Oil leak just started, don't know how

[laxking012]

I got a 1989 chevy 2500, we had a japser 350 engine put in it in 2005 about. the oil pressure has always been off the gauge since then so 60+. I was out just driving around town so it was a lot of go somewhere turn it off go in the store and then go somewhere else, for about a 2 hours. When i got home I was about to turn it off and i notice the oil pressure was somewhere about 45ish, which it's never been that low. So i looked under to see if it was leaking and there was drops coming off the oil filter. Could all that starting and stopping have caused the leak? i never really raced the engine in that time except for once when turning on the highway and trying to not get smashed by the car coming up behind me. Also where could the leak be coming from?

[itsabird]

What kind of oil filter is it?

[laxking012]

Well it's not my truck, it's my dads. He's just letting me use it until i get another one. All i know is that the filter is big, blue and screws into the bottom back of the engine

[bbchevy]

Oil COOLER Lines!
Very Notorious............?
Later
G 8)

[fast75vega]

Oil COOLER Lines!
Very Notorious............?
Later
G 8)

X2...... :) i took the whole oil cooler assembly right off and bolted the old style one off an older 350 block.

[laxking012]

it looks like it's coming from a kinda cone shaped looking thing, looks like a valve. its just above the oil filter and behind the exhaust manifold on the drivers side. it hard to describe but if you know what i mean, what is it? is it part of the oil cooling?

here's a pic to help, it's circled

http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z404/laxking012/securedownload.jpg

[laxking012]

Also the truck for the past few years gets about 3000 miles a year. In the middle of Jan. I started using it as my daily driver. Could just using it a lot more have caused it to leak?

[fast75vega]

looks like an oil sending unit or something...... never seen one like that?

[laxking012]

Now that you say that, an oil sending unit does make sense. There is a wire coming out the top, you can't see in the picture. Also with it leaking that would explain why the pressure dropped so much, right? I also noticed now the pressure is fine when i first start it, then once it's warm it drops lower than usual at idle.

[johnracer]

Definately oil pressure sender. It has a shield on it. If you pull the shield off it looks like a normal op sender. My guess is that it's been bad for a while causing high readings pegging the gauge. I've seen that a lot on those trucks. Don't be surprized if the gauge reads lower after replacement.....

Johnny

[laxking012]

Thanks, that makes sense. Where would you say the oil pressure should be?

[johnracer]

Really depends on the pump, clearances, oil viscosity etc.....In stock form with 10w-30 I'd think maybe 45-50psi cold @ idle and 20-30 hot @ idle.

Johnny