Working sporadically over the last 2-1/2 weeks I replaced valve stem seals, timing belt and assoc. parts, plugs and wires.

This is the SOHC 3.5l FWIW.

Upon reassembly I fired it up. It ran relatively smoothly, but there was a lot of valve noise.
It always had a little valve noise, but this seemed even more obvious than usual.
I took a look at the gauges and noticed the oil pressure gauge at zero. Shut down.
Checked the connector at the sender and was connected.

I'm at a loss, although that's a state I often find myself in when I open the tool box.

Any ideas?

You didn't mention it so I figure I'd ask, did you check the oil level?

Yes, before and after starting it.
It's in the safe area, fairly clean.

I dont know the 3.5 at all, but i would assume a fairly easy way to tell whats going on is to pull either the oil pressure sender, or the line if it's a manual gauge off the block. Crank the motor by hand or crank it with the starter (coil disconnected) just to turn the oil pump a few times. If you get oil out the port, your oil pump is working OK (or barely) and perhaps it's your gauge that's bad. You may want to have a secondary back up test gauge to see if you get the same reading as the dash gauge.

If you get no oil out the port, i'd suspect a bad oil pump

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" />


And yes, this could get a little messy. A 2nd pair of hands with a catch container or rag would be helpful!

Test the gauge by grounding the sender wire and see if the gauge pegs high with the ignition on. DON'T leave this ground connected long, just long enough to see the gauge rushing to the peg. Control current with the ignition switch. A mechanical test gauge with a BTP thread into the sender hole and cranking the motor with a starter button hooked to battery cable at starter and starter solenoid wire spade connector will let you lie under the truck and see the gauge as you crank with the ignition and truck electrical system off. Did you drain and change the oil?

Didn't drain oil before test start.

the electrical test will be easy. Mechanical not so much, but i'll work it out if i need to.

Thanks for the help.

Depending on how long it sat, the oil may have drained back to the pan and the pump may have lost prime. It will reprime (unless it's got too much wear), just slowly, since it's designed to pump oil, not air, and it has to move air to get the oil to suck up to the pump again.

You can do mech without a gauge - just remove the sender and block the hole with a finger and crank it and see if you irresistable pressure. You should not be able to hold cold oil pressure with your finger.

Thanks again for the help.

A bit of a false alarm.

A closer look at the sender connection revealed a corroded/broken wire. I replaced the terminal, and I did go ahead and ground it to make sure the gauge was good. It was.
It showed good pressure after an oil change.

Still not running quite right though. Wondering if I didn't mix up a couple plug wires, but it's never that simple.

firing order is 123456

Anothe follow up for those of us less "seasoned" home mechaics.

Wires/igniters were fine.

It continued not sounding quite right, but did evenually start running like I expected it to.
I guess just sitting for close to a month and having the valve train basically void of any oil led to it taking some time to get re-lubricated after running. Although I did wet it down with my oil squirt can before I reassembled it.

Anyway - it's back on the road. I've put about 100 mi on it and I'm convinced I can safely turn it back over to the wife.