please help again

[93blackta]

well im not positive theres 200000 on the motor. i bought the car with 130000 and i havent been able to tell if its been rebuilt. if it has it was done before 130000. the thing is the noise sounds like its from the top end. i have an extra set of heads in my room i was planning on porting and using on my rebuild. im broke right now so i have to take the cheap way out. im thinking a new top end. i have a compression tester around here somewhere i just have to find it. can yall tell me some possible causes of low oil pressure?

[fastTa]

With that kind of mileage on your LT1, parts such as your bearings and rings are most likely starting to show some wear. As they wear their tolerances start to grow larger and allow increased oil flow. Increased oil flow means decreased oil pressure.

You really should try to get an accurate oil pressure reading with a handheld mechanical oil pressure gauge. Just make sure to use one that will allow you to bleed off any air in the line to get an accurate reading.

Have you changed the oil consistantly on time? If you have missed a significant number of oil changes, this can cause "sludging" which can clog the pickup screen and/or pump. Just a thought.

A top end rebuild would do nothing to solve your oil pressure woes. The shortblock is what contains the rotating assembly and all of the bearings that are subjected to wear due to time and mileage.

Try to find a good lower mileage used complete LT1 shortblock from a salvage yard, eBay, or in the for sale section of most of the popular f-body websites. ls1tech.com, cz28.com, fbody.com, lvfbody.com

[93blackta]

well i would like to thank everyone for their help. after days of trying my hardest to reject all of the engine faliure ideas ive come to realize that its probably the case. ive been planning an engine build up for a while now and have been buying some of the less expensive parts for it. i just wasnt ready for this yet. my ta is my only car, it looks like i'll be buying a cheap 2nd 3rd or 4th gen to get me around until i get my new stout lt1 built. theres no way ill ever be able to get rid of my ta. as much trouble as its given me in the past i could never turn my back on it. . id love to get my hands on about a 71 camaro, anybody know where ones at for cheap?