Loss of oil pressure?

I started my Vicky this morning and while it was warming up for about 15 minutes the oil pressure gauge suddenly dropped to zero from about 50lbs. I immediately shut it down.

Any ideas? Gauge/sender malfunction? Oil pump? ....????

Engine is a crate 350 Chev with aluminum heads, newly installed Comp cam and roller rockers, nothing radical in the build. I've put about 200mi on the car since the cam was installed. It hasn't been driven since Thanksgiving and was started once about 3 weeks ago and at that time I ran it for about 30 minutes.

I do not know where to start since I'm not even a good engine diagnostician???

HELP! :)

Buy or borrow a mechanical oil pressure gauge and hook it up to the engine, start the car and see if it's a gauge issue or an engine issue.....

Dave is right, check the guage first just to find out if you do have any oil pressure or not. That probably is the problem the guage.

Roland

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hombre259

Dave is right, check the guage first just to find out if you do have any oil pressure or not. That probably is the problem the guage.

Roland

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Or the sending unit took a dump.

Agree try another gauge but don't start the engine... Use a priming tool to spin the pump and see if you get pressure... If the pump went bad or lost the pickup you could cause more damage by running the motor. If you get pressure stab the disty and fire it up but keep a close eye on the psi...

-Chris

Guys thank you for the advice. I found the problem...the oil pressure gauge is electrical and the wire from the sending unit fell off the sender stud because the nut was gone from the stud...I didn't notice it yesterday...dumb on my part.
I found it this morning I went to Checkers and rented a oil pressure tool and as I went to remove the sender I discovered the problem with the wire.
I did check the oil pressure with the tool, used a priming tool and got pressure, re-installed the dizzy , hooked everything up and the pressure held steady on the tool gauge. Reinstalled the sender, hooked up the wire fired it up again and the gauge showed pressure.

Thanks again for the advice

It's great when it turns out to be something simple and easy. Just for future reference, always start with the simple stuff first, such as loose connections, so many people assume the worst case scenario when things happen. I'm a firm believer in the K.I.S.S. principle.

Mike