Losing oil pressure fast!

[webby]

Yesterday, I finally did a pull on a country road since we finally had some decent weather (northern Indiana). Got a pop and some dark smoke in 3rd. Wrote it off as a freak occurance.
Then I took someone for a ride and over-revved 2nd a bit and notice an unusual sound imediately after. I then noticed the oil pressure was extremely low. Put it in neutral and revved it a bit and the gauge didn't move. Left it sit overnight. Fired it up today and only got 40psi (usually get 60 or 70 cold) and within about 20 seconds it dropped to about 25psi. This is not right.
Got a trailer and when I started it up to pull on the trailer, the gauge said almost 0. I don't know if one event or another caused a problem or if something else caused all the problems.

I got it to the shop and pulled the oil pump cover and it looks fine. Fiddled with it to feel if it was engaging with cam sensor and it feels like that is fine too.

Any ideas?

Webby

 

[PaulRV6]

What I would do is pull the oil filter and cut it open to check for bearing material. If you see allot of silvery matter then I would be prepared for a teardown for brg replacement.
Mine lost oil pressure much the same except not to that extent and ended up wiping cam and main brgs.

paul

 

[83ttypecooled]

oil pressure

Paul sounds like he knows what's going on, but you might want to check the oil pump relief valve. Just an idea, and it's external, so easy to look at. Watch for the valve sticking in it's bore, and a weak spring. without the spring, if you can insert the valve all the way down in it's bore, and can't retieve it with a good magnet, you have a problem.

 

[webby]

Thanks, that's what I was afraid of. I will cut the filter open. I am at about 140k miles.

 

[webby]

Lots of metal flakes and shavings.

Luckily I have an '85 short block .30 over with very few miles on the rebuild.

 

[PaulRV6]

It sure appears you have major bearing failure, Sorry to hear that. I know exactly what it feels like having brg failure only after 50 miles on a fresh rebuild. No fun.

paul