Help with my 'burb...AGAIN
 

Hey folks...

I have a problem with my DD '96 gmc suburban. I was driving home last night and the CHECK GAGES light came on and my oil pressure went to 0 a few times. It seemed like it wanted to happen more at idle (light and oil pressure drop) or lower engine speeds, and didn't happen but intermittently.

I thought that gauge wasn't a "real" oil pressure gauge, and didn't REALLY show the true engine oil pressure. I was driving gingerly, and carefully watching/listening, but still needed to make it home. This is my only vehicle right now.

Before I made it home, a ticking sound started to accompany the light and gauge failure. I say gauge failure because I'm hoping it is a sending unit or electrical connection somewhere, and not that the engine is about to let go. I can't (as if anyone can) afford for it to die right now. When the engine was up around 2500 or so, oil pressure would spurt back up to around 40-60 on the gauge and the light would go off simultaneously.

Anyways, about a mile from home, a distinct knock started to become prominent, but would subside when the CHECK GAGES light went off.

I'm lost, know nothing about where to start, and am TERRIBLY worried that a rod or something is knocking. What a nice Christmas present.:o

Any ideas? Help please. Thanks.

I've had that happen way too many times over the years. Given the miles on it, I want to say oil pump?If you didn't drive it too far you should be ok.

Should be a bypass on the filter but I would change the oil and filter. May not help at all but it's relatively cheap.

I would start there also, but sounds like a oil pump and the knocking would be from lack of oil to the rods.

Does sound like the pump but they have a relatively low failure rate. Anyway an oil change doesn't cost much and it's easy.

Thanks guys...I have a delco filter and 5 qts, I'll change oil tonight or tomorrow before work and see what happens. 156k on the clock.

Good luck Jake, I know you don't need a big expense right now. An oil pump isn't too expensive but the time involved could be a problem. Don't know if the pan on that engine can be removed with the engine in. Probably, I've heard of people doing it on a Chevelle with a big block. Not easy but can be done.

When a DD is down it is a pain.

An oil pump is a simple object, something caused it to fail. I would pull the engine and see what is in the pan, sounds like the pickup screen is plugged. If your timing gears are teflon coated and the teflon has started to come off you will drop the pressure. When this happens the pressure tends to go away as the truck is running, do you have any pressure cold?

Oil pressure is back up, and no stupid light. I guess it must have been the filter. When I changed the oil, it was a bit low, and has been obviously leaking. I saw some on the pan behind the damper towards the front, and some that looks to have sprayed back on more or less everything else underneath. Not sure where it is leaking from or how quickly.

Anyways, I have decent oil pressure, and no idiot light, but there is a ticking or knocking sound that wasn't there prior to this shenanigan. I am nervous about what it could be... distributor gear? oil pump? ticking valve? rod? your guess is as good as mine.

Just a piece of dirt in there. That's what I tell my customers.:p Hopefully it was just a fluke.

That 'old' filter wasn't Orange was it?

It was a FRAM filter. I guess I got GOT. :( I haven't driven it, the thing is terminal. I really needed it over the holidays, too. A lot of our family was in town, and the 9 passenger 'burb would have been pretty handy. I am stuck, no wheels, and no real $$$ to fix him. I'm awfully skiddish about tearing into it, just because I had enough trouble getting a carbed engine going after I took it apart.

I don't know if you did anything about this issue yet but you could always try running 15w-40 Shell Rotella multi-grade diesel oil. I run it in a few of my older gas engines that have a whole lot of clearance on the bearings and it makes a world of difference. Nothing will make up for mechanical damage, its a shame you couldn't have just shut it down when the oil pressure dropped off. Believe it or not, I have 2 similar trucks, one is a 96 K1500 Suburban with a 5.7 and the other is a 99 K2500 Burb with the 7.4. Both of them are high mileage and have some noise on start-up. No death knocks but once they both run for about 3 minutes everything is OK

Hmmm.. Might be worth a try. Seems like a cheapish shot in the dark to take. Thanks for the advice.

Jake, does that have a solid front axle or independent? If independent don't try to replace one of the front hubs. The bearings went in mine on the driver's side. Got a new one off Ebay from Dearborn Axle for only $50. It's still sitting on the garage floor because I can't get the old hub out of the spindle. The damn thing welded itself inside the spindle. Been beating on it for 2 days and it hasn't moved. Used up a tank of MAP gas heating the spindle around it, hasn't moved. My compressor has been running non-stop feeding a cutoff wheel, it hasn't moved. The thing is hardened steel because the bearing races are part of it so you can't cut it, grind it, beat it.

May be time to just buy a new spindle and be done with it. I have problems with my right solder and beating on this ting is not helping at all.

Anyway, good luck with your burb. A axle hub is nothing compared to an engine.

I think I missed something Hank. Did I?

I don't know, I was just grumbling about trying to replace the hub on my truck. Hopefully I can finish it up today. Good luck with yours Jake.

Got it. Sorry for the confusion on that one. Good luck on yours today, too.

Talk about a random thought.:p

Better than no thoughts, plus I never know whats going to pop up so it never gets boring. Oh, and I finished it up today. All back together and hopefully good to go.