Zero oil pressure

[Gersh]

My wife's 2006 coupe came up with no oil pressure today when she first started it. She checked the oil and the dipstick says it's OK.
Pretty sure it can't be a blocked filter since I do regular oil and filter changes.
Is there a way to determine if the problem is the oil pump vs. just the gauge? Either way it needs to be fixed, but she can't drive it to a mechanic if the pump is bad and there really is no pressure...
Thanks!
Gersh

 

[Hib Halverson]

If the car is still under warranty, I'd call your dealer and tell them to come get it.

if it's not under warranty, you could try replacing the sender, but if she fired the engine and oil pressure didn't come up within less than a second, there's a good chance the oil pump or other component in the oiling system has failed.

If you're a DIY you're looking at pan removal to inspect the pickup and oil pump removal to change the pump.

If you're not a DIY, I'd have the car hauled to a repair facility on roll-back.

 

[geekinavette]

Hib...does that engine have the oil filter bypass? (like the old Gen1 SBC)

I'm just thinking that a "new" oil filter doesn't always mean a good one (especially if its a Fram!). I even had a AC Delco filter block up on me after a week once. You just never know.

 

[Hib Halverson]

All production engines have an oil filter bypass. If they didn't and the filter plugged, either the filter would rupture or there'd be no oil pressure. Better to send the engine unflitered oil than to have no oil at all.

Just curious what was the cause of the ACDelco filter "blocking up"?

 

[geekinavette]

I really don't know. It got thrown away before I had a chance to cut it open. I have wondered that ever since! I know ACD filters are one of the higher quality out there, along with Mobil1.

 

[c4c5specialist]

HI there,
Call the dealership, tell them the problem, and they will come and get it.
A mechanical test will confirm oil pressure or no.
Then, possibly, the oil pump could be the issue but the only way to know for sure is to perform the mechanical test.
Allthebest, c4c5

 

[muddywaters]

Wouldn't the engine have an audible clatter with no oil pressure???

 

[Gersh]

Thanks for the help, guys--guess I'll have to trailer it in to the shop, and see what they say.

 

[NORTY]

Be sure to post back here what the cause is. Did your wife get a warning on the DIC? Are you using MOBIL 1? Check the oil level?

 

[Gersh]

Fixed!

Be sure to post back here what the cause is. Did your wife get a warning on the DIC? Are you using MOBIL 1? Check the oil level?

Yes, I always use Mobil 1. Terri did get a DIC message saying "NO OIL PRESSURE". When I started the car to back it onto the trailer it sounded fine, so I looked at the gauge and it was fine! She ended up driving it to the mechanic, and he changed the oil and filter, ordered a new bypass valve, since there was a factory bulletin about that (it took a week to arrive though we are less than 3 hours from Bowling Green). He thought at first that it was fixed , but no--after sitting it would have no pressure at start-up, then get pressure if he revved it gently. Ended up replacing the oil pump--$1500, since he had to drop the front frame and oil pan to get to it.

The pump was leaking oil back into the pan when it sat, then had to be revved to suck oil back up and start pumping--not good. The oil pump had metal scorring indicating a little piece of something had been there, but he couldn't find any scrap of metal--evidentally gone with a previous filter change.

Well, this was just one of FIFTEEN things that have broken down this spring--repairs are keeping us busy...