Understanding Low Oil Pressure

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  • Опубліковано 9 лип 2024
  • This is a real world demonstration of how to investigate and diagnose the most common cause of low oil pressure in an old chev truck. Did you know there are two one-way valves inside every oil filter? Along the way we’ll demonstrate how oil pressure varies and how several valves in the delivery chain are used to safely manage that pressure and protect your engine. We’ll discuss a design flaw in the famous chevy LS engine series that makes those engines vulnerable to failing oil delivery.
    If you have a problem with sagging oil pressure, immediately check your oil level and if you’re late for an oil and filter change, do that first. Don’t hesitate to get this investigated quickly, because serious engine damage can result, even while driving to a repair facility. If in doubt, or if there is any engine noise, have the vehicle towed to a repair facility.
    DIY auto repair will always involve risk, both to the individual and to the vehicle, so you need to decide whether you have the stomach, skill set, and tools to accept those risks. Any misadventure you encounter if you decide to accept the risk of DIY repair is your responsibility.
    The snap shot of the intake O ring on an LS engine was taken with permission from a video by my friend "Oz Mechanics" here you UA-cam. His video video clearly describes the steps necessary to change that O ring in a 2 wheel drive vehicle, here.
    • Low Oil Pressure 5.3 C...
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 42

  • @hindflight
    @hindflight Місяць тому

    Also would mention I found one of those plastic oil change interval stickers provided by Jiffy Lube stuck to an oil pickup while changing the oil pan gasket. Glad I did it and found it by chance!

    • @spelunkerd
      @spelunkerd  Місяць тому

      That's interesting, I often wonder how many vehicles have things accidentally fall into the oil fill hole.

  • @MajorStymie
    @MajorStymie 3 місяці тому

    I had no oil pressure after rebuilding a Pontiac 428 ci for a 69 Lemans. Had a friend who knows engines well go behind me and double check my build after removing the engine. I did everything right. Total mystery until several months later and told me his 383 Stroker had the same thing happen but his had run for a while after rebuild. Come to find out, we both had a cam bearing spin. Hole in cam bearing now sealed hole in block that hole in bearing should line up with for lubrication. To this day, 35 years later, I would have a hard time believing total pressure loss could result from such an issue.

  • @hindflight
    @hindflight Місяць тому +1

    I have had mixed results with Amazon ordered sensors. Sometimes fitment issues or functional issues - especially troublesome since one may erroneously eliminate the sensor as the source of the problem after changing it. Many times they have worked for me though.

  • @mansouralblooshi3004
    @mansouralblooshi3004 2 роки тому +1

    Great video mate. Nice to see you again.

  • @jimpetty45
    @jimpetty45 2 роки тому +1

    nice to see you out here always enjoy watching your videos

  • @shawnmrfixitlee6478
    @shawnmrfixitlee6478 2 роки тому +1

    I had that same issue on my Grand Cherokee . it started leaking oil & a shaky needle on the dash . Sure is not much inside that for what they cost . Great share , ENJOYED !!

  • @normonicus
    @normonicus 27 днів тому

    Ty for the education

  • @SVImpavidus
    @SVImpavidus 2 роки тому

    Hi mate. Spooky we were just saying today that we had not seen anything from you for a while. Great explanation. If you know how it works you know how to fix it! We have built and raced some big V8's Off road stuff long story... Bikes too, big ones. Oil pressure sensors have not kept pace with available technology. Measuring resistance with moving parts that contact just seems so yesterday?
    We have an upcoming video on a rudder position sensor that uses a 10 K ohm 10 turn pot. Totally inappropriate for longevity on a sailboat. We change it out for a product with a magnet and haul effect sensor. No touching parts. It seems that that in our experience that, as in yours its the way the pressure is monitored is more an issue than the actual pressure? When we raced we had old school tube and gauge. You nailed it in the last 30 seconds. $50 vs $150. Sail Safe mate. stay in touch. Ant, Cid & the pooch crew.

  • @SchrodingersBox
    @SchrodingersBox 2 роки тому

    Nice job as always Dave! Congrats on the 50K subs.
    I have seen more low pressures than I can count and it’s only ever been two causes ever- a bad sensor or worn bearings. Never seen it be anything else though of course it’s possible.
    People especially like to blame the oil pump but in reality it’s almost never the pump and even if it was, if the pump is worn the bearings are almost guaranteed even more worn so the new pump will make no improvement.
    Of the bad sensors it was only 3 times I saw that. One of those times was the replacement sensor that was bad out of the box and gave the reverse problem you had- pressure was normal until engine warmed up and then pressure went to zero. Actual pressure still showed over 40PSI though so obviously a failed sensor out of box.

    • @eminencerecords6049
      @eminencerecords6049 Рік тому

      Hi thanks for your info, I have the same problem on my boat engine it a old bmc. On start up it’s close to 40psi then drops to zero. I used the old sensor off the engine so you think the sensor could be the issue? it increases psi with throttle
      thanks

  • @TheGraffiti600rr
    @TheGraffiti600rr 2 роки тому

    Omg... thank you so much. Im so fixing that issue when I get home. 07 5.3l suburban. Ticks every cold morning until warm usually.

    • @spelunkerd
      @spelunkerd  2 роки тому +1

      Ticking lifters are an annoying quirk of LS engines. Many make noise on first start, even when oil delivery is fine. My lifters have intermittently made a little noise for over two decades. Fortunately most do well, even over the long run. Thanks for visiting my humble site!

    • @TheGraffiti600rr
      @TheGraffiti600rr 2 роки тому +1

      I threw in seafoam before an oil change trying to release any gunk. Then I've stuck with ams oil and premium gas. Now it only ticks on cold mornings until warm or until I give it some gas. It seems like the oil just needs a little oomph.

    • @TheGraffiti600rr
      @TheGraffiti600rr 2 роки тому

      By the way, thanks for doing what you do. Think this is the 3rd video that explains annoying issues so I can fix it easily because I know the problem.

  • @HUBBABUBBADOOPYDOOP
    @HUBBABUBBADOOPYDOOP 2 роки тому

    *@**9:23*
    Nearly identical to the fuel sending unit in the tank, except
    this _transducer_ uses a wiper & cantilever attached to a
    diaphragm instead of a float. It is, in general- a
    "variable resistor" like a rheostat, potentiometer, volume
    control, dimmer switch- all the same principle.
    The usual fail point of these type
    of sensors is the insulation between the liquid (oil) and
    the electrical connector. It used to be Bakelite, but even
    those cracked from heat, vibration, oil.

  • @jimmywells33
    @jimmywells33 10 місяців тому +1

    Great video, thanks!

  • @zx8401ztv
    @zx8401ztv 2 роки тому

    Well done with the repair :-D, it's very likely that you have prevented the engine being ruined.
    I have to admit that i never really thought much about pressure, Volume delivered per second with an output restriction .
    Makes sense.
    I bet there is a kind of ohms law triangle/circle for pressure, but i would have to be put under pressure to remember to look on the internet lol.

    • @spelunkerd
      @spelunkerd  2 роки тому

      It's so nice to hear from you, thanks for stopping by!

  • @anthonyhayden320
    @anthonyhayden320 2 місяці тому

    Could a poor sealing o-ring on the pick up tube cause an engine to occasionally start with low oil pressure?
    Revving the engine slightly brings the oil pressure up quickly.

    • @spelunkerd
      @spelunkerd  2 місяці тому

      Yes, possible, though not diagnostic. Notice how in this case the same thing happened with a bad sensor. If you get air in the intake tube, you need to inefficiently draw all that 'spongy' air up before you restore a good siphon and the oil pump works normally.

  • @dwoodog
    @dwoodog 2 роки тому

    Nice fix. But even though it was $150, the fact that it fixed it certainly helps swallow the higher price.

  • @Trophyhunters01
    @Trophyhunters01 2 місяці тому

    Am I right to think on a cold start a slight flash of low oil pressure is okay? Please can someone advise only does it when left over night

    • @spelunkerd
      @spelunkerd  2 місяці тому +1

      With key on engine off, for any car, the system does a self check of all the dash lights as a check that the bulbs aren't burnt out. If it flickers for more than a second or so you may have the beginning of a failing sensor. Oil pressure varies with rpm as well, so the 500 rpm at starting may not be enough to turn the light off. Oil filters are designed with antisiphon valves to prevent siphoning after the engine is turned off, but beyond the filter there may be a small amount of line that needs to be primed of air before the sensor turns itself off.

    • @Trophyhunters01
      @Trophyhunters01 2 місяці тому

      @@spelunkerd Thank you for your reply, never comes on when driving, always seems to come on if left over night and it’s been a cold night, been doing it for a few months now had oil changed oil filter too very recently.

  • @mph5896
    @mph5896 2 роки тому

    I have seen the oil pressure relief valves stick on those engines causing no oil pressure.

    • @spelunkerd
      @spelunkerd  2 роки тому

      Good point, that relief valve at the bottom of the filter is really stiff. It will take a lot of pressure to open it, and by that point pressure beyond may well be too low. And if pressure on the pump side gets too high, the pressure regulating valve in the pump will open, letting oil bypass directly back to the pan. So they must manufacture these to the correct opening point so that poor maintenance doesn't kill a vehicle. It is a little disconcerting that there would be no warning if the filter relief valve were to open too soon, sending dirty oil through.

  • @snivesz32
    @snivesz32 10 місяців тому

    Oil sensor screen is a common failure and is the first thing you check, then you check oil pickup tube o-ring. Nevertheless, for me it was neither hence i was looking for a more comprehensive video covering the long tail of less frequent oil pressure issues, but this was not it.

  • @maciejolejniczak151
    @maciejolejniczak151 2 роки тому

    Hi have You try to flush the engine ? And change the oil .

    • @spelunkerd
      @spelunkerd  2 роки тому +3

      Yeah, a couple of years ago I had a little sludging oil come out during an oil change on a cold day, so I put a little seafoam into the clean oil and I did a few oil changes over six months. I think I had used some discount oil before that, since I wasn't late to change the oil. It's a reminder that you want to change oil when the engine is hot, to allow even sludging oil a better chance of making it out the drain hole. Thanks for dropping by!

  • @kevintinaodman4943
    @kevintinaodman4943 4 місяці тому

    I have a 2013 avalanche 5.3 l replaced oil pump with high volume pickup tube replace oil sensor and screen have oil pressure running down the road step on it really hard let it come back down to cruising speed oil pressure starts to drop put it in neutral turn off engine restart oil pressure is back what is going.

    • @spelunkerd
      @spelunkerd  4 місяці тому

      I'd be inclined to put in an actual pressure gauge to see if your sensor is on its way out.

    • @kevintinaodman4943
      @kevintinaodman4943 4 місяці тому

      @@spelunkerd it has a brand new pressure sensor in new screen the only thing I didn't do is block off the pressure release valve in the oil pan I wish I would have bypassed that now when I was in to it but I don't know if that's causing my problem..

    • @spelunkerd
      @spelunkerd  4 місяці тому

      @@kevintinaodman4943 As an engine warms up oil viscosity goes down, allowing oil to squeak through narrow passages more easily. When engines age the gap at rings and bearings tend to increase, which reduces overall resistance to flow. So, if the problem is low pressure with a warm engine, I'd wonder if the engine is getting to the stage that you want to start using more viscous motor oil, like 10W40 natural. Synthetic oils tend to have a little lower viscosity in my experience, and in these old engines you aren't so worried about clogging timing phasors.

    • @kevintinaodman4943
      @kevintinaodman4943 4 місяці тому

      @@spelunkerd yes I have over 50 lb of oil pressure when it gets up to 210 running temperature I idle at 3233 and run at freeway speeds of 40 lb of pressure so it's still a little low I do have over 200,000 mi on this motor but it doesn't make any noises no lifter taps no rattles nothing even when the oil pressure says it's on 0 and tell me to turn off the motor still sounds smooth and quiet.

    • @spelunkerd
      @spelunkerd  4 місяці тому

      @@kevintinaodman4943 If pressure is going so low it reads zero, I'd look again at the oil pressure sensor circuit. The oil pressure sensor is a simple variable resistor leading to ground, I believe grounded through the threads to the motor (0-100 ohms). So you can substitute an actual resistor to check out your gauge if you think it might be the gauge, or a bad connection at the gauge. Failing that, I'd wonder if your new oil pressure sensor is bad.

  • @vindieu
    @vindieu 7 місяців тому +1

    Excellent report and classic dealer scam, 3 times the price as otherwise.

  • @willefixit
    @willefixit 2 роки тому

    150 ouch

    • @jimmywells33
      @jimmywells33 10 місяців тому

      Better than a rear main seal.

  • @mr.fredricklawngtawnghedav5094

    Thourough investigation with easy to understand English spoken explanation, and even correct technical linguistics mister ! Also no hideous, overdriven musical introduction or goofy jokers

  • @keytesofessex
    @keytesofessex 5 місяців тому

    30 secs of adverts, I gave up