96 K1500 - low oil pressure

[edc5302]

My 96 K1500 (5.7) starts with decent oil pressure but as the engine warms the pressure goes to around 5 or 6 psi and the check guages warning light comes on.

There is no noticable change in the sound of the engine. No knocks, valve chatter just a nice smooth running motor. The oil pressue goes up to over 20 psi on acceleration.

I want to manually check the oil pressue. Most places I looked say I need to remove the sending unit and screw in a manual guage. Is there not somewhere else I can screw in the guage? I have already changed the sending unit and it was a pain to get to with out having to remove the distributor. I thought I read somewhere you could hook the pressure guage up to the oil filter housing?

Any guesses on the cause of the low pressure? Faulty guage, oil pump....

I went on line to check out high flow oil pumps and see there are two listed. One with a 3/4 diameter inlet and one with a 5/8 diameter inlet. Can someone shed some light on which should be for a stock 5.7 motor?

The part also mentions to check pan for clearance. Does anyone have any expertise in this?

Both pumps I'm looking at are at NAPA, SEP22443469V and SEP2244143.

Thanks

 

[98_k1500]

How many miles is on it? if the oil pressure is really that low, its probably time for a rebuild instead of a oil pump...

 

[edc5302]

I;m not sure. I just got the truck a couple of weeks ago. The dash shows 280,000, but the PO said he put a new motor in about 30,000 miles ago.

The motor really runs good. No shakes or shudders. No lifter noise or motor knocks. Plently of power.

I'm really hoping the oil pressure guage is bad...

 

[98_k1500]

There is a oil passage plug on the front of the block. I don't think its accessible with the accessories on the front of the engine. I will look and see on mine later and take some pics if it may be an option for you. You may get by with just putting an oil pump in it. I assume that you cannot remove the oil pan to change it without pulling the engine on a 4x4, i have never tried. I have a buddy with a 300,000+ 96 and his oil pressure does the same thing. Truck runs great but at red lights the check gauges light comes on. Its been doing that for years, he just runs it.

 

[slippy3002]

Could always run an aftermarket gauge to see if it's just the gauge.

Sent from Robl@nd

 

[98_k1500]

Thats what he is wanting to do, but its a real pain to hook one of these up on the back of the engine without pulling the distributor out...

 

[edc5302]

That's correct. Someone told me that there is a place on the oil filter housing were you can screw in a manual guage to verify oil pressue.

Is anyone familiar with this?

 

[edc5302]

I found a picture of the outlet on the housing I'm talking about, but don't know how to upload the picture.

I assume it's not as easy as copy and paste.

 

[98_k1500]

Right click the picture, then select copy URL. click on the insert image button, select from URL, paste the URL there, and uncheck the box. Easy as pie..

 

[edc5302]

Thanks, I'll see if this works. The outlet I'm asking about is at the 12 o'clock position between the the mounting bolts

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