2010 GMC Sierra 5.3 low oil pressure

[rws262]

Has anyone posted detailed instructions for the catch can installation on one of these trucks? Also, is Auto RX or sea foam better for cleaning out engine and trying to un-stick rings?

[02suburbanZ71]

The dealer offers a fuel system service that cleans everything.

[sswalker]

I just noticed tonight that I have almost the exact same situation as you rws262. On the way home tonight I noticed my oil pressure was bouncing between 20 and 25. It has always run 40 to 50 in the past. Oil is only down about 1/2 a quart, I did not see any leaks and there is about 4000 on the oil. My truck is a 2011 Sierra with 102,000 on it and I have no idea what to do. No lights have come on, yet, and the truck seems to be running good. I have 1 oil change left under my CPO Service, but all warranty is now up. If motor is broken, you better believe I will be raising hell with GM since I am just 2000 over warranty and it has always been serviced at the dealership. Where do I start? Is there anything I can do on my own as dealer is so expensive?

[MaverickZ71]

The dealer offers a fuel system service that cleans everything.

Most dealers offer some type of top-engine cleaner service that may clean the injectors, valves, top of the pistons, and spark plug electrodes. But from what I've been told, that doesn't do much if anything to free up stuck oil control rings on pistons.

 

There is a GM TSB (technical service bulletin) out on removing the spark plugs, rotating the crank to where none of the pistons are at top dead center, and filling each cylinder with GM Fuel system cleaner (same as Chevron Techron Fuel System Cleaner). Then they leave it for exactly 3 hours (apparently a shorter time doesn't eat through the crud good enough and a longer time may be hard on the aluminum or something) and remove the cleaner by cranking the starter with the coil wires removed. It throws the dirty black (paint removing!) cleaner fluid all over the engine compartment, on which the dealer just closed the hood on and left the mess for me. This was done on my '09 Silverado, covered under the 5-year powertrain warranty, and I can't tell that it made any difference on the AFM oil usage problem. And it still runs rough because the IGMOs put the original oil-fouled spark plugs back in. If you had this work done outside of warranty, it would have cost $500 plus tax.

 

So in my book, it's a HELLUVA lot cheaper and easier to run some AutoRX in the oil to clean the rings once and for all, run some Techron Fuel System Cleaner in the fuel tank, and install an oil catch can, and you end up with better results.

Edited January 18, 2015 by Maverick Z71

[02suburbanZ71]

Really its 500$?

[MaverickZ71]

Really its 500$?

The TSB cylinder-cleaning procedure I described above was listed at 6 hours total on my invoice. My local Chevy dealer gets $85 an hour for labor plus the dealer cost for several bottles of cleaning fluid, and on a bill like this they always add $30 or so for shop towels (which they didn't use to clean up the mess!), 'environmental' fee, and other incidental expenses. So yeah, it would have been $500 or more for this service at this dealer if it was outside of the warranty period. Sure glad I didn't have to pay for it, but basically, I got what I paid for, as I don't think it did any good whatsoever. As they say, your mileage may vary.

Edited January 18, 2015 by Maverick Z71

[02suburbanZ71]

I want that service but for 550$ and a dirty engine compartment no way. What other carbon/ cleaning services do they offer because i will be taking mine in , in a couple months

Edited January 18, 2015 by 02suburbanZ71

[2017SierraSLT]

 

 

Has anyone posted detailed instructions for the catch can installation on one of these trucks? Also, is Auto RX or sea foam better for cleaning out engine and trying to un-stick rings?

Adding a catch can is very easy on this generation truck with the Vortec engines. Shoudl take no more than 30 minutes.

 

On the Vortecs, there is a nice large area on the alternator/power steering pump mounting bracket with two pre-threaded holes. It is a perfect place to mount the catch can.

 

Here is my Elite Engineering can on my 2013 5.3:

 

 

[02suburbanZ71]

Does the catch can lower oil pressure.?

[RyanbabZ71]

Does the catch can lower oil pressure.?

No

 

 

Ryan

[sswalker]

Took my truck into my mechanic today (not the dealer) because of the low oil pressure. Haven't had a light come on, but I commute about 75 miles a day round trip and I didn't want to take a chance of something major being wrong. Just got a call that they think it is the oil pressure sending unit but there is no way to know for sure without just replacing it. So now I get to pay $450 and hopefully correct the issue. My question is, since I have just 102,000 miles on my 2011 truck, what are the chances that I can get GM to cover this under the powertrain warranty? As far as I know the truck has always been services by a GM dealer and I bought it as a CPO. Do I even waste my time checking with them on it or is it a waste of time since the only thing I have is an oil pressure gauge that bounces between 15 and 40? Just wondering is anyone else has fought this battle.

[MaverickZ71]

Took my truck into my mechanic today (not the dealer) because of the low oil pressure. Haven't had a light come on, but I commute about 75 miles a day round trip and I didn't want to take a chance of something major being wrong. Just got a call that they think it is the oil pressure sending unit but there is no way to know for sure without just replacing it. So now I get to pay $450 and hopefully correct the issue. My question is, since I have just 102,000 miles on my 2011 truck, what are the chances that I can get GM to cover this under the powertrain warranty? As far as I know the truck has always been services by a GM dealer and I bought it as a CPO. Do I even waste my time checking with them on it or is it a waste of time since the only thing I have is an oil pressure gauge that bounces between 15 and 40? Just wondering is anyone else has fought this battle.

 

Varying oil pressures of 20-60 (with straight-up 40 or so being average at highway speeds) as shown on the dash gauge are normal for a half-ton (1500) GMT-900 (2007-2013 Silverado or Sierra) and do not necessarily indicate any problems. Somehow the computer(s) alter the oil pressure as needed to compensate for AFM, VVT, and other functions. This really bugged me when I got my '09 Silverado after 28 straight years of driving Ford trucks, whose gauge needles rarely ever moved.

[sswalker]

Well, got my truck back last night from my mechanic. They replaced the oil pressure sending unit and got it done for $190. I thought great. Always good to save money. Problem is on my way home after about 5 miles the gauge started bouncing around again. Still not fixed. Did some research last night and thought maybe my oil filter was plugged. I had almost 5000 on the oil so I planned to take it in this morning for an oil change. On the way to work though, pressure dropped again and light came on. Into the dealer this time. Explained what had been going on. First question, did they replace the filter/screen. I wasn't sure, so called mechanic and they had not. So oil change and filter/screen changed. $300 later and everything appears to be better. Long story short, if you are changing the sensor, change the filter because that is the problem.

 

Now, the service advisor did give me some interesting data.

 

1 - after 100,000 miles, normal oil pressure on the 5.3 with AFM is 26 at idle and close to 40 at speed

2 - after 100,000 miles, GM considers it "normal" for the engine to use 1 quart of oil every 2000 miles. The dealer recommended oil changes at 3000 miles to be safe because he's seen a few motors blow around 120,000 because of low oil.

3 - even though I get pretty goodfuel mileage right now, I think I want to look into one of the AFM disabling options because it shounds like it causes more problems than anything.

 

Thanks for listening.

[rws262]

I changed the oil after my pressure went to zero, and oil pressure cane right back up and stayed. Took it to dealer anyway and they say that low oil was cause if problem and if I really wanted, I could change sender and screen but for $400. I opted not to and had ten apply GM tb to replace drivers side valve cover. Also, installed Range chip and sea-foamed intake, fuel and oil. Truck runs much better, with no oil pressure issues for a week. Going to change oil when it gets dark. Took off intake to see what manifold looked like and there's oil puddled up. Catch can is on the way.

[KirkA]

I have a 2007 with 5.3l.  Milage is just past 261k. Going to work yesterday chime goes off and display says"Low oil pressure. Stop engine.". 

I pull over and turn off the engine and check oil level.  Its was good.  Started it back up and did not hear any problems and pressure was about 30 psi. Went about a mile and the pressure was gradually falling. Eventually got back to zero again.

Got it home and replaced the oil pressure sending unit.  Issue still persists..  Next pulled out the little filter under the OPSU. I thread a 6mm bolt into it and pulled out the little filter.  Came out easily. It was pretty clogged with crud so I cleaned it up with Brake Kleen. Put it all back together it is all good now. Should have cleaned it before replacing the sending unit.... but oh well.

Glad to be back on the road.