OK guys,

Got tired of seeing the idiot light on the Van on and the gauge dropping to nothing at hot idle so I pulled the doghouse and attached a mechanical gauge and ran it to see what was going on.

Wee when I cold started it it was at 45 at idle, over 50 down the road. Once it warmed up then it dropped to TWO pounds of pressure at idle. You could watch the line getting clearer and clearer. Down the road hot (No overdrive, 3.55 gears) it runs around 30-35 at 65-70.

So it confirmed my suspicions, its getting very little pressure warmed up idling, in gear or out. At highway speed there is a roar coming from the engine but it still has that 30-35 lbs pressure. let up and it goes away.

Once its revved a little then it jumps back up to around 25-30 depending on RPM. I am running 10W40 oil.

So, is my pressures okay or am I in danger of grenading the motor anytime soon? I know they are low but I would like to limp it along till my other truck is running.

I also pulled the breather and inside the baffle it was all gunked up. Probably a pennzoil motor.

No no no no no no no nononononononono. 2 pounds isn't even a normal fuel pressure much less oil pressure.

Say WHAT

Only chevy small blocks will work with 2 psi...

Try some thicker oil, 20w 50 next oil change and see if makes any difference..

An oil pump change may help as well.

With that little pressure you lifters should be on the very edge of rattling or not rattling. Likely loose main bearings causing low pressure.

. Probably a pennzoil motor.

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DUde that thing is done. not sure what you can do at this point.

either an extremly worn out oil pump ( not liklely)

or the bearings are done, time for a rebuild

You could drop the pan and swap in some new standard bearings. New oil pump while your in there. Might get you down the road for a while.

Just a thought (I've seen it before) If it had a timing chain with the plastic gear go away and valve seals got hard and broke up, chances are the oil pump pickup could be plugged. You might get by just pulling the pan and cleaning the pickup screen.

drop the pan and change out the pickup screen & a hi vol pump if that dont do it then some 50 wt racing oil

cam bearings? Any glitter on the dip stick?

I had one like that, ran it for about a year in the garage while fixing misc other stuff. It always had good oil pressure even while hot. Then I took it for a test drive, and the oil gauge would drop to zero at stops. Pulled the engine, pulled it apart, found it had chewed up a bearing or two. Your motor's dead. Don't waste money on thicker oil, it won't help.

No, that pressure is not okay and yes, you are in danger of grenading the engine sometime soon.

Try another gauge first before doing anything else At that pressure all of the hydraulic lifters should get noisy after idling a very small amount of time, let us know what you find

Check the oil to see if it smells gassy and feels alright!

Minimum 10lbs per 1000 rpm Jamie.

I have a 1983 International 4X4 truck with a 345 gas V-8 engine. It is a old ultities company truck with a 7.5 ton crane on it.
I bought it about 15 years ago just for the crane and the truck came with it.(that's what the dealer told me)
I figured I could rebuild the engine since I had rebuilt other International gas engines.
This engine has no oil pressure at idle, as soon as you rev it 100-200rpm the gauge moves.
This truck is geared real low and screams out on the road, hi rpms.

It's still running with no work done to it now for over 15 yeras.

No we don't drive it 8 hours a day, but we did for like 10 years. It mostly sit's nowadays but has never gave up and it has almost no oil pressure at idle.
Now I did rebuild the trans twice and the transfer case once, but never the engine. lol

To the OP, I say drive it until it dies, it might be a long time from now?