No oil pressure after cam install
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hi3150
- SLE Member

- Posts: 49
- Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2012 1:10 pm
- Year and Trim: 2001 SE
- Location: Florida
No oil pressure after cam install
Hello all I am having a huge issue with not having oil pressure after I have installed a zzp xp cam. At first i forgot to install the oil pump driver that comes with the double roller timing chain. After I installed that and put in a new oil pump, I got everything to work and was seeing oil pressure, but was having an oil leak out of the front cover seal. All I did was replace that seal and now I am back to having no oil pressure. I am at a loss. For some reason it seems like my Harmonic balancer is hitting the oil pump gears?? Would this have something to do with me not chamfering the double roller crank gear? zzp says that there is no reason to chamfer them anymore? I tried to prime it multiple times and nothing is working. How can I just lose oil pressure from just doing a front cover oil seal?? PLEASE HELP
Build:
2003 SSEI
Gen v
3.4
headers
intake
130# crow springs, ls7 lifters, zzp 7" pushrods, xp cam, machined oil pump cover, thick gasket, stock rocker arms.
Build:
2003 SSEI
Gen v
3.4
headers
intake
130# crow springs, ls7 lifters, zzp 7" pushrods, xp cam, machined oil pump cover, thick gasket, stock rocker arms.
Last edited by hi3150 on Thu May 04, 2017 12:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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96 SSEi
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Re: No oil pressure after cam install
hi, are you getting oil reading just from the stock gauge, they can go funky easily - also, check the connectionfor the sender to be sure its plugged in and undamaged
poverty forces one to do unorthodox things
2000 SSEi
past rides:
1996 SSEi
1992 GTP
1987 Grand Am
2000 SSEi
past rides:
1996 SSEi
1992 GTP
1987 Grand Am
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hi3150
- SLE Member

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- Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2012 1:10 pm
- Year and Trim: 2001 SE
- Location: Florida
Re: No oil pressure after cam install
My gauge is reading 0 all the time and I have taken the sensor out and tried cranking and no oil is coming out. Also with the valve cover off I am not seeing any oil coming up? Like I said I had oil pressure and the Guage worked all I did was change the seal and now no pressure
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96 SSEi
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Re: No oil pressure after cam install
Oh, I see. I guess its time to recheck your work on the pump - something was missed if the there is no oil flow.
leave the sensor in!!. it helps to pressurize/ seal the crank case - oil should be coming out the oil sender hole. check oil level and retry
leave the sensor in!!. it helps to pressurize/ seal the crank case - oil should be coming out the oil sender hole. check oil level and retry
poverty forces one to do unorthodox things
2000 SSEi
past rides:
1996 SSEi
1992 GTP
1987 Grand Am
2000 SSEi
past rides:
1996 SSEi
1992 GTP
1987 Grand Am
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hi3150
- SLE Member

- Posts: 49
- Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2012 1:10 pm
- Year and Trim: 2001 SE
- Location: Florida
Re: No oil pressure after cam install
I am almost 99% sure that I have everything installed correctly. Am I just priming the pump wrong? and even if i was would the car idleing for a few seconds cause the pump to start working? Oil level seems to be where it needs to be and oil does come out of the sending unit when i take it out but when i turn the car over nothing shoots out like it would if it were under pressure? I had it working now nothing I do is fixing it
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96 SSEi
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Re: No oil pressure after cam install
if the pump is not moving oil, DONT START THE ENGINE. You can crank it by hand or the starter after you pull the fuel pump fuse.all the oil paths have to be purged of air so it may take a while to build pressure
poverty forces one to do unorthodox things
2000 SSEi
past rides:
1996 SSEi
1992 GTP
1987 Grand Am
2000 SSEi
past rides:
1996 SSEi
1992 GTP
1987 Grand Am
- MattStrike
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Re: No oil pressure after cam install
It is a correct assumption that you should have oil pressure within a few seconds of the engine running.
Oil pressure sensor is on the outlet side of the pump, if no oil is coming out of it when you crank it you need to start tearing things down again. Things to look out for are that the keyway didn't shear, or other mechanical failure. Was the pan off? if so check the pickup tube.
Oil pressure sensor is on the outlet side of the pump, if no oil is coming out of it when you crank it you need to start tearing things down again. Things to look out for are that the keyway didn't shear, or other mechanical failure. Was the pan off? if so check the pickup tube.
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The Fleet:
'93 SSEi - Twincharged + manual Build thread
'97 Camaro - Top swap
'05 STS - V8, AWD, her DD
'92 Trofeo - Fair weather DD
'99 Montana - top swap 3800
'04 Sierra 2500HD - LLY Duramax
Current project:
Something cool, trust me.
Upcoming projects:
'92 Bonneville SSE
'87 LeSabre T-type
'67 LeSabre
Gone to greener pastures:
'84 Sierra Classic - Twin turbo 3800
'97 LeSabre - Top swap
RIP:
'86 LeSabre - pictures
'93 SE - L67
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hi3150
- SLE Member

- Posts: 49
- Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2012 1:10 pm
- Year and Trim: 2001 SE
- Location: Florida
Re: No oil pressure after cam install
I am not getting oil pressure when the car is running for a few seconds. and ive tried everything and tore everything down multiple times. keyways are fine, everything is installed correctly, i had the pan off and the pick up was fine and cleaned the bottom of the pan before putting the motor back. I have the whole front cover of and everything is perfectly fine. Im going to try and reinstall everything and make sure everything is lubed up properly. I hope I can get this to work its been a real p.i.t.a!
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96 SSEi
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Re: No oil pressure after cam install
good luck, post solution if you can pl.
poverty forces one to do unorthodox things
2000 SSEi
past rides:
1996 SSEi
1992 GTP
1987 Grand Am
2000 SSEi
past rides:
1996 SSEi
1992 GTP
1987 Grand Am
-
hi3150
- SLE Member

- Posts: 49
- Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2012 1:10 pm
- Year and Trim: 2001 SE
- Location: Florida
Re: No oil pressure after cam install
Solution turned out to be a bad sensor, turns out while trying to removing before we broke the plastic and now after replacing it I am seeing oil pressure!!
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MKMike
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1998 SE
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2002 SSEI
Re: No oil pressure after cam install
Glad it was a simple and inexpensive fix.
Thanks for posting the solution!
Thanks for posting the solution!

