Okay so I'm freaking out...this is my first Camaro I've ever owned, and I don't know what to do. I've had it for about a month or so. Yes it does have high miles looking at about 204K. It runs good and strong, but up till recently it started this problem. I did a bad thing and DID end up putting in TOO much oil. The problem was corrected shortly, giving it an oil change as well. After it sits over night, it sits at about half of the oil pressure gauge, then after driving it for a little goes down to the quarter mark. Then eventually it hits the red mark with what I'm assuming is ZERO pressure. It does have a bit of a rattling/ ticking or clicking noise. Its certainly not knocking, according to my dad and brother. Its a 96 Camaro 3.8 V6. any suggestions or ideas would be nice. Could it just be a bad plug? A misfire somewhere in a cylinder or a lifter issue? I'm not sure...please any ideas or help would be nice.

 

what kind of oil and oil filter did you use? could be oil pump is going or engine is just plane wore out. may be able to use some thicker oil and get some more time out of it.

 

First thing you want to do is to verify the oil pressure with a manual gage. I would not be worried if you did not have the ticking. Factory gages not reading right is very common. Gages reading low and the noise right after doing something that is very bad for a motor on a 200K motor, I will just say I would be worried.

When you over fill the oil the crank will splash the oil around to the point it becomes a blended, the oil becomes aerated. It is still oil but it very hard to make pressure. (as you can imagine the oil becomes like a foam bath) The first few bearings will get some oil but the pressure falls off and starves the farthest bearings and the whole valve train. This is extra dangerous because there is just enough pressure coming from the pump to not set off the warning light.

If the manual gage confirms less than 10 PSI of oil pressure at idle hot then its is time for a new/used motor. I would not put any money in a 200k motor when you can buy a used 30K long block for $500

 

yeah I had an issue like that a while back on my old car I just used areoshell oil in it and it took care of the problem but with your high miles that might only help for a little while. the bearings are prob on the way out.

 

As said, common for a high mileage engine. You might try either a 10W30 oil, or at a max viscosity, 10W40 oil, straight 30W.
You might even look for a bottle of STP Oil Treatment as it will coat the bearings.
Follow instructions on the can, add when oil is hot and drive the car a few miles to mix with the oil.

 

I'd watch what viscosity oil you use based on where you live; are you in a sub-freezing winter climate? Even a 20w50 would be easier on the engine on a cold start up (winter or summer) versus a straight 30w (which I don't recommend using). If you notice an oil pressure difference, and it doesn't drop like it does, your issue is excessive engine wear plain and simple.

 

Do you know for a fact the "motor" has that many miles on it? We've had 5 camaros in the last 22 years and not one of them had original motor in it when we bought it.

As for the low oil, had the same (or what sounds the same) symptoms and it was just the oil pressure switch (aka in other cars as sending unit). Was simple to change out.

 

I had a bad switch which pegged max. Changed it and had some what same as you. Oil pressure above half when first started, after warm little above quarter mark at idle/park. However when i come to a stop at a red light once fully warmed up it would drop to about 10-12 psi. Freaked me out, but soon as i went back to crushing back to half on pressure gauge. I have no ticking etc, and been driving it like this since i owned it. it could be a main bearing or simply a stupid gauge(which is normal of these things).

P.S: I'm planning on getting a used one and rebuilding it if i keep the car. That way when i pull the current one and it is indeed main bearing i already have one ready to go in(and one for extra parts).

 

According to the OP: "It does have a bit of a rattling/ ticking or clicking noise".
A bad oil pressure switch doesn't cause oil related engine noise (if that's what it is).

 

But those symptoms may not be related. We replaced lifters on one of ours and it didn't help with pressure but the lifters stopped the ticking and the switch corrected the pressure.