What makes the oil pressure go down at idle?
Oil pressure then appeared normal. But after the engine warmed up, the oil pressure dropped below normal at idle and the engine noise (probably lifters) returned. Raising the engine speed to above 1000 rpm causes the oil pressure to increase to about 45 psi.
Can a low oil pressure cause engine to seize up?
Low oil pressure will cause the engine to seize up. When the oil pressure light on, it should be assumed that the engine locking up is imminent. We advise not running the engine until the issue can be properly diagnosed. There are many things that can cause low oil pressure.
Can a failed O-ring cause low oil pressure?
But at idle, when oil flow is already pretty low, ingesting air via the failed O-ring could be enough to reduce oil pressure to a dangerous level. There’s a clever test you can conduct to determine whether the O-ring has failed and the oil pump is sucking air.
How can you tell if your oil pressure unit is failing?
Oil Pressure Reporting Erratically This is perhaps the most telltale sign of a malfunctioning sending unit. If your oil pressure gauge or engine oil warning light have very sporadic behavior—the gauge moving from low to high or high to low randomly or the light coming on and off frequently—you can be sure there’s a problem with the sending unit.
What causes oil pressure to fluctuate in Pontiac?
If there is a weakness within the Pontiac oil pump, Butler believes it’s the ball-type bypass valve. “If some debris or a small metal sliver gets lodged between the check ball and its seat, the ball may stick open. That can cause oil pressure to fluctuate, also routing some oil flow back toward the inlet side of the pump.
How does the oil pump work in a Pontiac V-8?
Once the preset amount of pressure is reached, the bypass valve’s check ball is forced off its seat, redirecting excess output flow back toward the inlet side of the pump. Pontiac used three distinct oil pumps in its V-8 engines, and they are often referred to by approximate maximum pressure ratings of 40, 60, and 80 pounds per square inch (psi).
What causes the pressurization of the oil pump?
Pressurization occurs when discharge flow meets the resistance associated with forcing oil throughout the engine. Oil-flow volume increases along with engine speed, and a sprung ball-type bypass valve regulates maximum pressure.
What should the pressure be on a Pontiac V-8?
When dealing with a typical Pontiac V-8 and production-bearing clearances, pressure at the gauge is usually 60 and 80 psi, respectively. Melling’s Select Performance oil pumps were first introduced in the early ’90s and incorporate improvements to the pump design, displacement, tolerances, materials, and coatings.