Oil pressure problems (update)
 

Just something that happened to me recently that I might share.. The other day I started up my car and I noticed the oil light came on. I was a bit shocked and was like ok, maybe I'm a little low on oil. Checked, and it was perfect. So now I'm kind of freaking out thinking what might of happened. The engine is making no noise what so ever. So I take off my oil feed line and start it up. NO Pressure! ok, so we definatly have a big problem. I take the DP's off and drop the pan to inspect the pick up tube, everything looks clear no blockages. I kept thinking ok, maybe my GSR pump went bad... But how is it possible for a crank driven pump to simply just loose ALL oil pressure unless the gear broke off inside (then you would hear something). Even if the housing and gears have alot of wear you will still get some oil pressure. Antoher tech in the shop said its possible the oil relief spring/plunger may have got jammed up and is bleeding down. This is the only thing it could be, So I took the 10mm allen port off the bottom, and the spring came flying out like a mad pinball. I shoved my finger up there and tried to get the plunger to come down but it was stuck! I finally got it to come down and I found a small piece of materal (chunk of dirt or something) that was jamming it up! So I blew the pump out with brake cleaner and blew though all the oil passages the best I could, re-assembled everything and started it back up... and walah perfect oil pressure.

Cliff notes,

When assembling a engine w/ a used oil pump tear the pump down completely, clean the ---- out of it and inspect for wear.

I guess thats why I called it the flat-rate b18 ;) just thought I would share because I have never seen this happen before.

Jeff

Re:Oil pressure problems
 

wow, that's good that you found it. I don't want to be using used parts, I'm trying to avoid this type of problem.

Re:Oil pressure problems
 

well jeff, me and a few friends noticed occasionally if you turn really hard or ebrake turn somthing or get into a spin, the oil light will come on and stay on even though the car is running (so then ill kill the engine) then restart and somtimes the oil light will stay on for a few min of starting/shutting down due to oil pressure. So far only my accord and a 91 lude seem to do this... what gives?

Re:Oil pressure problems
 

haha Abaz uses the Idiot light!

Re:Oil pressure problems
 

I use it? uhm ya its apart of the factory wiring for that car like almost every cars. No, I dont have mack daddy electronic oil pressure gauge, nor do I have a shitty ass mechanical one. (which are illegal to use at some race tracks)

Water temp, and oil pressure should always be good if you know how to build a engine.

I monitor 2 things only, Wideband 02 (air fuel) and boost.

Re:Oil pressure problems
 

I was just ------ with ya. I rely on that ---- too. Oil guages are hella cheap though so I'm defenitly going to pick one up soon.

Re:Oil pressure problems
 

The last motor I built ran until I sold the car. No oil light, but the strange thing was everytime I would go to change the oil filter, it was dry and brand new looking. Car ran, no light, no oil through filter. ???
Good thing it's driving around in Idaho now. ;)

Re:Oil pressure problems
 

THIS IS ------- WEIRD!! I have the exact same problem. Went to the movies tonight, came out and started the car, oil light was on. Check the oil, perfect! Take the feed line off, not a drop of oil comming out. Shut the car off and tow it to my buddies shop.

We replaced the oil pan gasket yesterday and my friend had an idea of using that orange/redish gasket compound to hold the gasket in place while we bolted it up.. I think some of that ---- got in the oil pan and blocked that plunger thing?? Where do I find this plunger thing to check??

Stan

Re:Oil pressure problems
 

Stan,

Drop the pan, (if b-series take off the windage tray) and then take off the oil pick up tube. There will be a small little plug, about the size of a quarter or nickle w/ allen head on it (on the bottom) not the test port off the back of the pump by the alternator.

So, take this allen head plug off and a spring will come out. Also, a little plunger/piston will be up in there, shove your pinky up there and try to get it to come out. Once its out, get some fine fine emory cloth and clean it off good, so its smooth. Then take off your oil pressure sender on the back of the block. Spray brake cleaner through the oil pick up hole really good. Then just blow some compressed air (air nozzel w/ air compressor) to blow through that passage. Just so everything is cleaned out real good.

good luck, and IM if ya got any questions.


Jeff

Re:Oil pressure problems
 

;)

Re:Oil pressure problems
 

I like to go with the index finger, or the index and middle if I'm feeling good.

Re:Oil pressure problems
 

On certain startups I used to get the oil dummy light on my volvos.. nature of the beast for me. It's when the light stays on is when you know you have problems (I remember when my mom blew the family wagon B230F from the light staying on - bad oil pump).

I love brake parts cleaner, use it for everything.. to clean my hands, to kill spiders, to punish my dog when she is bad. The kind with the small red caps that you get at autozone is the best.

-ryan

Re:Oil pressure problems
 

Update..

Monday night I was ripping down the freeway and the oil light came back on. Coasted into a parking lot and fired it up again, and yes the light was stuck on again and 0 oil pressure. I thought well maybe it stuck again. So me and beau (as hmt friends watched) took the oil pan down in the middle of this parking lot @ 2am hahaha. So I pulled the plug cleaned it out again and fired it up, but this time the light was on for good. We towed it to the shop, where we could look at it closer, I saw metal flakes in the pan, but didnt look like bearing material. So I pulled all the bearings to make sure (rods/mains) all were fine, So I took the pump off, and found that both oil pump gears shatered and broke the case of the pump. Crazy, still unsure why it broke. So I cleaned everything out and swapped in a ITR pump. It's good to go now, so be advised if the oil light does come on it maybe worse than you think. I thought it was going to be something simple.

Jeff

Re:Oil pressure problems
 

Technicaly the "LAST" motor you built wouldnt start :P





I had to...sorry ;)

Re:Oil pressure problems (update)
 

jebus Jeff.. you are always runnin into problems.

I got an oil pressure question for ya.

I got an aftermarket gauge. no leaks. but the gauge bounces around from 20ish to max. and everywhere in between.

The gauge is mounted on the bottom of the IM w/ a fuel line feeding it w/ oil. no leaks/kinks.

any clues?

Re:Oil pressure problems (update)
 

Manual oil pressure gauges move all around, I remember my first setup I had. I used an mech autometer gauge and when that thing was cold it would bounce all over the ------- place, it would max out all the time ??? very odd, it was just a stock a6 too. My guess its normal on hondas, lol.

Re:Oil pressure problems (update)
 

you sure it has a good ground

Re:Oil pressure problems (update)
 

Ground? sounds like a mechanical gauge to me.....

Re:Oil pressure problems (update)
 

with my experience with sbc cars with manual gauges, you don't really get that much movement (never ran an analog with an import).. but yes, all analog does like to be jumpy, even if it's a cable driver speedo

Re:Oil pressure problems (update)
 

it's an electrical oil psi gauge.

The gauge seems to read just fine right after an oil change. then slowly gets worse and worse.

Re:Oil pressure problems (update)
 

my next attempt to fix this is relocating the sender to a secure mount. Right now it just hangs via tie straps to the bottom of the IM. I've got a prototype stevemode kit on the way. (right steve!?) ;D

But keep the ideas comin!