Low oil pressure at startup after oil change

[carlc376]

I tried search, but it seems the site search function was not working for me.


I have a 2010 Camaro V6 (stock, except for oil catch can added last year) that we bought just last fall. It has run great. Last week I decided to change the oil (I was about 1000 miles over the oil change sticker on the windshield from an oil change place) (which also happened to correspond to the built-in oil life system notifying me it was time). I then noticed that the oil had not been changed in over 18 months according to the sticker (the car has sat in our garage this past winter [driven only periodically] and was also stored during winters by the previous owner).


So I change the oil (6 quarts) and filter, start, run and drive the car for a few minutes with no troubles, no unusual sounds, pressure looked good on gauge, etc (car runs a bit smoother too). My wife goes to drive it the next day and she gets the low oil message on dash (low pressure shown on gauge as well but still no unusual noises), but then went away and pressure appears to return to normal. She continued to drive that day, no further issues after several restarts. She drives it again the next day and no message and the gauge shows the expected pressure. We go to drive a few days later and the same message returns and the pressure is at 0 (no noises, etc). But then does return to normal. I start it today and the message is displayed and guage is at zero.



This was not seen this before the oil change. For many years, I have done my own oil changes (and most maintenance) on my previous cars and have never seen this happen. (I have also never had a car that sat this long either.) I am thinking that the oil pressure sender may just be gummed up by the old oil, so I am already thinking to just replace it since it is not too expensive and easy enough to do.



Is there something else I should be looking at before replacing the sensor?


Oil level looks good.
Only code present is 0449 which is an evap code and it was there before the oil change.


Thank you in advance for your responses.

[gtstorey]

Has anyone actually checked the oil level?

Put a mechanical gauge on it to confirm.

[carlc376]

I checked the oil level on the dipstick after the oil change and after this message displayed this morning. It is showing near the top of the hatched area of the dipstick. I would need to find a mechanical gauge as I have never had a need to use one.

[0stones0]

Originally Posted by gtstorey

Has anyone actually checked the oil level?

Put a mechanical gauge on it to confirm.

Originally Posted by carlc376

I checked the oil level on the dipstick after the oil change and after this message displayed this morning. It is showing near the top of the hatched area of the dipstick. I would need to find a mechanical gauge as I have never had a need to use one.

I’m guessing gtstorey meant pressure, not level.

[gtstorey]

No, I actually meant level sense he reported "low oil" message, not low pressure. I think the is a warning for the actual oil level.

[0stones0]

Just something from the past I read…

Engine Oil Low - Add Oil on DIC

[carlc376]

Thank you. I will look into that sensor, I did not know there was a separate sensor for the oil level.



Would that sensor affect the oil pressure gauge as well? The oil pressure gauge was at 0 (I wrote "low" in the original post) the same time the message was displayed.

[carlc376]

so...this morning I checked the oil level and was good. I started the car (cold) and the pressure gauge (in the cluster) moved up toward 70 and then settled back to above 30 but less than the next bar on the gauge which seems normal for idle. If I increrase RPM to about 1200ish, the pressure gauge goes up to 70, which does not seem right to me at such a low rpm.



I did not get the oil message this time. So I think I will likely locate the mechanical pressure gauge to confirm that the actual oil pressure is correct.

[gtstorey]

There’s is a chance that if the computers see that there is a low level, that it defaults the oil pressure to zero because it may not trust it or doesn’t want people to keep driving thinking they are fine. This is just a guess but sometimes they do these type things.

[carlc376]

That does make sense.

[carlc376]

Does anyone know where the Oil level sensor is on the v6? I am finding that the v8 have it inside the oil pan. Rock auto has one listed (213-3945 ACDelco), but amazon shows that that the same part does not fit. THis part looks like one that would be outside of the motor. On another GM parts site, there is no listing at all for one for this car.

[gtstorey]

Looking through the 2010 service manual, I don’t find an oil level sensor for the v6. Are you sure the message said oil level low or low pressure?

[carlc376]

I am certain it was "oil level" but after looking at so many different posts about the oil level and pressure I might be mixing it up. So I tried again on Sunday and the gauge sat at zero while running. Sunday afternoon I checked the filter (my first oil change on a car with this type of filter), there was fresh oil in the housing. I then reinstalled the filter and tightened the cap. I then started it again this morning. Cold idle oil pressure was at 70, then dropped to 30 and sat there. I took it for a drive. At 1500+ rpm it sat at 70. When I stopped to idle, the pressure was showing less than 30 but above the midline to 0. This behavior seems normal from what I can tell. Maybe the filter was not quite installed right. I will continue to monitor it.



Thank you to all for the feedback.

[PaulsSS]

Please pull the oil filter out and check that the old rubber gaskets are not still in the lower a housing and cover. When you remove the old filter the gaskets stick to the housing inside and cover cap. If you don't remove them the new filter with rubber gaskets gets smashed between all these gaskets.