RGMEPP

So heres how it went. Stepped on the truck for all its got. Just after the shift to 2nd, the oil psi warning came up. sudden drop to 0 psi. Shut it down and went to the side of the road to check a few things. Started it briefly, and it sounded great. Not even any valvetrain noise. Noticed the balancer had walked forward, so the bolt must be loose. Back side of balancer is out of the fr. seal by 1/4". I'm running a comp. cams gear and chain setup, so the sleeve that drives the oil pump is not part of the lower gear like the stocker was. Could this have walked forward enough to disengage from the pump, or crank key?? This build was my first lsx type, and I can't remember if there would be enough room for this to happen?? Sending unit?? Seeing as how it was in a bad place, we started it, and drove gently for about 3/8 mile to a nearby parking lot. The whole way no valvetrain noise. When started cold in the morning this thing is noisey as hell 'til the system fills a few seconds later. I would have thought I would have the same noise with 0 psi.
Anyway, we're headed up to put the balancer back into the cover, and tighten the bolt. Any advice from similar experience would help.

RGMEPP

Well we can forget the whole balancer, sleeve idea. The underdrive balancer has a step in its diameter that I had forgotten about. Seeing that step led me to beleive it had walked. So I guess we're looking at either a pump, or o-ring problem after only 15,000 miles. Certainly a bad time for it, but what ya gonna do.

Quik

iTrader: (7)

pressure relief valve in the pump might of got stuck or the O ring

RandomHero

iTrader: (24)

I hate to say it but he's probably right. Those are some pretty shitty words to hear. I would know. Have fun spending 6 hours taking the truck apart and putting it back together.

RGMEPP

No ! I will check with a mech. guage to prove out the sender. It would suprise me, but worth the time.

chevymec

iTrader: (19)

Ive seen a good bit of the senders go bad. I might would try that first before I tore it apart.

Tootall

iTrader: (79)

what color "o ring" did you use?

RGMEPP

Will definitely try the sender first. If it were an o-ring problem, it should have showed itself from the start. We got 15,000 on it now. So many making rings now you can't really trust color, I've seen red, blue, tan, brown, and green. Heard of a black too. I've got a ring from an f-body, and I kept it knowing a truck ring would have to be a thicker cross section. Good way to prove your putting in the right size. Just for the record the one thats in it now is green. Guess I'll get around to checking the psi with a mech. guage later today, and go from there.

RGMEPP

Finally got back to the truck. Kids wedding, arm in fan of 3.9L cummins, blood clot, etc... have all set me back a bit. Pulled the front down, and found the oil pumps guts to be in many pieces. Center piece in 7 pieces, outer ring in 2 pieces. Luck kept all the pieces in the pump case I guess. Looks as though the splines of the adapter that drived the pump are also kind of screwed. The idea originally mentioned as far as balancer walking around was a stupid om my part. Was seeing a step in the outer diameter on the A.S.P. balancer that I had forgoten about.
So, has anyone out there seen this kind of pump destruction ????? Ideas on a probable cause ???

ricoc

Picture?