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Oil pressure issues in an engine that sat

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    #1

    Oil pressure issues in an engine that sat

    I just put in an engine with 170k miles and the engine had sat for at least a year maybe more. Added 20w-50 oil and started it up. Ran okay cold, but as it heated up it seems to have an oil pressure issue. The oil pressure light will flicker and stay on at idle, and when you rev it warm it will knock and actually shake the engine. I am buying an oil pressure gauge to get real figures tomorrow.

    I ran it with the valve cover off and the oil line above the valvetrain was dripping fairly slowly and not at all on some of the outlets. iirc it should be flowing copiously.

    any help? :razz:
    Tags: None
    #2
    You should do a new oil pump on it. You can prime the pump with a drill outside of the car. Drop the lollipop brackets then unhook the subframe leaving everything attached it will drop far enough for you to access the oil pan.

    Don't forget! Use an engine support bracket!
    Past Car : E30 S50 6 Speed 5 Lug 3.73
    Current : Z3 S50 OBD2 (Smog Legal) 6 Speed BBS RN Dual Ear Diff
    ___________________________________________
    BNB Designs
    Engine Swaps, Fabrication, Innovation, General Repair
    Richmond CA
    Julian 848-248-8029

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      #3
      How do I prime the oil pump? I have a sneaking suspicion that the shaking and the bad noise is the oil pump. I want to just run the pump without running the engine. Where do I drill? Can I just take off the timing belt and go at the oil pump pulley?


      Thanks

      Comment

        #4
        On the left side of the engine is a small round cover, like where a distributor could mount. Remove that cover and pick out the gear that is underneath. That will expose the oil pump drive shaft. A 6mm (from memory) socket and a long extension will allow you to spin the oil pump with an electric drill. You wont be able to build much pressure in the engine (probably not more that 10-15psi), but you will be able to tell if there is a serious problem with the pump.

        The shaking sounds more like a mis-fire than a problem with the pump. The flickering oil light could be low oil pressure (bad filter, clogged oil pump inlet stuck oil pressure relief valve, worn out pump, worn bottom end or intermediate shaft bearings) or it could just be a bad oil pressure switch. Temporarily replace the switch with a gauge and see what the pressure actually is. If the pressure isn't low (over 7psi at idle on a hot engine), start looking for the cause of the misfire. However, the indications of low oil pressure and knocking sounds from the engine are suggestive of a worn bottom end.
        The car makes it possible, but the driver makes it happen.
        Jim Levie, Huntsville, AL

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          #5
          How do I remove the cover? I took off the bolt and bracket but cant get it to come off. Is there a trick?

          Comment

            #6
            The cap can be a bit difficult to remove. It will usually come out if you spray it down well with PBlaster or Kroil, let that penetrate overnight, and then twist out the cap with channel locks.
            The car makes it possible, but the driver makes it happen.
            Jim Levie, Huntsville, AL

            Comment

              #7
              Methinks you MIGHT have a different problem- is the idle abnormally low?

              Something a goofy as plug wires out of sequence could do this...

              Worth a recheck, at least- the only 2 symptoms of low oil pressure are noise
              and premature bearing failure...

              t
              now, sometimes I just mess with people. It's more entertaining that way. george graves

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