Low oil pressure after rebuild HELP!!!

[zincmock03]

hey guys, i have a 97 gt with 140k on it, I bought it a couple months ago for my engine building class and figured i would use it as my daily driver when i was finished with it. It ran fine before i tore it down. It did not need any machine work i just put all new bearings, checked all clearances, replaced wear parts (timing components waterpump, etc). Also put in a set of comp cams the stage 1's and did a 3 angle valve job on heads. I started it up today and it runs fine and sounds good. I noticed the oil pressure gauge was reading nothing. When i rev'ed up it would go up and come back down at idle. I threw a manual gauge on it and at idle i have about 9-10 psi and at 3k i have 20psi. Book says i am suppose to have between 20-40 at 1500rpm, and i had 10. I tried searching and could not find anyone with my same problem. Any possibility it has something to do with the cams, i dont see how it would but just a thought. Some people say oil pump, but before the rebuild was fine and i did nothing to it.

 

[AaRoN]

First, and don't be insulted but how's your oil level? Is it full? Second, are you leaking or burning oil? You said you checked the oil clearances. Did you also check the oil clearances for the cam? It almost sounds like your pressure relief valve is sticking open. Not very likely but possible.

 

[zincmock03]

thanks for reply. the oil level is full and i do not believe it is burning but i just started it up for the first time since rebuild yesterday and did not want to run it too long with that oil pressure. I was thinking about the oil pressure relief spring and shimming it to make it stiffer and give more pressure. You think that is a good idea?

 

[ram360]

You didn't bend the oil pickup tube when you pulled the pan? There needs to be a certain clearance between the pickup and the bottom of the pan. Some also use an o ring on the pickup tube (I think chevy ls motors do), if it's not seated correctly or damaged it could result in that problem as well.

 

[zincmock03]

nevermind guys..my dumbass forgot to tighten up the bolts in the front of the oil pump, letting oil leak out in there. i feel stupid for forgetting but atleast i figured it out..thanks for the help!

 

[AaRoN]

Glad you got it figured out.

 

[uncltrvlnmatt]

Good thing you found that now, rather than later. Don't feel like a dumb ass, everybody makes mistakes. especially when learning.