Still trying to get my '89 IROC on the road after a never-ending engine rebuild...

Basically, when I start it up (it's a little tough to get started), it will idle high (between 1000 and 1200 RPM), and the oil pressure will be somewhere between 40-45 PSI. I figure that's pretty good. Now, after it's been running for like 10-15 min, I noticed that the oil pressure gague was reading somewhere around 15 PSI -- mabye a little bit more. What really seemed weird to me, though, is that the oil pressure did *NOT* change when I gave it some gas. I could bring it up to 3000 RPMs, and the oil pressure needle would barely budge (it went up mabye a tiny bit, and very slowly at that).

BTW -- I can say that, on the oil pressure sending unit, where the connector hooks up, there is a little bit of oil that seems to be comming out of the connector.

Any ideas what this could mean/what's causing this [the oil pressure problem]?

Thanks

 

Well if your sender leaks, you already know it's broken. I'd start there... replace it. You may not have a pressure problem at all.

 

Been there done that. it the sending unit. i was coming home one day and i notice the oil pressure was a little lower than usual. i was hmm... then i got on the freeway and the pressure stay around 15-20 PSI then i stopped looked at the oil it was full. i found no leaks anywhere. so i drove it home(close to home). i got home and checked the sender there was a little oil on it(by the blade connector). i replaced it and voilia 60 PSI again. replace the sender. good luck

 

About how much do those bad-boys cost?

Thanks

 

Tops...15 bucks...

I think mine was around 12 or so.

 

If you've done alot of mods, your oil could be getting hot and breaking down causing the decrease in pressure. That was my problem with my 383. I switched to synthetic and the pressure sky-rocketed.