[1qwerty]

I would not run the car as is ,oil pressure is way too low .I have been working on engines and equipment for a long time
(40+years) I would not be comfortable running it.
I was just looking to try what I can and then pull the motor if nothing fixed it
All replies appreciated

[steve25]

Well if it comes down to having to pull the motor then before that and for its & giggles pull the timing cover and take a look at the two front oil galley plugs .

[1qwerty]

That is the plan ,just not betting on it being that simple

[1qwerty]

Yes I notice no oil running down the sides
Looks factory
6quarts did the job

[HWYSTR455]

I would be checking if the pickup fell off or the bypass is missing. Or both. If the filter is only half full or less, oil is not flowing thru it. So the issue sounds like it's before the filter.


.

[steve25]

Unfortunately I agree!

[chiphead]

Cut the oil filter open first. If there is no metal in the filter pleats, this is a good sign. Usually if an engine is going away, the shredded bearing material gets trapped in the oil filter pleats. I cut my filters, and have a tool for doing it, kind of looks like a big can opener.

No metal in filter means either the checkball in the pump is stuck or maybe the engine was built with very loose clearances. I had this happen with my current 400. I had done a cam change, and then shortly after the oil pressure was like 10 PSI at idle, no higher than 35 PSI at 2500 RPM cruise. I guessed the ball was hung up, so I gave the engine 2 or 3 good revvs and shut it off. The next time, magically it had the proper oil pressure again. I then cut the filter open and found a wadded up piece of masking tape. I had used blue painters tape as a pattern to clearance the valley pan to fit the intake. A piece of blue masking tape got hung up in the ball and bled off a bunch of oil pressure. A few revvs blew the tape from under the ball and it was all good.

The other thing that is likely, is the shop built the engine with very loose clearances. Pontiacs have very big main and rod bearings (compared to other makes), and if you set the clearances loose, the oil pump has trouble keeping up. There is no high volume pump for Pontiac, like there is for chevy. And if the shop set the engine up like a performance BBC, (greater than .001 per inch of journal) it's going to struggle to maintain pressure. A BBC has a 2.75" main journal, a Poncho 455 is 3.25".

*edit* Does the engine have valvetrain noise? The shop could have used chevy lifters, which have the oil band in the wrong place vs a Pontiac. That would bleed off oil pressure.

[1qwerty]

I agree

[1qwerty]

Engine sounds great and runs great
Just no oil pressure
No valvetrain noise at all

[mgarblik]

I agree with Steve. If a gallery plug was missing, even with 20W-50 oil, I don't think the engine could maintain 10 PSI at idle. Probably would be zero and maybe 10-15 PSI @ 3000 RPM. Also, there would be valvetrain noise with a plug pushed out. However, just a small sliver of RTV or other debris in or around the check ball and spring in the oil pump would produce your symptoms. Is there evidence of way too much silicone sealer being used or pushed out of the front cover seal or oil pan? That might be a telltale sign.

[1qwerty]

Thanks I have limited knowledge on the engine build
Maybe find a galley plug?

[HWYSTR455]

I think the filter would still fill with oil if a galley plug were missing, but not 100% sure.

To me it sounds like the issue is between the pickup and the filter. And it's pretty much a straight shot.

Oil in pan>pickup>pump>short passage run> filter housing>filter

That stuff is pretty easy to check, not much disassembly involved.


.

[Lee]

Originally Posted by 1qwerty

Engine sounds great and runs great
Just no oil pressure
No valvetrain noise at all

Unless you have solid lifters, you would have major valvetrain/lifter noise if a galley plug was missing.

800 miles on it... The builder probably did not clean out the oil passages, and the leftover debris has wiped out some bearings.

[1qwerty]

I always just go straight
to worst case scenario(bad habit). I will look and see if the pickup is still where it should be then I guess I can try to pull the pan and check the bypass
Looks like I pull the pan regardless
Thanks for everyone's input
JWB

[1qwerty]

I am going to run a flexible magnet pick up tool through the drain hole and do some fishing

[HWYSTR455]

Maybe a big chunk of RTV up there clogging the screen.

If it's an OE pan & pickup, you should be able to see the bottom of the pickup thru the drain hole.


.

[1qwerty]

The use of silicone looks to be minimal
I have used westside before on a old Jeep CJ8 build last year and was pleased with the work.
I am a Owens Racing orphan.

[grandam1979]

I would remove the oil filter housing and make sure it doesn’t have anything stuck in it as suggested already 3 bolts to remove I would look at it first. My2¢

[1qwerty]

Wanted to thank everybody for their help and suggestions I tried to keep it simple so after the oil and filter change didn't work me , me and my son were about to pull the pan I started it up and with a cold engine nailed it a few times oil psi hit 80
All press hot and run hard
Idle in gear 22
Out of gear 38
2000 rpm 60

[PunchT37]

Originally Posted by 1qwerty

Wanted to thank everybody for their help and suggestions I tried to keep it simple so after the oil and filter change didn't work me , me and my son were about to pull the pan I started it up and with a cold engine nailed it a few times oil psi hit 80
All press hot and run hard
Idle in gear 22
Out of gear 38
2000 rpm 60

Good deal. Iv`e heard of "Italian tune ups" before.