I got slick stuck on some ice this morning,,, I put it in 4 wheel drive and it took and I was going nowhere fast,,, I put it in into forward and backwards to try to get it rocking back n forth… I finally got some forward motion and I put the footfeed to the floor… I got out and then my truck just died.. it took a few tries to get it started again… I noticed on the way to my sister in laws funeral that my oil pressure was low,, it would go to practically zero oil pressure when I was at a stop light…. I went and got the oil changed after the funeral thinking it might be dirty or broken down oil… my pressure did go up some,, but now I hear a tick tick ticking… I don’t know if it’s a stuck lifter or what.
I’m not overheating, my temperature level is good.
Does that sound serious to you guys?? I know a few things about cars but
I’m not a mechanic.. lol.

How cold was the engine/oil when you "put the foot feed to the floor"?

No oil pressure and a ticking is a serious problem. Eric

X2

To the OP , how much oil pressure do you have now ?

Put in a quart of trans fluid but don't over fill.......I heard you can run all trans fluid for some time to clean the engine....

It had been idling for about an hour.. I got up early to warm it up and to wait on the school bus with my granddaughter…we sat and waited for about a half hour and no school bus.. so I wound up taking her to school and then I had to really bust my chops and get a few traps checked..
I’d say it was pretty warmed up

What year is it and how many miles on it?

Did it have oil in it before? How long since you checked/changed the oil?

That may very well help a stuck/plugged lifter, but if its spun a main bearing that won't do anything good.

OP, is it a deeper knock, knock, knock sound or a higher tick, tick, tick sound?

The needle is fluctuating from the middle (40) to (20)

It’s a high tick

High tick would tend to point to valve train issues, not main bearing/crank issues. If you over revved it, a push rod may have bent. Lots of things may have happened.

What kind of truck/engine?

I check it every other day because it does have an oil leak. I really don’t remember when i last changed the oil. The blasted oil mileage sticker never stays on my windshield . but I went and got it changed today .

2000 Chevy blazer, 4.3

2000 Chevy blazer,199,285

Push rod engine then. Could be a lifter, push rod, valve issue.

You'd start by pulling the valve cover on the side that is the loudest and looing for anything obvious. Or doing a compression test.

Correct. I concur.
That's a good engine.

Put a pocket notebook in the console/glove compartment and write down the mileage and date it was changed. That's what I do when I change my own.

It was used too much when it was new.

Does flooring it make you stop spinning the tires in IL? Asking for a friend that is going to drive through there.

I think your diagnosis is correct…I did some reading about bent pushrods and it sounds very likely that might be the problem. I think I’m going to go ahead and replace my oil pump as well… it doesn’t seem to look too difficult to replace the oil pump.
I’m not sure about the pushrod on how difficult it would be… I’m going to YouTube it later.
I really appreciate everyone’s help

Check the lifters also. It's been a while, but I think the heads can stay on.just pull the intake off (it's probably leaking oil anyway and could use a reseal).

I know it’s time to change the oil when the light comes on. Generally means it’s low and past time, but it’s been working for me for the last 200K miles. 2000 F150 with 461K miles, lol. It’s mainly a woods/trapping/hunting/fishing truck, but she does get to make a few long trips from time to time.

I was watching the wrong video about replacing the oil pump.. when I finnally found the CORRECT video for 2000 chevy4.3, apparently I have to pull the entire engine up to get to the oil pan because of a cross member… ugggggh!

Do you have a pressure gauge to check your actual oil pressure to confirm your pump is bad ? It could be your sending unit or gauge. If your pressure was actually that low you'd be hearing bottom end noise.

Again, it's been a while, but I thought the 4WD's had a bolt in cross member that could be removed to get the oil pan out. 2WD's do need the engine pulled to do an oil pan replacement.



Yes. GM sending units can fail. Definitely check the actual pressure.

That engine is going to die. Get rid of the truck. I had a 2008 chevy that the lifters went out in. Both times at about 68,000 miles. This was my work truck and was well maintained. Under sized lifters are a know problem of chevy's. That's why I won't own another one. Before I bought my Tundra I test drove a chevy. I asked what they had done to correct the lifter issue, they said, nothing, we just switched to synthetic oil.

Have a junkyard 4.3 delivered to a shop while you drive this one till it pops. Then have them swap motors. I wouldn’t start any major projects on a motor with those miles/problems. Or just get rid of it now while it’s still running and go shopping.

Watch some Youtube videos about ( Rislone )

Lol no

You are pretty much on the money.
I took the blazer by my brother in laws to have him take a listen. ( he has an experienced ear , is a dirt track racer and builds his own engines) he said there’s bigger issues… the timing chain has been stretched and very likely a spun bearing.
It’s now a matter of when and not if.. when it’s totally done for.
I’m going to have to find something else to drive around for trapping, fishing hunting, etc.
It’s took some extra sweet talk to explain to my wife that I at least need to borrow her vehicle to pull traps and call it a season ( for now)

I think this could take your trapping abuse.
https://www.govdeals.com/asset/44/11136/

Interesting looking rig

Why not rebuild the engine or junkyard engine swap? It the rest of truck ok? Its not worth anything with a junk engine so you wont get much to sell it. And then you have to look for another used vehicle that you dont know anything about. THe price of used vechiles now are very high.

Master rebuild kit on rock auto is $488. Pay your brother inlaw to do it if he knows how.

Yup, Motor swap is my recommendation. Lots of 4.3s around. Amigos around here will swap a motor for around $500 labor. Depending on miles, a salvage yard motor should also be around $500.

With older high mile rigs, or anything out of warranty actually, it’s always a matter of “when not if”.

It’s really not worth swapping out… it’s cobbled together the way it is.. body has ALOT of issues…as for rock auto,, I’m not sure if I want to deal with them again… I bought a radiator from them and after 3 months it started to leak… it was too much of a hassle to send it back… so I managed to fix the problem with stop leak.
I have a guy who told me he’s got something he will sell me… Im going to go check it out later

Man, seems like you get your share and then some, of bad times that is.

Ya, kinda wish whoever has the voodoo doll would let up .. lol