Oil Pressure issues on a new-to-me e30 vert

[Klug]

Hey guys-

I end up getting to a build thread together eventually, but I picked up this '92 Vert for $800 bucks yesterday to add to my heard. It's in overall great shape- but has a few things I need to figure out.

The PO hit something with the oil cooler, drove it (unknown miles) to a local MB shop. It sat for a few months, the MB guy put some oil into it and said "It was knocking and spitting oil all over the place" ....Well duh, the oil cooler had a huge gash on it and couldn't build up any oil pressure! Well because of this I grabbed it quick. Eventually will do a swap on it but would like to get it running to beat on in the summer until I find the right engine.

Anyway!

Tonight I capped off the oil cooler lines with a M22x1.5 bolt (to test) and topped everything off. Started right up! Sounded great, but noticed the oil pressure idiot light kept bouncing on and off. Off at idle, on at higher revs, on when turning the wheel...very sporadic. However, I noticed that it just isn't getting enough oil to the head. Started up my '89 e30 and noticed a nice pool of oil on the cam area and on this vert it was just wet- no puddle...so something is up.

I'm going to do the following- but wondering if there is anything else I should consider...

1) Install an E oil filter adapter- to properly run without an oil cooler.
2) Replace the oil pressure switch.
3) Drop the pan, check the oil pump if the filter is clogged or if the pump itself is shot. Try and find a pump on the classifieds
4) Check the cam rocker lock plate- not familiar with this but found it from searching a bit already

Anything else I should consider checking? I have a feeling the pump burnt out, but would like to dive into that last.....but depending on the circumstances said above- maybe the pump took a shit when it was running with low oil....

Thanks!

[Kershaw]

#1 is would I would have done before starting it up.

This is exactly what happened to my first e30. I patched the broken oil cooler line with heater hose and clamps. The engine was toast. I drove it 50 miles to where I was going to swap the engine and then it died on the spot. Haha.

[nando]

oil spray bar in the head could be clogged.

[Klug]

While going to bed last night, I think I may have messed up on my end.

While I can't find the exact information I'm looking for out there, does anyone know how the oil filter housing is routed?

I'm guessing that the oil pump supplies dirty oil through the filter, then does it go straight through the cooler, then back to the return end which then brings the clean/cool oil to the head?

I had both plugs for the oil cooler blocked, obviously one was holding back pressure from the OUT and nothing was able to come back through the return....

Just trying to figure out the route of oil through that housing, weather it filters THEN goes through the cooler...or cools then filter....and where exactly the return from the oil cooler goes- to the head or just back down into the pan.

I ordered the E oil filter housing last night, just need to wait for it to be delivered next week.

Thanks so far guys!

[peterman]

There is a thermostat in the i filter housing so the oil should only flow through the cooler when it is warm enough (I think), otherwise it will just circulate the motor much like a coolant system. So unless you had the motor up to operating temperature, the oil probably wouldn't be going through the cooler... But I could be wrong.