Replaced my oil pump... How much pressure should I have?

[Dave_A]

New oil pump installed (pain in the ASS), how much pressure should I have at the sending unit port, at idle?

I primed the pump before install by pouring oil into it and spinning it with the pump-drive-shaft (the part that goes up into the engine & connects to the distributor) - just enough to get the insides of the pump wet with oil...

I still have the red 'Oil Pressure' warning light on the dash - I'm assuming my sender is bad, because there is no 'noise' from the engine & with the sender removed, oil does flow out of the spot it screws into when the engine is turned over (Obv, I did not run the motor with that hole open)...

To be sure though, I need to know how much pressure I *should* have....

 

[IMenriched]

New oil pump installed (pain in the ASS), how much pressure should I have at the sending unit port, at idle?

I primed the pump before install by pouring oil into it and spinning it with the pump-drive-shaft (the part that goes up into the engine & connects to the distributor) - just enough to get the insides of the pump wet with oil...

I still have the red 'Oil Pressure' warning light on the dash - I'm assuming my sender is bad, because there is no 'noise' from the engine & with the sender removed, oil does flow out of the spot it screws into when the engine is turned over (Obv, I did not run the motor with that hole open)...

To be sure though, I need to know how much pressure I *should* have....

you should have something above 30psi on a cold start. 45-60psi is better.
The key is how much oil pressure is there after the engine is up to operating temp.

Then... to keep a engine alive, after the engine is up to operating temp, one needs at least 7psi minimum. Obviously more is better in this case. most like to see at least 10-12psi on a warm idle.

as to the warning light on the dash...are you sure that the light that is being lit, isn't a "Oil Level light"...not a, Oil pressure light. not saying that it can't be....just to make sure.

Check your oil pan....is there a sensor on the side of it??, prolly Drivers side about 1/2 way up the oil pan. IF so...that is a Oil Level Sensor. If not...then you're right with the oil pressure light.

you probably already know to change the oil filter too...just toss'n it out there.

 

[Dave_A]

It's the red light in the center of the speedo, not the amber 'Check Oil' light.

Removing the wire from the pressure-sender (plunger-type sensor on the lower-front of the engine, not the pan) makes it go out.

Could I have not primed it right? I would expect 30PSI at start to mean a rather energetic spray out that hole (Where the plunger-sender screws in) when cranking, not just a pour-like flow...

On the other hand, neither revving the engine, nor driving (I drove the truck about half a mile yesterday after the pump-install) produced any sort of rattle or other 'no oil' type noise....

 

[IMenriched]

It's the red light in the center of the speedo, not the amber 'Check Oil' light.

Removing the wire from the pressure-sender (plunger-type sensor on the lower-front of the engine, not the pan) makes it go out.

Could I have not primed it right? I would expect 30PSI at start to mean a rather energetic spray out that hole (Where the plunger-sender screws in) when cranking, not just a pour-like flow...

On the other hand, neither revving the engine, nor driving (I drove the truck about half a mile yesterday after the pump-install) produced any sort of rattle or other 'no oil' type noise....

you're really not going to know what pressure you have until you get a mechanical gauge on it.

yeah...no noises is a very good sign. 1/2 mile is not going to get this up to operating temp....but still a good trial/test run.

 

[Dave_A]

Resolved.

Took the truck out for a long drive.

No clatter, no noise (there was clatter/noise before, which is why I replaced the pump).

Went to AutoZone, bought replacement pressure sender... Now, pressure light behaves normally (blinks on during lights test, off the rest of the time).

Truck continues to run 'right' - all symptoms of low oil pressure (that were there pre pump-swap) are gone.