New guy with an oil pressure question!!!! HELP

So I bought a truck that already had a built motor in it don't have alot of details on the build but it is a 454 when I took out for a spin oil pressure was great 50 PSI + so i load it up bring it home and putt around in it for the day and that night I decided I wanted to see how it launches so I took it up to the stall and launched it keeping an eye on the gauges the whole time and after I shut down I look at oil pressure and it's at ZERO so I shut down the truck and get out and look around well Teflon oil pressure line got on the header and melted shut no big deal put a new one on and been having low oil pressure and recently gauge will read ZERO running in a straight line but when you turn a corner it will shoot up to like 50 anybody have any ideas what would cause pressure to go up when turning (heard of it going down but not up?)

I always suggest going back to the last thing done---check out the oil pressure line routing

did you bleed the air out of the line ? like jerry said the problem started with the line .

I don't have a great suggestion but another easy thing to check is the ground for the sending unit.

i thought it was a mechanical gauge .

I switched it to copper line so i could avoid the header problem with it again, still had the same problem realized that copper line is super easy to pinch so I just decided to go to an electrical sensor so now I have the pressure sensor directly plumbed in to the block with no risk of kinks and even the electrical gauge doing same thing! before i put it in I just cranked it over with no line or anything there and oil just gushed out just cranking didn't start it though.

it was originally a mechanical but now switched to electrical didn't state that until my last post though

Personally, I'd be pullin' the pan to have a look-see at the pickup and measuring pickup screen to bottom of pan clearance. Verify pickup tube is tight in pump, check torque on pump retainer bolt to main cap. When you put the pan back on, put 5 quarts of oil in the pan and mark the dipstick with the edge of a file.

If pickup tube was not inserted properly when I open the port up where the sending unit taps in to oil would not be shooting out would it?

Oh and by the way to pull the pan I have to pull the whole motor out now! Isn't super difficult I know but inconvenient ecspecially to chase a ghost! lol

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Originally Posted by JASONHOLLAND

Oh and by the way to pull the pan I have to pull the whole motor out now! Isn't super difficult I know but inconvenient ecspecially to chase a ghost! lol

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If you drive it with low to no oil pressure very long then you just might be pulling motor anyhow.

In testing stage right now looking for ideas what it might be if anyone had had something like this happen

Does it make any noise at idle, while indicating zero pressure? Did you buy a quality gauge & sender, and install it with new fittings, or verify no blockage in your fittings?

Since you have to pull the engine to pull the pan, you might consider draining your oil, letting it drain totally, then re-fill with five quarts of new 10W30 and check your dipstick, before you start the engine to verify your "Full" mark. If you also change the filter, then refill to your verified "Full" mark on the dipstick and see what your pressure does? That's an easy step to ensure proper oil level.

I'd go with Roger's plan, good idea to know that the dipstick is correct for the pan on the engine, easiest way to do this is an oil change and verify the accuracy of the markings on the dipstick!!

Well I bought the most expensive autometer gauge that they had like $70 the motor has a larger oil pan on it and actually holds just over 7 qts all new fittings did not check visually for blockage but when had everything off of it cranked it over and had oil shooting out figured that was a good indicator that their was no blockage but maybe not

Oh and no it makes NO funny noises at idle or under a load or at anytime for that matter the motor had roughly 500 miles on a complete build when I got it as well so it was fresh.

Did you get a build and blueprint sheet with the engine, or is this just what the previous owner said??? A "built" engine has so many different definitions, to some it means nothing more then rings, bearings, a lumpy cam, and fresh paint on the block!!!!!

My quesiton would be the same as Techinspector's-whose Pan and Pickup do you have on your 454? Did you verify Pickup depth? What is your clearance on the Mains and Rods? Oil control is often overlooked by many, and it is something to keep you eye on-btw, good for you to watch it, as it's easy to get caught up in the moment when you have the pedal down!

My engine builder had this same type of problem (which is why I went to an Engine Builder in the first place-experience matters!)-I originally bought a nice Moroso kick-out Pan and Pickup, but it wouldn't fit with my Headers (anybody need a new Pan/Pickup for a 502? :mad:)-anyway, I finally found a B&B Pan that would fit (it was a Steel one btw-I don't like Aluminum Pans on the street with my old feeble eyes) and when he got the Pan he modified it-you can see from the pictures that while the Pan originally came with baffles and a trap door that it would not control the slosh, and he also changed the pickup-it worked, and with a Melling select Pump it pulled 60+ psi from 4000-6400 rpm-

(I hope these pictures don't come out too big!)

I agree in the "built" engine term the motor is supposed to be pushing around 650 HP (I have not verified that yet) but is very strong for sure I do not like throwing money away and with a motor I don't know that much about I keep a super close eye on until they gain many trust to be solid motor was balanced but not blueprinted I saw the build sheet from machine shop but don't have a copy of it

OK, so with all of that is the oil change, verify pan level a reasonable, relatively inexpensive approach?

for oil as how many QT of oil you can put in the pan will not matter much as long as its not over filled so lets say you put 4 qt in the pan then filled the filter .say the pan took 5 or6 QT to read full. it.s still going to get oil to pick up as the oil pump pickup is only off the pan bottom 3/8 so long as it has oil its going to get oil PSI some guy get all fancy with traps . and baffles that fine to a point but that really is not your problem less i did read this wrong? the pick up not weld on can move or if pickup fell off. it can not read any oil PSI and pick up is not welded on it can suck to the bottom of pan as well . i seen many pickups suck the pan up were it will wear screen marks on the inside of the pan from pulling the bottom of the pan by draw of the oil pump if to close to bottom of pan . it is not uncommon for me to weld used steel pans over time the pan sump can crack from this . you could have other things going on as well the bypass in the oil pump could be hang open from a small chunk of junk dry cranking the engine is a big No NO as you will tear the bearing s out if you did not start that by now may be a good ideal to pull number #1 main and rod bearing and check this . prime the engine with a primmer . and not dry crank it to check oil PSI

Pat beat me to it, and I was going to agree with Techinspector, verify the clearance between the pickup and the pan bottom. Especially on someone elses "rebuilt / built" motor. Seen a few that the pickup came loose from the pump and got sucked into the pan.

It'll cost you the time and a gasket but that's cheaper than another rebuild / repair! And if the clearance is fine, ensure it's welded!

If it were mine I know I'd pull the pan and see whats going on. Like was said earlier if you keep going you'll be pulling it anyway and will cost a bit more by then. My guess pick up came loose if you turn left you'll push the oil up on the right side of pan turning right pushes oil up the left side....meaning it will get to the pickup turning left??Bottom line its your engine

yep and when you weld it take the pump apart mark the gears with paint mark or marker so they run matched so you take the pump cover off so bypass spring will not over heat you can tack it on with a mig but tap off the screen very good and port .so no pop corn get s in the pump . i tig them on and use bronze fill rod or missile rod

Hmmmm fun this all sounds like a blast

i had this same problem on my350 olds. had good oil pressure when cold and idleing but after a bit of driving it the oil pressure droped to 0-3 psi. it ended up being the main bearings were junk and the motor was not that old. had to rebuilt it so went bigger since it was all apart.

it sure is tempting not to use this thread as a "454 Oil Pressure Pot" at $1 a square

weak humor, I know

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Originally Posted by MelloYello

it sure is tempting not to use this thread as a "454 Oil Pressure Pot" at $1 a square
weak humor, I know

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Please write TI in square #37 that says "pickup too close to pan", the dollar's in the mail.

well techinspector you lost your $1 the pickup tube fell off!

Hey, thanks for the update! I hope it all worked out for the better tho'!!! Hopefully your "new" motor is ok? Yes/No??