# 06 Silverado, oil gauge is at zero and engine is knocking **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [December 2, 2019, 8:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/06-silverado-oil-gauge-is-at-zero-and-engine-is-knocking/153936 "2019-12-02T20:01:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Joshua\_Steele](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4491bb/32.png) [@Joshua\_Steele](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joshua_Steele)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 8:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/06-silverado-oil-gauge-is-at-zero-and-engine-is-knocking/153936/1 "2019-12-02T20:01:24Z")
So I have a 06 Silverado with a 5.3 L v8 in it. I got my oil changed and a scan on the truck done 2 months ago and everything was fine outside of one minor malfunction. Yesterday I noticed my truck was knocking so I turned it off and my oil pressure was at zero. I checked the oil and there wasn’t a drop of oil in the truck. So now at this point idk what to do, I thought maybe it was the oil pump. I put oil it in and it’s still knocking and the gauge hasn’t moved. 2 people have told me it’s internal and now I’m considering selling it at a low price and buying another vehicle. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 8:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/06-silverado-oil-gauge-is-at-zero-and-engine-is-knocking/153936/2 "2019-12-02T20:12:56Z")
Damage done. Either a new truck, or a new engine. Tester ---
**Author:** ![eddo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/eddo/32/2594_2.png) [@eddo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/eddo)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 8:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/06-silverado-oil-gauge-is-at-zero-and-engine-is-knocking/153936/3 "2019-12-02T20:15:37Z")
it likely won’t make a difference, but what was the “minor malfunction” 2 months ago? ---
**Author:** ![ledhed75](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f6c823/32.png) [@ledhed75](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ledhed75)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 8:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/06-silverado-oil-gauge-is-at-zero-and-engine-is-knocking/153936/4 "2019-12-02T20:22:37Z")
Agreed the engine is probably toast. Before you dump it, though, take it to a shop for a proper diagnosis. You might luck out and it be something simple and cheap. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 8:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/06-silverado-oil-gauge-is-at-zero-and-engine-is-knocking/153936/5 "2019-12-02T20:26:48Z")
> [@Joshua\_Steele](#): > > selling it at a low price As a roller with a broken engine. Chevy 5.3’s are durable as heck IF you keep oil in them so there are a lot of good used ones in the junkyard for about $1000 - $1500. Might want to consider putting in a used engine instead of selling. ---
**Author:** ![Joshua\_Steele](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4491bb/32.png) [@Joshua\_Steele](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joshua_Steele)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 8:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/06-silverado-oil-gauge-is-at-zero-and-engine-is-knocking/153936/6 "2019-12-02T20:30:55Z")
Has something to do with co2 vent. ---
**Author:** ![Joshua\_Steele](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4491bb/32.png) [@Joshua\_Steele](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joshua_Steele)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 8:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/06-silverado-oil-gauge-is-at-zero-and-engine-is-knocking/153936/7 "2019-12-02T20:33:16Z")
Yea Ik, I’ve thought of this 2. I’m torn bc I actually had planned on selling it, in the 1st place. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 8:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/06-silverado-oil-gauge-is-at-zero-and-engine-is-knocking/153936/8 "2019-12-02T20:35:47Z")
If you sell it with a bad engine, And EVERY one will know it is bad from the knocking so you might as well tell them… It will go cheap, very cheap. If it cost $1500 to put a $1000 used engine it, the buyer will try to knock off $3500 to $4500. ---
**Author:** ![Joshua\_Steele](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4491bb/32.png) [@Joshua\_Steele](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joshua_Steele)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 8:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/06-silverado-oil-gauge-is-at-zero-and-engine-is-knocking/153936/9 "2019-12-02T20:44:37Z")
Ohh yea Ik I was definitely going to tell them. The truck is basically isnt drivable right not bc no oil is getting to the engine at all. If it was the oil pump I wouldn’t really care bc I can afford to buy one and put that in myself. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 9:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/06-silverado-oil-gauge-is-at-zero-and-engine-is-knocking/153936/10 "2019-12-02T21:07:27Z")
was oil pressure at zero before you turned off motor? it was after you restarted it so i assume so? how much did you need to add to get it to the full mark on dipstick? i hear knocking and look at gauges. zero oil pressure? whoops ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 9:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/06-silverado-oil-gauge-is-at-zero-and-engine-is-knocking/153936/11 "2019-12-02T21:27:47Z")
> [@Joshua\_Steele](#): > > I got my oil changed > [@Joshua\_Steele](#): > > I checked the oil and there wasn’t a drop of oil in the truck. I know that this is sort of like locking the barn door after the horses have escaped, but I am curious in regard to where the oil change was done. This site really does allow you to name names. Was it a quickie lube place, or a dealership, or was it an indy mechanic’s place? And, it is very possible that the business that did your oil change has liability insurance for this type of problem. That could relieve you of at least some of the expense of replacing the engine. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 9:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/06-silverado-oil-gauge-is-at-zero-and-engine-is-knocking/153936/12 "2019-12-02T21:31:08Z")
Not that it makes any difference but “no oil getting to the engine” and “no oil in engine” are two different things with two different causes. So it’s one or the other? First issue is why there was no oil-leaking or burning. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 9:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/06-silverado-oil-gauge-is-at-zero-and-engine-is-knocking/153936/13 "2019-12-02T21:31:38Z")
> [@VDCdriver](#): > > And, it is very possible that the business that did your oil change has liability insurance for this type of problem. That could relieve you of at least some of the expense of replacing the engine. > [@Joshua\_Steele](#): > > . I got my oil changed and a scan on the truck done 2 months ago Two days? Maybe. Two months? They’ll the OP to go pack sand, Tester ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 9:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/06-silverado-oil-gauge-is-at-zero-and-engine-is-knocking/153936/14 "2019-12-02T21:34:49Z")
> [@Tester](#): > > Two days? Maybe. > Two months? They’ll the OP to go pack sand, I may have misinterpreted the post. I thought that he had the “scan” done 2 months ago, and that the oil change was very recent. If the oil change was done 2 months ago, that would seem to indicate that nobody bothered to periodically check the dipstick for 2 months, and if that is the case then the OP shouldn’t even bother to check with the oil change provider. Instead, he should look in the mirror to see the guilty party. ---
**Author:** ![Joshua\_Steele](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4491bb/32.png) [@Joshua\_Steele](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joshua_Steele)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 11:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/06-silverado-oil-gauge-is-at-zero-and-engine-is-knocking/153936/15 "2019-12-02T23:23:41Z")
No I checked 2 weeks ago and it was little low but nothing major ---
**Author:** ![Joshua\_Steele](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4491bb/32.png) [@Joshua\_Steele](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joshua_Steele)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 11:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/06-silverado-oil-gauge-is-at-zero-and-engine-is-knocking/153936/16 "2019-12-02T23:26:21Z")
ok so just a update. There is oil in the truck currently, When I originally checked it there was absolutely none. Maybe half a quart if that. I put oil in it to see if it was stop knocking. I checked it last night originally thinking there was no spewing and I was wrong. There Is oil all on the left side towards where the dipstick is and the oil cap. All down believe the block 2. So at this point I think it’s either a blown head gasket or something to do with it or a cracked block. ---
**Author:** ![keith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/keith/32/5518_2.png) [@keith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/keith)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 4:47am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/06-silverado-oil-gauge-is-at-zero-and-engine-is-knocking/153936/17 "2019-12-03T04:47:45Z")
The 5.3L engine has a known issue with the pressure relief valve in the oil pump. It gets stuck in the open position so oil just gets pumped back into the pan. Once you shut the engine off, the oil pump looses it’s prime so even if the pressure relief valve closes, you will not get oil pressure. If you haven’t run the engine for more than a few minutes, you can replace the oil pump, there is a YouTube video on doing it. Edit: most of the time the valve gets stuck, there is still some oil pressure so you don’t hear the engine knocking. You get zero oil pressure on the next start because the oil drained out of the pump after shutdown through the stuck valve and won’t build up because of losing its prime.