Lost oil pressure...

[wallaka]

Well, I rebuilt the motor earlier this year. Yesterday I had driven about a quarter mile from home and noticed that the oil pressure guage was on the first tick mark. Usually it is around the middle of the guage. So I immediately drove it home and parked it. I put a mechanical guage on it this morning and it didn't even move. There wasn't any oil dripping when I removed the sender or guage either.

I drained the oil today and there are some small brass-colored flakes in it, smaller than glitter but bigger than silt. There was a bit of brass-colored dust in the oil filter the first time I changed it, and I thought that was normal. This is the second oil change since I rebuilt it...shouldn't most of them be gone by now? Is there some way for the passage going to the gauge to be stopped up but it's really OK?

I guess I'll pull the oilpan and see what I can see.

It's a new Melling oil pump, and all new bearings/rings throughout. Except cam bearings, they looked OK so I left them. Didn't want to buy a bearing puller for them anyhow. Reused the cam so it shouldn't be an issue.

 

[mjpchief]

Pull the distributor and check the oil pump shaft first.

 

[66 E100 Pickup]

did you put in a "high volume" oil pump when you rebuilt? I understand that the stock grade dizzy gear/cam gear can't handle the higher load requirement.

You might pull the dizzy first, and try to drive the oil pump with a hex shaft.

John

 

[66 E100 Pickup]

beat me to it lol.

John

 

[wallaka]

Not it. I pulled the dizzy, put a socket on the drive and it turned just fine. I was able to see and hear oil sloshing around.

Tomorrow I'll put the dizzy back in and see if there is oil going to the valvetrain. It should be; there are no clattery noises like the lifters aren't pumped up. It's a little late right now to fire it up.

 

[mustang6]

I'd pull the valve cover and do that flow test. It's possible that some of these metal flakes are plugging up your oil pressure sensor passageway, but these are not normal- especially in the quantities you describe. While you have the valve cover off look and see if there are more brass particles up top. If so you've got real problems as the metal particles are throughout the engine.

 

[wallaka]

I'd pull the valve cover and do that flow test. It's possible that some of these metal flakes are plugging up your oil pressure sensor passageway, but these are not normal- especially in the quantities you describe. While you have the valve cover off look and see if there are more brass particles up top. If so you've got real problems as the metal particles are throughout the engine.

Well, there aren't any great quantities, they were trapped in the oil filter. To be fair, they might have been sitting in the pan from when I first changed the oil.

Still doesn't explain the loss of pressure, though.

 

[Stubby]

The pump has an internal bypass that consist of a spring and plunger. If the plunger sticks open, or if the spring broke somehow, it would pump oil, but would be circulating oil internaly and only pumping a little on down the line.

There is also the oil galley plugs. If the plug came out on the front of the engine, it would be leaking internaly.

The oil pump bolts could have loosened and be allowing it to leak where the pump meets the block, but that would also cause problems with the shaft to dizzy alignment.

If the plugs came out of the rocker shaft, (If it has any) would that blead off enough pressure to show zero on the guage?

 

[XFlow_Fairlane]

I am trying to think of where you would find brass colored metal in the motor. all I can think of is the copper in the bearing shells.

 

[rbohm]

I am trying to think of where you would find brass colored metal in the motor. all I can think of is the copper in the bearing shells.

8) that is what has me puzzled as well. i dont recall any bearing manufacturers using brass in their bearing shells. as for the loss of oil pressure, i would also check the pressure relief valve in the pump.

 

[wallaka]

Well, it's not getting oil to the top end, or at least not enough to see dripping like normal. Draining the oil now so I can pull the pan. Hooray.

At least I have a garage now, and not in the yard like last time. 8)

 

[wallaka]

Hmm. Everything looks good. The top end was clean, and there was nothing in the oilpan. The only thing was that the mesh on the pickup looked gooped up. I can't describe it too good, but it was like there was some really thick oil in the mesh, like STP or Lucas. It didn't drip out, just kind of oozed. Mineral spirits got it out easy enough. It was all clean-looking. I found no metal or anything else. Maybe the metal I saw was left over from when I spun the bearing...there is no way, even with steam cleaning, to clear out all of the oil passages.

 

[Stubby]

Real dark goop, (sludge) can be caused by moisture in the oil. If the head gasket was seeping internaly, it will form sludge.

 

[wallaka]

Real dark goop, (sludge) can be caused by moisture in the oil. If the head gasket was seeping internaly, it will form sludge.

Nah, wasn't dark. I know what sludge looks like, this wasn't it.

I'm just kind of beating my head against the wall. I checked the bypass and it moved freely with a screwdriver, so it's not stuck.

 

[Stubby]

On some oils, mostly synthetics and blends, the wrong mix or contamination will cause it to gel. I have never seen it on autos, but I have seen it on industrial applications.

 

[Bort62]

Sure you didn't waste another bearing ?

 

[wallaka]

I'm hoping not. I guess if I got the clearances wrong, it is possible. Well, I wanted an excuse to get a cherry picker anyhow. :roll:

 

[fordconvert]

Check Craigs list, there is almost always at least a couple of hoists and or stands listed. I think many people buy them for one project and then sell em no since they are so cheap. Just check the new price for the cheapo ones so you dont end up payin too much for a used cheapo one.