Hello, I currently have a 94 V6 4.3L Vortec motor in my s-10 blazer. It has 184,000 on it. When i started the vehicle today, i heard the lifters right away and seen no oil pressure in the vehicle what so ever. So i killed it immediatly and looked for options on what could be the issue. I decided to change the oil and filter to see if it was pumping oil at all. After changing it and putting 4 quarts into the truck. No oil was in the filter after starting it for a few quick seconds as I don't want to harm the motor. Now does this sound like a oil pump?

The shop told me that its most likely the bearings. Not an oil pump and the motors shot. But wouldnt' the vehicle not start? Im just trying resolve this see if it could be something else or its most likely just the oil pump? I just don't want to have to hoist the motor up as I don't have a hoist and would have to get one to get that oil pan off and put it all back in new. I know the parts cheap enough. Just trying to see if the trucks toast or its worth it as the truck is in mint shape body and interior and all

Please help!!
Thanks
Conrad

 

Did 4 qts bring the level up to the top of the hatched area on the dip stick??

If there is enough oil in the crank case, but no oil pressure shown on the gauge as well as no oil in the filter, you have some pretty serious issues.

Have you verified that there is no oil pressure with a mechanical gauge in place of the oil pressure sending unit on the back of the block?

 

Yes it did have it on the stick at the proper level. From what I have gathered it seems that its most logically the oil pump itself as if it were anything else like the bearing, It would just have less oil pressure than what it should have. Also heard that its a slight possibility that it is the rod connecting to the oil pump. So just trying to rule out anything else if there is. Im realizing now that Im probably going to have to yank the oil pan no matter what. But I heard there is a tool to test the oil pump that you put on a drill thru the distributer hole?? Is this true? Heard you can loan it from autozone.

 

Oh and I know it has no oil pressure as after changing the oil and oil filter. I ran it for 5 seconds at the most I would say. It didn't put even a drop of oil into the filter. So i know its not getting oil pressure. Just was seeing what could be the issues. Going to get the loaner tool to see if its the rod or the pump and test it out. Hopefully the tool will show whats going on with it. Not sure if its hard to replace that rod. I know you have to take the oil pump out in order to do it sound like. So just trying to gather what to do here. But it sounds like i might have to get a hoist to do this job. Anyone else had these issues? Am i right on this stuff? Just trying to confirm what could be wrong and all. Anyone ever tried to lift the motor a little bit with just a jack once you unbolt the motor mounts?

 

Dropping the pan would be my next step. The oil pump is driven off of the distributor shaft. If the engine is running, the distributor shaft is moving and thereby spinning the oil pump drive. It is possible that this shaft has broken, but pulling the distributor and driving the pump with the priming tool will likely not give you any better results.