the switch for the oil pressure light is a one wire guy.

Besides, the sensor's much easier to replace than the oil pump! I've never done it, but I assume you need to raise the engine enough so the oil pan clears the crossmember.. then you can unbolt the oil pan and switch fuel pumps. But who knows, maybe there's an easier way?

-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards

 

An engine with excessive crankshaft bearing clearance due to wear or damage will display exactly this type of behavior(low pressure and burning smell). The best proceedure would be to obtain an oil pressure gauge and then determine the actual pressure readings.

 

sounds like a crazy situation. i had to replace the oil pan on my 89 rs 2.8 because the previous owner drug the bottom off of it. i went ahead and replaced the oil pump while we were in there and what a living nightmare. tomp is correct in the fact that the motor must be jacked up in order to clear the cross member. i paid a veteran gm mechanic to help with the job and thank god i did. i heard more explatives that day than i ever had in my life before. i used a meling pump from autozone, seems to be in good working order.