Oil pressure pump or gauge sender?

[carryon525]

The motor only has around 8000 since rebuild in 2006. I have a red digital glowshift oil pressure gauge. Lately my oil pressure is ZERO on the gauge but does come up when I "kinda" get on it? As the motor heats up I notice the numbers get low even at 0 at a stop light?? Today I drove it to work and at 45-60 gauge showed under 12! Is there a high chance my oil pump is going bad or tis the sending unit possibly bad or going bad? They only cost $12.99 for a new part.
A few notes the car seems to run fine cruising and light boost but at higher boost I've been chasing a knock/light pinging for a few months now? Could/if the oil pump is going bad could I have found the reason knock has started to occur because lack of lubrication on critical parts? If the consensus is bad oil pump what should I get and where? Is there a direct replacement that might give me a hair more performance or is a stock pump ok? A side note is I do also have the RJC biggy adapter PLEASE HELP! My old GN I sold in 2010 never gave me any issues and I actually raced with it but I knew that car well this one my stepdad has had for years and now I'm trying to get it RIGHT!

 

[DarthBuick]

Test it with a good mechanical gauge.

 

[No disintegrations]

hook a mechanical gauge on it and test if it really is that low. you need 10 minimum for hot idle (under 1000rpm) and 10 for each additional 1000 rpm (ex 30psi for 3000 rpm) Report back.

Treed by Darthbuick!

 

[carryon525]

hook a mechanical gauge on it and test if it really is that low. you need 10 minimum for hot idle (under 1000rpm) and 10 for each additional 1000 rpm (ex 30psi for 3000 rpm) Report back.

Treed by Darthbuick!

That's what I was getting not long ago 10psi for every 1000rpm. Today cruising at 55 I was not seeing anything?

 

[GNRick]

You're a lot braver than me! If I ever saw 0 oil pressure I would shut the motor off and have it towed home. BTW, remind me to never buy a used car from you!

 

[carryon525]

You're a lot braver than me! If I ever saw 0 oil pressure I would shut the motor off and have it towed home. BTW, remind me to never buy a used car from you!

I really think it my sending unit to be honest. I'm VERY anal about my Buick. I've sold 3 in the past one guy actually flew all the way from Canada and paid me $24K cash after he realized, saw, drove, had it inspected twice. Ask Brian at Gbody how anal I am he's sold me things he even told me I did not need over the last 8 years. Thousand spent with him mainly , and Kirban, and Mark Huffman. I may change the pump just because and the sending unit. I just wanted to get opinions and where I could go for a new pump preferably higher volume that would fit without changing anything. I've got an Alky kit waiting to go on the car but I need to check into this beforehand

 

[dank GN]

As stated if I ever saw 0 oil pressure I would shut down and verify its the gauge . Why take a chance ??. So what if it isn't the gauge or sending unit ? You have been just cruising around with 0 oil pressure. U must be wanting to rebuild or something that the first time I've heard if this

 

[carryon525]

As stated if I ever saw 0 oil pressure I would shut down and verify its the gauge . Why take a chance ??. So what if it isn't the gauge or sending unit ? You have been just cruising around with 0 oil pressure. U must be wanting to rebuild or something that the first time I've heard if this

I'm actually going to take it down the street to a shop today just to confirm.

 

[Johnnie]

I just replaced the oil press sender in my escape as the oil light kept coming on at hot idle. No extraneous noises from the motor though, just the idiot light. Fixed it. Someone once told me those don't go bad ......hahahahah . ... And that was a " reputable " mechanic.

 

[No disintegrations]

a wise mechanic never says never!

 

[ScottyG]

if u didn't have oil pressure, would know it right off the bat!! if ur Driving at 55 with no oil pressure the motor would lock up with in 2 mins! And I thought the buicks had the oil sensor? where if it don't see at least 4psi, it won't let it start and kill the fuel pump relay or. Something like that

 

[carryon525]

if u didn't have oil pressure, would know it right off the bat!! if ur Driving at 55 with no oil pressure the motor would lock up with in 2 mins! And I thought the buicks had the oil sensor? where if it don't see at least 4psi, it won't let it start and kill the fuel pump relay or. Something like that

That's what I thought as well in fact I was thinking while cruising perfectly at 55MPH wouldn't my light come on along with other issues?? The guy at glowshift said the sending units can go bad on occasion and he wanted me to check the ohms at idle, engine off, and with some RPM then give them the numbers and they will confirm if its bad or not. They are only $12.99 for a replacement so I hope I luck up. The only thing that makes me think its POSSIBLY the pump is the light knock/ping sound when I've gotten on it recently even though the gauge flys up whenever I WOT it. I just turned the boost WAY down to 13psi the other day to be safe until I find out what is causing the knock

 

[Johnnie]

a wise mechanic never says never!

Amen, brother.

 

[GNRick]

If the fuel pump relay fails, the oil pressure sender will activate the pump at 4 psi. But if the relay is good then the car will start with 0 psi of oil pressure. Is the idiot light hooked up?

 

[earlbrown]

If you truly had 0PSI you're valvetrain would start rattling like crazy.


If your oil idiot light is still functional it should light up at 4PSI (and no it can't kill the engine if it gets that low)


Oil pumps can't ''go out'', Tey either work or they don't (with varying levels of efficiency when they're working).

 

[TurboBob]

glowshift sucks.

so, yes, verify with (darn near) anything else.

Bob

 

[carryon525]

Update
Went by shop today and the guy installed a manual gauge whick shows 15psi hot idle. He tested my oil sending unit and it's bad so I've ordered a new unit ! I knew the car is running to good even though have slight knock at wot. I would of been broke down if my oil pump was bad.