UPDATE:

I got a call from the car lot, it's definitely the oil pump. They have to speak with the car lot owner in the morning to find out how they are going to handle it. So I have no clue when I will get my car back.....and we haven't even made the first payment on it.

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I had my car in the shop yesterday because it was leaking oil and the gauge was going into the red zone while idling. They replaced the oil pan gasket and the oil pressure switch. Said it was good to go and I picked it up at 5:30.

My daughter and I had some running around to do so on the way to the store I noticed that my oil pressure was dropping again.

When I stop at a light or stop sign and the rpms drop below 1000 the gauge goes into the red and the check gauges light comes on. Then when I accelerate the pressure builds and once the car is above 1000 rpms the check gauges light goes out.

They took it to another shop and had the pressure tested yesterday and was told the pressure was fine, but was little low. My husband and I went and talked to the second mechanic about it and he told us that he specifically told them to drain the oil and put a higher weight oil in it because what they had in it was too light of a weight for the weather we are having (Florida near Tampa). I guess they put a 5 weight and the second mechanic told them to drain that out and put in a 20 weight. I guess the oil is thinning too much when it gets hot thus allowing the pressure to drop. I'm taking it that they didn't change the oil to the higher weight since the pressure is still very low.

So I took it back this morning and they popped the hood, that's when I heard a noise...sounded like a rattle almost. It wasn't a valve tapping, I'm well aware of what that sounds like. This was deeper in the engine and you had to really listen to hear it. When he revved the engine both my husband and I heard it a lot more loudly.

I mentioned to the mechanic that it could possibly be the oil pump failing and he tried to tell me that if it was the car wouldn't even start. I argued with him that it could be in the process of failing and has not completely failed yet and in that case the car would definitely start and run until complete oil pump failure.

So I was wondering in your guy's experience if I could be right and the oil pump is failing and putting a heavier weight oil in it is nothing more than a band-aide until the pump completely goes.

The engine is a 3800 V6 and has almost 118,000 miles on it. The car is an 01.

Thank heavens my car is covered with a 3 month warranty from the place I bought it from. If the engine seizes within that time frame they will put another one it.

My husband and I have already made the decision that once we get our income tax money, we will be dropping a brand new crate engine in it. Regardless of what happens with the current one.