Thread: Low oil pressure

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I just installed a remanufactured early model 350. Before I installed I primed the oil pump,filled the oil filter with oil and filled the engine with 10-30 oil. When I started the engine I noticed the oil pressure was only about 25 or 30 lbs of pressure. I let it run a little while and it lowered to about 10 to 15 lbs. The place I purchased the engine from gave a spec. sheet that said it had been tested and the oil pressure was 62 lbs. Anyone has a clue as to what the problem could be? I thought it maybe a bad oil pump. What do you think?

Originally posted by ED JONES
I thought it maybe a bad oil pump. What do you think?

Cheapest place to start would be Warranty by the remanufacturer. Oil pump or pickup tube maybe? Crank ground wrong or wrong size bearings? Oil galley plug leaking or missing? Dunno?
If you bought it from a reputable remanufacturer, they should stand behind it.

Or, your oil pressure sensor is inaccurate. See if you can get a hand held from a tool rental, or auto parts place that has tool rentals. Double check it before panicking and jumping through hoops you might not have to. Also, change the filter to a high quality one. If you used a cheapie it could be in bypass, or not flowing properly. Lastly, their numbers and yours could be different if you're not using the same viscosity grade of oil they did, measuring it at the same rpm, and checking at the same port, when they tested it. "High" oil pressure isn't the end all to be all, flow is the first and most important criteria.

I checked the pressure with another gauge and it showed the same readings. It had about 50 lbs of pressure this morning when I crank it up but when I let it run and warm up the pressure drops to 10 or 15 pounds. I plan to call the manufacturer tomorrow and tell them what happening.