Oil Pressure Gauge On Zero

It's not knocking yet but is it even worth the effort to put a new pump in? I must have drove it for about 30 miles till I noticed it. My top end was all better than stock but the block has some hard miles on it being a stock 1986 unit. Maybe I should just park it and save up for a new short block? Scrap it all or??? Any input? Would the heads and cam pretty much be spent?
 
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You reading the stock gauge?
No oil pressure for 30 miles is quite a bit, i can only imagine how bad that would sound, so if you didn't hear anything odd, your gauge may be broken.
Get some type of mechanical gauge, even if just for testing.
Cut open oil filter check for metal, after 30 miles of no oil pressure, surely there would be some in there.

If the engine is shot, just buy an explorer engine. $500 or less.
 
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Ya I really have no idea how long it went. just a guess. I have an after market gauge but judging by the way it was running something is wrong for sure. It was dark and the light socket had fell out the back so I couldn't see the gauge. I just knew to look when it was running strange so I took my phones flashlight out and seen it sitting on zero. It's still full so nothing leaked out. Dang it. This same thing happened to my ex and she had a new pump put in to have it blow a few miles later. Going off that I would have to say it's toast. Maybe I could get lucky for once but I doubt it on this one.
You reading the stock gauge?
No oil pressure for 30 miles is quite a bit, i can only imagine how bad that would sound, so if you didn't hear anything odd, your gauge may be broken.
Get some type of mechanical gauge, even if just for testing.
Cut open oil filter check for metal, after 30 miles of no oil pressure, surely there would be some in there.

If the engine is shot, just buy an explorer engine. $500 or less.
 
If you had no oil pressure for 30 minutes the engine would be toast. I snapped my oil pump shaft and it was knocking within 10 minutes when I limped it home. Try a new gauge then go from there.
 
K I bought the pump, rod, pan gasket and a pick up last night. I figure it's worth $100 and a prayer if the pump did go out. I only get one day a week and normally a trip into town on my day off takes a good chunk of the day. Will inspect the gauge then the distributor. If all looks good I will then hook up another gauge and double check before I get under it. It's never as bad as I think. I let this car sit for a year once when a 1-2 shift tripped the fuel cut off thinking I fried the pump. Maybe I can get some luck like that.
 
i just went through the same thing on my 331,i caught mine within a couple mins though,did all the checks and it was my front oil galley plug,it came off,just got my engine back today actually,got new bearings put in so i can sleep at night.