No oil pressure?

[Charger1973]

I started my car a couple days ago and heard a chattering noise from the valve covers thats never been there before.  I pulled one valve cover off only to find that there is no oil in the head while the car is running.  My gauge has never worked so i'm going to pick up a new sender today.  I went ahead and ordered a new oil pump today, do you think this is the cause of my problem?  I havent driven the car anywhere but around the block on test drives lately and this just came out of nowhere. 

[aifilaw]

that would be my first guess, although an oil passage being blocked or clogged is another option.

[Charger1973]

that would be my first guess, although an oil passage being blocked or clogged is another option.

Is there any way to check for that?

[supserdave]

Matt, that could have something to do with it heating up to. No oil pressure equals lots of friction and heat.

[Nacho-RT74]

does have sense

[RD]

change your oil, check for metal shavings, look at oil filter to ensure no collapse of internals, then.

remove your distributor and a valve cover, put in a hex rod and turn the oil pump counterclockwise while rotating your crankshaft slowly... if oil comes up through your rocker shafts your pump is doing its job, if there is no oil, then either the pump is crap your your cam bearing has failed or rotated so the oiling hole no longer lines up.