No oil pressure at idle

[Golf]

Finally got a tag, drove it first time today with a few issues. Installed a mechanical oil pressure gauge, was working and reading fine... After driving it today at idle gauge is reading 0, and give it a little gas gauge quickly rises... It wasn't at 0 during idle until today. Also an oil leak from oil fill tube into valve cover at valve cover. Significant amount to Smokey smokey... Bit of smoke with engine cold, but went away... Looks white but smells like fuel... Motor seems to run great, No knocking just sounds like an exhaust leak... I really hope motor isn't toast in it

84 c10 with 305 and 700r4 trans

[VileZambonie]

Why did you install a mechanical gauge in lieu of the factory gauge? Does your truck have idiot lights? You should run an electric gauge whenever possible. Check your oil level and condition and use a different gauge to validate your readings. You should also fix your oil leaks.

[Golf]

Why did you install a mechanical gauge in lieu of the factory gauge? Does your truck have idiot lights? You should run an electric gauge whenever possible. Check your oil level and condition and use a different gauge to validate your readings. You should also fix your oil leaks.

The temp gauge doesn't work at all, rest of the gauges are probably worst part of interior.  I purchased a 3 gauge set and copper tubing for the oil gauge. The dash lights also currently do not work and all gauges stop working with headlights on, so again the need for new separate gauges until the instrument cluster is tackled. The truck was free, I impounded it 6 months ago so I'm trying to do an experiment with cheap things... For the first time I've used supertech oil, a fram oil filter and supertech coolant after radiator flush. Always use motorcraft stuff on Mustangs and f550, when I had my Chevy tried to do all ACDelco...

Being free I'm willing to throw some money at it, I replaced the ignition lock cylinder for a key, still have the door cylinders on the list, blew out fuel lines and replaced fuel pump, found an air cleaner and headlights from another impound we were scrapping along with a grill that looked a little better... Changed the oil and coolant after flushing radiator and installing gauges. Want to do plugs and wires and perhaps convert it to a vacuum advance distributor... Looks like it has the knock sensor controlled distributor.  I want to fix all the vacuum lines, put a filter on the passenger valve cover air intake instead of an open tube, wipers do not work, radio doesn't work, I found an edelbrock rpm performer intake and carb in the scrap van, someone put a 350 in it but there was water in the oil... Interior is really clean and body is in good shape except paint and a front driver fender dent...

Trans has junkyard paint on it, speedo cable disconnected at trans and dash. Trans shifts and pulls good so far, but fluid looks darker than I would like, I don't dare change it...

[Smitty31]

Does it have good oil pressure cold when you first start it?. If it does and it falls down to zero when it gets warmed up while idling. Then it sounds like rod bearings and main bearings. i've had a couple of different trucks like this. Eventually sooner than later the bearings will start making noise at low rpms.

[Golf]

Good oil pressure when cold, hot 6 psi maybe

[Smitty31]

Sounds like bearings to me   either replace bearings replace motor or rebuild.

[bd]

Check the oil pressure using a manual test gauge designed for that purpose.  Don't rely on inexpensive aftermarket add-ons.  The gauge maybe grossly inaccurate.  You may be able to rent the test gauge from a local parts house, or use it for free with a temporary deposit.