I have a 1999 Camaro with a 3.8 series II V-6 with 101,500 miles.
Just recently, the engine started tapping when I first start it in the morning. The tapping goes away pretty much as soon as the oil pressure comes up or slightly thereafter. I also noted that as the engine comes up to operating temperature, the oil pressure goes down from 60 psi to 45ish psi. I discussed this with my mechanic and he cautioned me that my oil pump might be going bad. I had the oil and filter changed about 1,000 miles ago and a CHAMP filter was installed. The car quickly spit out the original oil pressure-sending unit and a new one was installed. Then the problems described above started happening. Does anybody have any ideas why the tapping suddenly started or better yet, the cure? Thanks in advance for your help!

 

Step one change your oil use Moblie one and a Moblie one filter. Your lifter is bleading down over nite and can be caused by a lift not sealing but most of the time it is just a small piece of dirt.

Let use know how it is after that. Oil pressure will always drop as the car get warmer and factory gages where junk when they where new. They are only a knotch better then a dumby lite.

 

I suggest a Mobil 1 oil change as well. I had bought a 3rd gen Camaro a few years back that had noisy lifters at start up. Changing the oil to Mobil 1 cleared up the noise shortly after. This was with 118k miles on the clock. Synthetic oil is good at cleaning out the crud, provided that's what you have.

 

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I will definitely do as you recommend. I really do not want to have to spend the money for a new/recycled motor right now. I had a Firebird V6 before this car and an older Camaro V8 before that and never had issues like this

 

The 3.8L does not like dirty oil. The oil pump is actually mounted to the crank in the timing cover and it produces alot more than 60 PSI but there is a check valve that keeps the oil pressure at 60. If this valve gets stuck it can cause the oil filter gasket to blow out and you will then pump your oil right out of the engine. THis is not a good thing, I know it happened to me. I now have a new engine in my car because of this. Follow the above recommendations is the best advise I can give as well.

Massey