Hey Guys, I have a 2002 Pontiac Bonneville SSEI. I was nearly home yesterday when I had some major issues start with my car. I noticed first that my boost gauge was suddenly redlining when I started to accelerate. I felt a major change in the boost I was getting, it was dropping yet the gauge was redlining. Then I noticed a knock coming from the engine which gets louder as you give it throttle. I drove maybe 2-3 miles like this tops and literally as I was a couple hundred feet from my driveway I watched my oil pressure drop to 0. I immediately put the car in neutral and shut my engine off, coasted into my driveway and parked it. I did give the engine a quick look over and saw nothing out of the ordinary. Next morning I came out to take a look, a little less frustrated. I check the oil level, which was full, so no issues there. (2-3 weeks prior I had the lower intake manifold gasket replaced) I noticed the oil was really black. So then I decided to start my car. I started it, it started to run on just 5 cylinders but after about 20-30 seconds it was running 6 again. The knock was still there and I noticed that at idle my oil pressure gauge was maxed out at 120. When I started to softly rev the engine the oil pressure would drop to around 30. Again the knock got louder when I revved the engine.

Anybody have ideas?

I was told I might have a rod that is shot, which requires a rebuild *gulp.
Possibly a flywheel that is coming off and is screwing with the computer?
I don't know, I am going to try to get the car into the shop this week. I won't even start it at this point because if it is a rod I don't want to risk doing any damage to the block.

Please, any suggestions, let me know thanks.....
btw this car is in MINT, no rust or external/interior damage, and only has 60,000 on it.

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Check the oil on the dipstick and look at it really closely with a super bright flashlight. See if you see any sparkles in the oil (babbit), if you do, then you likely have a rod bearing going out. Usually you can see the metal dust in the oil, but you may have to try and drain the oil out as well to see it. If you can drain the oil into a pan and watch it as it comes out, you might be able to see any metal flakes as well.

From the symptoms you described with the oil pressure fluxuating, it definitely sounds more like a rod bearing, and when the bearing goes it is possible that that could cause a misfire on that cylinder as well. I don't think the flywheel bolts would cause any oil pressure issues even on the gauge, or a misfire, it'd just be really loud and almost sound like a rod knocking.

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Joseph

Current: 2013 Infiniti G37 Journey
1999 Infiniti G20T - Sold
1999 Buick Lesabre - Race Couch - gone but not forgotten

Take a video for us if you can.

Sounds like some bottom end issues which likely means a chunked motor, especially given the weird oil pressure behavior.

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-Car Guy Carl
"Penelope" - 2003 SLE - 247k Miles
"Sydney" - 2000 Honda S2000 - 98k miles

Thanks for the replies guys, I had it towed to the mechanics today, wen they started it to get it hitched I couldn't here any knocking this time...I'm supposed to find out what it is sometime today, I will def post what the issues are.

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It's pretty common to have bottom end issues a while after having lower intake gasket failures. Water gets into the oil and does a small amount of damage to the bearings. Then give it a little time to progress, and Boom, or should I say... knock knock knock knock.

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WHITE WHINE - 1992 SSE Supercharged 236.26 ci (.040 Over) 15.090 at 90.2 MPH on old engine w/ slipping trans & melted O2 sensor - Gen 3 M62 and matching TB, Gen 2 Pully, Zillamotorsports Ported LIM, YT 1.72 Roller Rockers, SII FPR & Injectors, Hypertech Thermomaster chip w/ 160 Thermo, TransGo Shift Kit, Infinity/Pioneer Speakers & a 10" Alpine Type R Sub, all the watts, 140 amp Alternator, Ricepipe CAI w/ heatshield, Pilot Angel Eye Foglights, Clear Corners, '02 17" Chrome Bent 5's, Magnaflow F-Body Muffler and Hi-flo Cat, Ceramic Coated Ported Exhaust Manifolds, Fan Override, Monroe Reflex struts, red calipers
2009 G8 GT - Sport Red Metallic, loaded, SOLO Axlebacks, Rotofab Intake, Tuned, autodim mirror, removed intake manifold cover, HSV GTS triple gauge pod, two tone red-hot shifter and HSV SuperSport steering wheel, GXP rear sway bar and diffuser, 3.45 diff and various Camaro suspension bits, LED Taillights

Hey guys, figured I would post what happened just for records same even though it was awhile ago.

So I was told my oil pump failed, due to that the engine bearings dried up and broke and spun in place, also had damage to a cylinder because of the lack of oil. I honestly think they screwed something up when they fixed the lower intake manifold gasket but I could just be paranoid.

Thanks for all the help again guys.

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What do you mean by failed?

It is usually a spun bearing that causes the issue. There have been very few of these oil pumps fail.

No matter what, a spun bearing means a new (used) motor.

I just fixed a car with a spun bearing that the mechanic told the PO that the SC failed and caused the spun bearing.

Well I bought my car, which is in amazing shape, no rust perfect cosmetic condition with 58k. It was originally a Florida car for an elderly couple and they never drove it and maintained it well. Then it was sold to some loser in Philadelphia who had it for a year and never did any maintenance. So apparently , or so what the mechanic believes, the car not having oil changed regularly had alot of oil sludge which made its way to the oil pump and clogged it, in turn causing it to burn out and kablooee my new car which I paid only 7k for was need of a near entire rebuild for 2k. So yeah it sucks. It is running great though now. I am disappointed with the mechanic and don't trust them because during the time they took to fix it, somehow my tensioner pulley broke and needed to be replaced and my hood supports no longer work. Oh well, lesson learned I guess. I think I had found a few bolts in the engine block miss placed to....

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While at this point it is irrelevant, I’m with everyone else here – I don’t believe the oil pump failed, it’s pretty robust on these engines. If there were enough sludge to jam the oil pump, you’d think the oil filter would have exploded first. Chances are a bearing spun from contaminated oil, or old oil, whatever. In any case it sounds like it’s toast; it also sounds like it’s worth fixing though.

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Resident Tightwad

Screw you, Photobucket.

Yeah it was worth fixing, I love the car.

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