Nissan Repair: 1999 Nissan Altima, worse case scenario, low oil pressure

Question
QUESTION: Recently my 1999 Altima started making a loud tapping noise coming from the front of the engine during idle, also my engine oil light stays lit.What could be the worse case scenario?

ANSWER: Frank,

The oil light is the oil pressure light?  If so, you have something really wrong inside the engine.  No oil pressure means bad things and potentially a new or rebuilt engine.  I would not drive it until it was checked.  Check to make sure you have oil up to the full level on the dipstick.  Email me back what what you find.

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QUESTION: If the oil filter and oil pump is replaced would it help? How about the loud tapping noise, it does sound mechanical only during idle though what do you make of this?

Answer
Frank,

You might get by with a new oil pump to up the pressure.  But, I would bet the main and rod bearings need replacement too.  If you replaced the bearings along with the oil pump and the engine had not been run too long on low oil pressure you could continue to run the engine.  Now, you say there is a tapping and not a scraping noise.  If that were the case it would be the timing chain too.  You might be better off getting a used engine and just do a swap.