Low oil pressure problems, Please Help!

I am new to working on my car myself but i have done a little work on it. I have a 2005 Chevy Aveo and i have cleaned out the throttle body, replaced the thermostat myself, and changed the oil twice. My car keeps giving me a lot of troubles and the low oil pressure light flickers on and off when i'm sitting at a hot idle. I changed to synthetic 5w-20 the first oil change and that didn't help the oil pressure light flickering so i changed the oil again to 10w-40 and i'm still having the same problem, its just that my oil lamp not flickers at a slightly slower rate. I had the oil pressure checked with a gauge at the shop and they said it was holding 6 psi when idling at 2000 rpm's. The oil light /pressure switch is made to come on at 7 psi. I was told i should remove the oil pan and check the pickup tube and screen for oil sludge buildup as well as the oil pan. I'm not sure how to go about doing this and i haven't found much help with searching online. Could you please provide me with detailed steps on how to remove the oil pan to check out everything? I would greatly appreciate it! Thank you!

Your using the wrong viscosity recommended for your car. Here is a copy and paste regarding engine oil from your 2006 owner's manual:

Look for two things:


• GM6094M
Your vehicle’s engine requires oil meeting GM
Standard GM6094M. You should look for and use
only an oil that meets GM Standard GM6094M.
5-14

• SAE 5W-30
As shown in the viscosity chart, SAE 5W-30 is best
for your vehicle.
These numbers on an oil container show its
viscosity, or thickness. Do not use other viscosity
oils such as SAE 20W-50.

In addition to running the proper oil (as mentioned above). I'd probably look at that oil pan too. It is the metal bin on the bottom of the engine. The oil pickup is exactly that, it sits in the oil pan and sucks oil up into the pump. I have some pictures from when I disassembled my grenaded engine.

http://www.aveoforum.com/forum/f103/...tml#post128766

Here are the steps to remove and install 2006 Aveo oil pan.
Hope this helps:

Removal & Installation

1. Disconnect the negative battery cable.
   
2. Raise and support the vehicle safely on jack stands.
   
3. Drain the engine oil.
   
4. Remove the right wheel.
   
5. Remove the right side splash shield.
   
6. Disconnect the heated oxygen sensor connector.
   
7. Remove the catalytic converter lower flange nuts and nuts that secure the front exhaust pipe. Then remove the exhaust pipe and catalytic converter as a unit.
   
8. Remove the lower crossmember bracket, if necessary.
   
9. Remove the oil pan-to-transaxle case bolts.
   
10. Remove the oil pan-to-engine block bolts.
    
11. Remove the oil pan.
    

To install:

1. Clean the gasket mating surfaces thoroughly.
   
2. Coat the oil pan gasket with sealant.
   
3. Install the oil pan and tighten the bolts to 89 inch lbs. (10 Nm).
   
4. Install the oil pan-to-transaxle case bolts and tighten to 18 ft. lbs. (25 Nm).
   
5. Install the oil pan-to-engine block bolts and tighten to 18 ft. lbs. (25 Nm).
   
6. Connect the exhaust pipe and catalytic converter. Tighten the nuts to 37 ft. lbs. (50 Nm). Tighten the front muffler nuts to 22 ft. lbs. (30 Nm).
   
7. Connect the oxygen sensor connector.
   
8. Install the splash shield and wheel.
   
9. Refill the engine with oil to the correct level.
   
10. Connect the negative battery cable.
    
11. Start the engine and check for leaks.

Thank you so much for the quick reply! The only downfall is that I have a 2005 chevy aveo not a 2006 but I still got it done! I understand that I should only use what the manual says I should use, and I did for the first part of my ownership. My aveo has 136K miles on it and I just bought it off of an individual at 135,500 miles in October. The individual had put a new head on the engine and told me that it is practically like putting a new engine in or at least it will run like new. The low oil pressure light flickered at a hot idle so I figured it was the sending unit going bad. I replaced the oil pressure sending unit and I still had a flickering light. I decided to drive it for a little while after adding some Restore additive and some STP high mileage oil treatment to it but that only worked for about two days. As time went on, the oil pressure light flickered more rapidly and started almost staying solid at a hot idle. I changed the oil to 10w-40 oil that way I would know weather or not my engine just had a lot of miles on it and needed thicker oil in it to keep the oil pressure up. Well the oil pressure lamp still flickers, just not as rapidly. I removed the oil pan today and there was no sludge in it at all. My oil pickup tube/screen was also free of debris. I haven't yet put the oil pan back on yet because I am not sure if I will get a response from you telling me to check anything else under the engine block. Gm does have a re-manufactured oil pressure switch that is supposed to come on at a bit lower oil pressure but I am still finding it hard to believe that it is good for the oil pressure to be running at a steady 6 psi... what have you found to be the standard oil pressure at a hot idle? on the receipt I got back from the shop it read "Holds 6 psi when hot and idling at 2000 rpm's. rpm’s minimum specs are 8.88 psi." does this mean that it should be running at minimum, 8.88 psi? Thank you so much for the replies and I really appreciate your time and patience!

it means @ 2000rpm, you should have 8.9psi or higher. Any lower and you have a problem. It could be a bad oil pump or something else is wrong with the engine.

If he put a new head on it, then there must have been a failure at some point. I would definitely drop the pan and check for other damage. I would definitely remove the pickup tube and any other assembly in the block and inspect it. If any thing looks sheared or worn down, or if there is any metal grit at the bottom of the pan; I would recommend having your block checked for wear. Something it definitely wrong.

i dropped the oil pan down last night and it had absolutley no sludge, grit, large particles or anything in it.. Chevrolet has a new oil pressure switch that is redesigned for the aveo, to come on at a lower psi instead of the psi that it normally turns the light on at. I appreciate all of your guys help so much! my only other concern was that when i was putting the oil pan back on, i accidentally hit the oil pickup tube (not the screen, just the tube) and got a bit of gasket engine sealant on it. i am not going to put any oil in the engine until 24 hours from now to give the sealant enough time to properly set and dry. Do you think that the sealant that got on the tube will come off and do any harm to the engine? it was no more than the amount you would put on your toothbrush, about pea sized. Thanks!

there was an article i was referred to (www.examiner.com/article/chevrolet-aveo-engine-oil-light-flickering) that said to replace the oil pressure switch with a redesigned switch that comes on at a lower psi. I ordered the switch, replaced my old switch with teh redesigned switch and my oil light is now flickering more rapidly (and staying completely solid at an idle) than my previous oil pressure switch. I dont know what i should do to be honest... im not hearing any loud knocking from my engine but i feel like i can hear a rattle when im sittting at idle from my engine..

the sealant on the tube will probably be fine.

the more sensitive sensor shows more of a problem? I wold probably hook up a gauge on the bottom end, and the top end, and see what the pressures are. Its always possible you have a blockage.

The new sensor that turns on the low oil pressure light was supposed to turn on at a lower psi such as 5.5psi instead of 6.5psi, the oil pressure was at 6psi at 2000 rpms is what the dealer said. Im thinking of just replacing the oil pump because it could just be worn out after its 135600 miles put on the vehicle but do you think if i was to replace the oil pump that the oil pressure would be higher? When i checked the oil pickup tube, it had no blockage in it when i took it off and blew through it. Thanks!

A new pump MAY fix this low pressure problem, and it's likely the last relatively inexpensive thing left for you to try, and probably worth a shot. But unfortunately based on what you wrote, the underlying cause may be a significant internal engine problem. As mentioned earlier, there was a reason for the new head. The 2 likely causes would be timing belt breaking or overheating (the plastic thermostats crack like clockwork). When a timing belt breaks, that typically results in valves smashing into pistons, until everything stops turning. And while it's much more common to just get bent valves, there's also a possibility one or more lower engine parts were damaged as well. You said the guy that sold it to you said: "it is practically like putting a new engine in or at least it will run like new". Caveat emptor. There is no way he could possibly know that for certain unless he completely disassembled/reassembled the entire engine, checked every part, and also knew what he was looking at. I'm assuming you have no warranty or recourse on the sale, so you're probably stuck with it. IMO, if the pump doesn't work, you probably need to find out how much a new engine (with a warranty) would cost, and if that's something you would do, versus considering another vehicle. But I hope that's not the case, and that the new pump works for you. Good luck with it!

Thank you for the input! Im not sure if it will fix my problem or not but im hoping it will. I was just watching this video ( How Oil Pressure Works - EricTheCarGuy - YouTube ) and i was wondering if maybe while im at replacing the oil pump if i should have the rod bearings checked because they are the reason for your oil pressure, i wish i would've known that because i would have took a look at them when i dropped the oil pan..

Josefb134, you ever figure it out? Driving from Orange County to Phoenix this past September I noticed my oil pressure light was on at idle when getting off the freeway at an idle. Other than that long distance trip, it's been fine.

Hey, just an update, i took my car in to the shop and had them put a new oil pump and new main rod bearings and connecting rod bearings for $608 in total! It fixed my problem of having 6 psi for oil pressure at a hot idle, Now im holding 15-20 psi which is factory(brand new engine) standards from what i hear! My car used to have a ticking noise and a very fain tapping or knocking noise but now it sounds so great. It runs very smooth and i am just happy overall with everything! If i were you and you were having these problems then i would have what i did done! Make sure that they check to see if your crankshaft rods aren't egg-shaped though, if they are then they will just eat up the new bearings you put in there. If you ask around and see what shop has the best reputation for rebuilding the bottom end of engines then they will know what you are talking about. the picture has the parts and part numbers if anyone wants them! I got them off of ebay though lol http://www.aveoforum.com/forum/attac...p-imag0361-jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by josefb134

Hey, just an update, i took my car in to the shop and had them put a new oil pump and new main rod bearings and connecting rod bearings for $608 in total! It fixed my problem of having 6 psi for oil pressure at a hot idle, Now im holding 15-20 psi which is factory(brand new engine) standards from what i hear! My car used to have a ticking noise and a very fain tapping or knocking noise but now it sounds so great. It runs very smooth and i am just happy overall with everything! If i were you and you were having these problems then i would have what i did done! Make sure that they check to see if your crankshaft rods aren't egg-shaped though, if they are then they will just eat up the new bearings you put in there. If you ask around and see what shop has the best reputation for rebuilding the bottom end of engines then they will know what you are talking about. the picture has the parts and part numbers if anyone wants them! I got them off of ebay though lol http://www.aveoforum.com/forum/attac...p-imag0361-jpg

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Glad to hear your Aveo is back on the road again and that the problem was diagnosed.

Vanessa
GM Customer Service

about to do this to my aveo pretty soon. the parts list that was up seems to be gone and just making sure i get everything before i do this. i have a 2008 5 speed hatchback so its the first engine. im not seeing a gasket for the oil pan to purchase, i only found one for the automatic 4 speed. will i need a gasket or just the RTV sealant?

Also what would be the preferred sealant? amazon link would be awesome ;)
Parts: Auto 7 oil pump Link, oil filter+oil.

Thanks!

oh as for the main rod and connecting rod bearings does anyone have the service guide for that and what can i use to clean the oil pan before i reinstall it?

I don't believe there is a gasket for the oil pan. You have to use sealant that is designed for use on an engine because of the temp ratings of the sealant. I would check with your local shops just to see what sealant they most recommend for an oil pan. make sure to clean around where the sealant will go on both the engine and the pan. I used Brake Cleaner to do this on both but i wouldn't spray break cleaner directly on the engine block, id just spray it on a rag and clean it off. Try to get all of the old gasket/sealant off off the oil pan and engine block where it came together. I also used brake cleaner to clean off the inside of the oil pan to remove any gunk. Once clean let it sit for about half an hour or longer to ensure all of the brake cleaner has evaporated and then take a air compressor to the oil pan to make sure all debris and dust and everything else is out of it. here is the picture of the parts i needed but i wont know if you will. Attachment 7137 If you have any more questions, feel free to ask!

Thanks for the info! Now to gather a few more things and take this out someday pretty soon.

I don't know if anyone had mentioned it already, but I'd recommend sticking to a quality fully synthetic oil(not synthetic blend) if you dont want to do this again in the next 5-8 years.

Just ordered the oil pump and got the gasket for it as well. Now looking to get the bearings since those can be changed while the pan is off. Anyone happen to change their own main and rod bearings or have access to one of the repair manuals ?

If your main and rod bearings are worn then more than likely, your cam is egg shaped and is wearing em down. I would have them installed professionally unless you know the info on how to accurately measure all around the cam and tell if it's egg shaped or not. you might have to get your cam resurfaced/refurbished before you put the main and rod bearings back on because if not then it will just eat them up again in a short amount of time, like a few months.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by fbc

I don't know if anyone had mentioned it already, but I'd recommend sticking to a quality fully synthetic oil(not synthetic blend) if you dont want to do this again in the next 5-8 years.

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I was told by an oil change place and a mechanic that you are supposed to stick with the same oil that it came with from factory (conventional) and not switch to synthetic because it can ruin your engine. i am skeptical about this and i switched back and forth a few times before i was told this so i'm not sure how it can but that's what they said. They said it was because when the engine first runs and everything, the engine adapts to the type of oil originally ran in it and you should never change the type of oil you put in it. But i am not sure still, like i said because i don't see how it could damage it.

I believe it may be the oil pump. My 2004 oil light does the same thing, and I have at times very loud knocking at valves close to the timing belt. When the engine runs hot for long period of time on the highway the knocking of the valves get very loud. I though I was low on oil but not. Seems the problem may directly stem from the oil pump creating low oil pressure and not enough oil getting up to the cam.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by josefb134

If your main and rod bearings are worn then more than likely, your cam is egg shaped and is wearing em down. I would have them installed professionally unless you know the info on how to accurately measure all around the cam and tell if it's egg shaped or not. you might have to get your cam resurfaced/refurbished before you put the main and rod bearings back on because if not then it will just eat them up again in a short amount of time, like a few months.

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I can not figure out what you are referring to . I do not think there is a direct relationship between the cams and main & rod bearings ?

God bless
Wyr

Quote:

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Originally Posted by josefb134

I was told by an oil change place and a mechanic that you are supposed to stick with the same oil that it came with from factory (conventional) and not switch to synthetic because it can ruin your engine. i am skeptical about this and i switched back and forth a few times before i was told this so i'm not sure how it can but that's what they said. They said it was because when the engine first runs and everything, the engine adapts to the type of oil originally ran in it and you should never change the type of oil you put in it. But i am not sure still, like i said because i don't see how it could damage it.

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What type of oil does your service manual require ?

There are hundreds of wives tales about oil . I am kind of on the fence . I use full synthetic in our 1.8l 2015 Sonic ( Dexos required ) . But I have yet to buy into the extended drain perion . I am changing it myself 3000 - 3500 miles .

Check the sales at Advance Auto & Walmart for oil . Just bought a bunch of closeout oil filters from RockAuto.com .


God bless
Wyr

I actually sold my aveo around 9 months ago and got an RX-8. I dont really remember much from all of it lol sorry man, hopefully someone else on here can help ya out. I personally would just stick to conventional as it is a lot cheaper and everything and it still lasts a pretty good while. One thing I do definitely suggest is putting a tank or two in a row of Shell V-Powered Nitro in the car. I know its 93 octane and the aveo will sometimes ping with the higher octane but the v-Powered Nitro stuff consistently cleans up to 60% of deposits in just your first tank. I have to run 93 in the RX-8 and always used BP but decided to try the Nitro stuff from Shell and holy crap, that stuff changed everything haha I literally refuse to use anything else now. It made it a lot more peppy and the throttle response is better and she just seems to run so much smoother throughout the rpm range. My buddy bought a brand new 2015 ford focus and used to just fill up 87 from wherever he could get gas and he said the more he drove it, over a few months of having it he could tell his car seemed a bit different and a bit more sluggish on acceleration. He tried one tank of the Shell V-Powered Nitro and said his car felt just like new again after two tanks and feels like a totally different car. He also refuses to put anything else in his car now. It really is worth it lol Here's a few videos showing the difference and explaining it.

https://youtu.be/4WPfLnVuQyM

https://youtu.be/gqvhaPLuTPI


When referring to the main and rod bearings though, on the crankshaft there are holes that oil is pumped through to lubricate the main and rod bearings that each piston is attached to. I might have said camshaft instead of crankshaft on accident lol A few months after replacing my main and rod bearings as well as my oil and water pump, the flickering oil pressure light came back when at a stop. The mechanics told me that the rod and main journals were slightly egg shaped but replacing the bearings could do one of two things. It could work just fine for the rest of the life of the car, or it could just go back to doing the same thing after a few months. They told me that they were ever so slightly egg shaped and that was the cause of my lack of oil pressure because the oil was escaping from the bearings. They said it would continue to run just fine unless the egg shape worsened but they said it would take a while for that to happen lol Hope this helps!

Attachment 10348

Attachment 10349

Quote:

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Originally Posted by WyrTwister

What type of oil does your service manual require ?

There are hundreds of wives tales about oil . I am kind of on the fence . I use full synthetic in our 1.8l 2015 Sonic ( Dexos required ) . But I have yet to buy into the extended drain perion . I am changing it myself 3000 - 3500 miles .

Check the sales at Advance Auto & Walmart for oil . Just bought a bunch of closeout oil filters from RockAuto.com .


God bless
Wyr

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