Sudden loss of oil pressure?

[metalmonkey47]

Okay, so this just adds fire under my ass for getting the engine swapped Current engine is an A15

 

 

Monkeygirl (woman friend) mentioned earlier this afternoon something about oil and asking me general car questions. When I drive I occasionally check all my gauges out of habit. I looked down and noticed my oil pressure had dropped to zero. Temp was about normal but I still got super worried.

 

Clearly my first reaction was to get into the first parking lot and kill the engine. I was only a few minuets from home, but didn't want to risk it. I Checked the oil and the dipstick read ZERO. I had a quart of oil in the back and since she burns oil, I make a habit of checking the oil regularly. I topped it off, started it up and still read zero. No funny noises at all. In fact, I do seem to get about 20 psi of pressure at about 2K, but nothing more then that. I rolled her home and parked it. In the mean time checked the wiring, sender unit and gauge (ProSport) as per their directions given over the phone with a multi meter. All were within spec and gauge functioned as it should.

 

 

I started it up and still had no oil pressure. I didn't want to risk hurting her so I left it alone for a while. I came back out an hour or so later when the engine was cool, checked my levels and started her up to move it a few feet into the driveway so my dad and I could take a look. When I started it up I instantly had 20 psi at idle and about 40 psi at 2000 (rough numbers). All where they normally would be. Keep in mind, nothing on the engine changed between the time I left it with no pressure and when I came out to move it.

 

I'm honestly baffled by what caused this. Input?

[MicroMachinery]

Go buy a mechanical oil pressure gauge and hook it up where the sending unit threads in. That's a sure way to tell not only if you have pressure, but what the pressure is. It's nice to have one on hand, anyhow.

 

If your oil thins out too much, this can happen. What grade are you using?

[metalmonkey47]

Go buy a mechanical oil pressure gauge and hook it up where the sending unit threads in. That's a sure way to tell not only if you have pressure, but what the pressure is. It's nice to have one on hand, anyhow.

 

Good suggestion. I'm gonna pick one up in the zone tomorrow morning and test it out on lunch. I know my oil pressure was minimal though. I opened my valve cover and didn't seem like much oil had made it up to the head.

[datzenmike]

Ground the sender wire the gauge should read full pressure. Disconnected should read zero.

[metalmonkey47]

If your oil thins out too much, this can happen. What grade are you using?

I believe it's Kendell 10w-40 Synthetic blend.

 

Ground the sender wire the gauge should read full pressure. Disconnected should read zero.

 

That's what ProSport had be do and that's exactly what she did.

[Dguy210]

You might want to drop the pan and check the pickup also, just to make sure nothing is wonky on that end.

[metalmonkey47]

You might want to drop the pan and check the pickup also, just to make sure nothing is wonky on that end.

 

I'd love to, but in order to do that I'd have to pull the engine out. I don't have the facilities to do it or I would have re-ringed the engine already and replaced the fuel pump.

 

I was kind of thinking something may have gotten caught in the screen when the oil ran low.

 

 

 

I'm just playing the fields at the moment for more ideas.

[MicroMachinery]

Filter plugged?

[metalmonkey47]

Filter plugged?

 

Can't believe I didn't think of that.

 

And it's not even a fram.

 

 

 

 

Oil change on the to-do list after work tomorrow. The oil's only got 200 miles and its black as night.

[Dguy210]

Can't believe I didn't think of that.

 

And it's not even a fram.

 

Oil change on the to-do list after work tomorrow. The oil's only got 200 miles and its black as night.

 

Just a thought, you might consider saving some of the oil and doing an oil analysis for the metal type/content, should be ~25$ and may give you an idea if bad things are happening.

[datzenmike]

Not much you can do from the outside. I would change the oil and filter. Examine the oil that is drained. Get the good $6 filters and if an oil burner some 30 or 40 weight oil.

 

If it's burning oil expect the new oil to get dirty sooner.

 

Expect the level to drop much quicker so check every day and always carry oil with you. If monkey girl doesn't know what to check and how to fill it up show her.

 

The red oil light is set to come on with less than 5-8 PSI and while it will idle all day on that much, freeway driving should be avoided. You said the gauge read zero but did the red light come on?