'97 5.7 Vortec Low Oil Pressure

[Schurkey]

Or the simplest option that doesn't involve a failed sending unit--plugged oil filter.

Especially likely if it's orange.

 

[Mike Duckworth]

I had a problem with the check guage light coming on after warm up and coolant guage and oil pressure guage would swing back and forth. I found out the zip tie strap on the wiring harness from the driver's side going across the back of the engine broke and harness fell down on exhaust manifold and was picking up intermittent ground on the manifold usually when you hit a bump.

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

Or the simplest option that doesn't involve a failed sending unit--plugged oil filter.

Especially likely if it's orange.

Yes as long as I can still get AC PF1218 from my local parts store, that's what the Burb gets. Just took a Fram off it, from an oil change I had to do on the quick and cheap back in January( also known as the Dreamsicle incident). It came off fine, but the one I used on a long ago change on a square body Burb came off in pieces. I use AC and no problem. One thing I have learned on the oil filter base though; if you clean it too well, the filter can get stuck on the block even if you lubricated the gasket with fresh oil. So now I wipe a little of the old oil on the filter mount and no sticky filter next time.

 

[stutaeng]

The SBC engines don't have an oil pressure sender filter, right?

I was just thinking about it the other day. I believe the LS engines have that filter, and it's a pain to remove and if it clogs, you will get lower oil pressure reading.

 

[SAATR]

The SBC engines don't have an oil pressure sender filter, right?

I was just thinking about it the other day. I believe the LS engines have that filter, and it's a pain to remove and if it clogs, you will get lower oil pressure reading.

No, none that I've seen. Seems a bit idiotic to have a filter there.

 

[Supercharged111]

No, none that I've seen. Seems a bit idiotic to have a filter there.

Idiotic for a 350, yes. Not so much for an AFM 5.3.

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

Idiotic for a 350, yes. Not so much for an AFM 5.3.

Maybe that's what is making my 06 Denali 6.0 think it has (and when cold actually does have)low pressure on initial startup. Didn't know they had this. Where is it located (sender and filter)?

 

[SAATR]

Idiotic for a 350, yes. Not so much for an AFM 5.3.

No, that still seems idiotic. If the filter plugs and gives a false low pressure reading, then you have to pull the sensor to inspect the filter for plugging. If you find a plugged screen, you'll likely quote filter + sensor as the labor is the same, and to prevent a rework for a potentially faulty sensor. Which is the same thing that would happen if you only had to replace the sensor were there no filter. So, where's the benefit? What were the engineers trying to solve by installing a filter on a blind oil passage?

 

[stutaeng]

Maybe that's what is making my 06 Denali 6.0 think it has (and when cold actually does have)low pressure on initial startup. Didn't know they had this. Where is it located (sender and filter)?

You have to remove the sender. The filter is where the sender threads into it.

Check this video out. At around the 5 minute mark Eric shows it:

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[Erik the Awful]

One thing I have learned on the oil filter base though; if you clean it too well, the filter can get stuck on the block even if you lubricated the gasket with fresh oil. So now I wipe a little of the old oil on the filter mount and no sticky filter next time.

I lubricate my oil filter seals with silicone spray. You can get it at the auto parts store, and it's consistently better than using old oil.