I want your opinion.......how much is my TransAM worth?

[TurbomanKnight]

Oh and something is wrong with your car running at 60 PSi of oil pressure. Sounds like He messed up the wiring for the sensor and it's reading wrong. Corvettes used the same L98 and they dont even run at 60 PSI. Running at max oil pressure is bad.

First of all 60lbs. of oil pressure is not the maximum. That just happens to be how much the gauge indicates.

Secondly, I have never heard of that. (It being "bad" running at that level, or that high oil pressure is a bad thing) Actually it's quite the opposite. You ask anyone that does recreational or professional automotive racing if higher oil pressure is "good" or "bad". Of course it's good.

And I can tell you there is no wiring or censors hooked up incorrectly.

I've had the car since 1998, and it has always ran at that pressure, and she runs like she's brand new.

I have two mechanics that have worked on that car over the years.....both with 25 years experience under their belt and one a camaro/firebird specialists, both are aware of the oil pressure, both have commented on it being a "good thing".

What's the redline on the oil level gauge on your car? I know my car runs at 40psi or a little below it. (I'll double check tommorrow)


Since I was under the impression that 60PSi was your max. I was taught that max oil pressure = boom. So yeah, sorry about that.

[BlackMagic84]

What's the redline on the oil level gauge on your car? I know my car runs at 40psi or a little below it. (I'll double check tommorrow)


Since I was under the impression that 60PSi was your max. I was taught that max oil pressure = boom. So yeah, sorry about that.

I don't know about your car, but mine does not have a "red-line" level for the engine oil pressure.

It goes as low as "0" and as high as "60", but the "actual pressure" of an engine that is incorrectly calibrated or has a faulty sensor potentially could read higher or actually be higher than that.

....In other words, I don't know if there is actually a way to determine what "max pressure" for oil is?

And while true, too much pressure of anything could cause failure or harm to an engine, but as I said two very experienced mechanics have always told me....

Anything above 15 is good, but 60 is great.

[CJaguar442]

mitchell on demand, it wil tell you the max oil psi of your motor and how to test it. you need a oil pressure tester to tell you what the actual oil pressure of your motor is. i am a mechanic too. i can look up your max oil pressure for at work tomorrow but you have to give me an answer by 6:30 am eastern. because thats when i have to leave for work. i need your engine size and model, your vin, your make, model, and year

[BlackMagic84]

mitchell on demand, it wil tell you the max oil psi of your motor and how to test it. you need a oil pressure tester to tell you what the actual oil pressure of your motor is. i am a mechanic too. i can look up your max oil pressure for at work tomorrow but you have to give me an answer by 6:30 am eastern. because thats when i have to leave for work. i need your engine size and model, your vin, your make, model, and year

Like I said earlier, my oil pressure pump is one made for a Corvette of the same year, so I do not expect the information you find to really be of help to me, but go ahead and see what stock information you can pull up.

Year: 1991
Make: Pontiac
Model: Firebird TransAm GTA
Engine Size: 5.7L 350c.i.
VIN#: 1G2FW2386ML215512


....Tell me what you find out.

[CJaguar442]

I do know your oil pressure gauge is malfunctioning it is not supposed to read 60 psi all the time the max oil psi of your Trans Am's 350ci V8 is around 60-70 psi. You probably have a short to ground in the sender wire to instrument cluster or a bad oil pressure sending unit. I’d have a mechanic do an electrical diagnosis on your oil pressure gauge. You could be damaging your engine.

[1982]

I would say the gauge is not reading correctly. If it were a bad oil pressure sending unit, the fuel pump would shut down. With the amount of mileage put on since the pump was replace, the distributor gear would have worn out long ago giving you other noticable problems. Higher pressure requires more power to turn the pump, hence more wear on the gear. As said earlier, the Corvette pump is the same as the Trans Am. Typically, the 350 runs a max of 50-55lbs. Check the actual oil pressure, rather than relying on the dash gauge.

[CJaguar442]

Well 1982 the oil pressure sending unit is have nothing to do with the fuel pump. It has to do with the oil pressure gauge itself.

To test the oil psi gauge that always reads high: remove connector from oil pressure sending unit. Attach tan wire on wiring harness side of the connector to ground. Turn ignition on. If gauge reads high, check sender wire to instrument cluster for short to ground. Check instrument cluster printed circuit for defects. If oil pressure gauge reads low, replace oil pressure sending unit.

[CJaguar442]

and thats what mitchell says to do black magic.

your engine is probably fine i dont know i cant see the car to examine it first hand. in my opionion have the gauge replaced and the circuitry checked by a qualified mechanic

[1982]

Well 1982 the oil pressure sending unit is have nothing to do with the fuel pump. It has to do with the oil pressure gauge itself.

Since the engine in question is a 1991 TPI, and not a 1982, a bad sending unit will shutdown the fuel pump.

[CJaguar442]

i did not mean the year 1982 i meant your screenname isnt 1982 your screenname

[CJaguar442]

i got that info for a 1991 pontiac trans am GTA 350 ci V8 i think you are think of the sending unit in the fuel tank which has nothing to oil pressure gauge. thats it, if want to continuwe this incohearant discussion about fuel pumps and not answer blackmagics question then fine do so without me and this post has gone way off topic

[1982]

i did not mean the year 1982 i meant your screenname isnt 1982 your screenname

I noticed that after I posted and couldn't edit it.

[1982]

i got that info for a 1991 pontiac trans am GTA 350 ci V8 i think you are think of the sending unit in the fuel tank which has nothing to oil pressure gauge. thats it, if want to continuwe this incohearant discussion about fuel pumps and not answer blackmagics question then fine do so without me and this post has gone way off topic

For the umpteenth time, NO, I am NOT talking about the sending unit for the fuel pump.

You mentioned in the post above my first about a possible “bad oil pressure sending unit.” I said, “if it was bad, the fuel pump would shut off”. It is a safety feature. It will do the same if the oil pump fails. Since the car is getting fuel, and apparently running normally, it is not the problem.

I hope I typed this slow enough for you to understand and possibly comprehend.

By adding the attitude shown in your last sentence, apparently you don’t like being corrected. Well, whatever you have to tell yourself to get by. It doesn’t change the facts. Maybe when you get more hands-on experience, you won’t have to look up specs and procedure on a computer that any properly trained mechanic should know without looking. Until then, you still have a lot to learn. The attitude won’t cover that up, nor will twisting the words I posted make you look to be correct.

[BlackMagic84]

Guys, guys, guys....


This isn't really a conversation that merits arguing and dissagreement.

Let's just all agree to disagree and drop it.


My car is in excellent running shape. Always has, is so still now, and I will do everything to ensure it continues to stay that way.

I assure anyone...there is no electrical wiring defect.

...there is no bad or malfunctioning sensor.

Everything works fine, there are NO problems.


Let's all get back on topic of estimating how much the car is worth, and leave the mechanincs of it up to me.

Have a great weekend.

[TurbomanKnight]

You mentioned in the post above my first about a possible “bad oil pressure sending unit.” I said, “if it was bad, the fuel pump would shut off”. It is a safety feature. It will do the same if the oil pump fails. Since the car is getting fuel, and apparently running normally, it is not the problem.

Just to take it a step further for guys who don't understand. The Fuel Injection systems GM put on the Firebird and Camaro have to read Oil Pressure in order to activate the fuel pump. If there is a sudden loss of pressure or something interrupts the path of electricity going to the Oil Pressure sensor, the Fuel pump shuts off and the car is unable to run. As 1982 said, It's a safety feature. It prevents a person to run their car without oil pressure which leads to massive engine failure.


Sorry, I couldnt let this die unexplained.