M42 running VERY loud (video), low oil pressure light is on

[bmwman91]

You do not HAVE to pull the head to do the timing case, but it is probably easiest to do that. I've shimmied it back int place with the head still on there a few times and it sucks.

And yes, the oil pan needs to be unbolted from it.

[e304me]

yeah another engine is probably the way to go.

[Vivek]

The bump is embedded in the timing case. You gotta pull the TC to get at the pump. Sucks BALLS, I know. You had the timing case covers off a little while back, right? Take any pics?

Nope I've never taken it apart.

Although bmwman didn't say it he meant that the rear (lower) timing case has to come off. I feel you probably know the basic procedure by now...

If you take all of that apart and still have no oil pressure I will be flabbergasted.

Does this involve removing the head/oil pan?

If the engine has run so much without oil pressure I think the cams and bearings should be checked before anymore work is done.

I'm kinda thinking this too. My dad offered to buy me a new engine (from a recycler, tested/guaranteed) which honestly may be the best route.


Wazzu, thanks for the pic. What's involved in getting that timing case off? Will I be pulling the head and the fucking oil pan again? If so, fuck this I'm buying another engine lol. Not worth my damn time for something that's been run dry for 2+ minutes and at 4-5k for a few seconds when my throttle cable was out of place.

[wazzu70]

Here are some pictures of the oil pump in my engine when I took it apart for reference.

[e304me]

If the engine has run so much without oil pressure I think the cams and bearings should be checked before anymore work is done.

[roguetoaster]

Although bmwman didn't say it he meant that the rear (lower) timing case has to come off. I feel you probably know the basic procedure by now...

If you take all of that apart and still have no oil pressure I will be flabbergasted.

[bmwman91]

The bump is embedded in the timing case. You gotta pull the TC to get at the pump. Sucks BALLS, I know. You had the timing case covers off a little while back, right? Take any pics?

[Vivek]

Honestly at this point I think the oil pump is somehow dead. Does anyone have a DIY for it? i can't find any solid info anywhere.

[kwill22]

I'd pull the fuel pump relay

The tricky part is that the oil pump sucks the oil through the pickup so that's why some people add extra oil so there's less air between the pickup and the pump. If there's too much air, the pump can't build suction to suck the oil through the pickup.

Don't know if you have any extra oil around. I still think some grease or something as thick is gonna be your best bet. Do you have any assembly lube? To tell you the truth at this point I don't think there's any grease that would hurt anything. Just replace your oil filter whenever it gets back going again.

Too bad you're on the other side of the country. I'm more hands on and I wanna help. Lol

[Vivek]

Yea I have no idea which way it flows. I would assume it flows out through the tube and goes through the filter the to the outside part of the housing where you poured the oil. So I'm thinking yea the tube.

If you get oil to start moving via the pump but it won't build pressure, usually the oils not thick enough. Which is why some type of grease is best. Or like juntr said earlier vasoline, but you'd have to go through the timing case for that to do it correctly and I don't think that's an option right now considering you just put everything back in.

It'd be nice if there was some way to crank while you're pouring the oil. But that would get real messy, real fast

Shit man I don't care how messy it gets at this point. If it's messy that means it has oil pressure. Should I try to crank while pouring oil? Should I start the car, or pull the fuel pump fuse and crank?

[Vivek]

I just poured oil down the tube. No change :/. What grease would you guys recommend?
Only difference now is that mysteriously none of my cluster lights other than oil pressure, check engine, and ABS are lighting up with the key in position 2. But that may be because I don't have my alternator in.

[kwill22]

I've heard of people adding extra oil to the pan to help displace the air. Don't know if that would work in this situation. I'm just throwing out everything I can think of right now. This sucks.

I'd definitely say pour some down the tube because that seems the best way for the pump to build pressure and force the oil through the filter. Extra oil down that tube might help because it'll get rid of most of the air out of the oil pickup and pump

[roguetoaster]

Yea I have no idea which way it flows. I would assume it flows out through the tube and goes through the filter the to the outside part of the housing where you poured the oil. So I'm thinking yea the tube.

If you get oil to start moving via the pump but it won't build pressure, usually the oils not thick enough. Which is why some type of grease is best. Or like juntr said earlier vasoline, but you'd have to go through the timing case for that to do it correctly and I don't think that's an option right now considering you just put everything back in.

It'd be nice if there was some way to crank while you're pouring the oil. But that would get real messy, real fast

Maybe heat whatever grease you might use and make it easier to pour. Of course use it when the engine is cold so it becomes less viscous when it gets to (hopefully) the pump.

If you want to try to crank and pour oil you might try making an oil filter housing lid out of several layers of saran wrap, secured to the housing via tape or zip ties, stick a small funnel through it, then pour/crank.

[kwill22]

Yea I have no idea which way it flows. I would assume it flows out through the tube and goes through the filter the to the outside part of the housing where you poured the oil. So I'm thinking yea the tube.

If you get oil to start moving via the pump but it won't build pressure, usually the oils not thick enough. Which is why some type of grease is best. Or like juntr said earlier vasoline, but you'd have to go through the timing case for that to do it correctly and I don't think that's an option right now considering you just put everything back in.

It'd be nice if there was some way to crank while you're pouring the oil. But that would get real messy, real fast

[Vivek]

Okay I poured probably most of a quart into the oil filter housing, with the filter in place. The filter was previously 100% dry. I poured it all around the outside, not inside the hole in the center. Is that bad? When i started it up, it was the same issue as always, but I'm thinking maybe I needed to pour it in the center (see pic for reference)? Anyways, I just pulled my alternator and was about to pull the filter housing to check if there's anything wrong with the gasket behind it. If it's as simple as pouring oil down the center, I'll try that. Would my car run fine with no alt? It'll be hooked up to another car to jump it.