Oil Pressure mysteries
03-20-2004 | 10:13 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 200
Likes: 0
From: Carnation, WA
Oil Pressure mysteries
This problem is now over 3 years old. I have posted numerous times and searched the archives and I still haven't figured it out.
On startup after the car has been sitting for a couple of hours. I have no oil pressure. It takes 15-45 secs to register oil pressure. The lifter make bad noises so I don't think this is a sender or ground problem.
It used to be the car had to sit overnight for the problem to manifest itself. Overtime it has taken progressively less time, last time the car ran it only took a couple of hours.
If I park the car on a slight incline facing downhill the problem does not occur.
It would seem that oil is draining back to the pan. Parking on an incline may prevent this. The rate at which oil drains back has been increasing over the life of this problem.
What I have done:
1. Had two different professional mechanics from different shops check the oil pressure relief valve. (3 times in total)
2. I just finished dropping the oilpan myself. I really really really expected and hoped to find a cracked oil pickup tube, but did not.
So please tell me if you have ever had a similar problem and if so how it was resolved.
I have read some stories about oil pump sealing. (But have been unable to find the necessary details.)
On startup after the car has been sitting for a couple of hours. I have no oil pressure. It takes 15-45 secs to register oil pressure. The lifter make bad noises so I don't think this is a sender or ground problem.
It used to be the car had to sit overnight for the problem to manifest itself. Overtime it has taken progressively less time, last time the car ran it only took a couple of hours.
If I park the car on a slight incline facing downhill the problem does not occur.
It would seem that oil is draining back to the pan. Parking on an incline may prevent this. The rate at which oil drains back has been increasing over the life of this problem.
What I have done:
1. Had two different professional mechanics from different shops check the oil pressure relief valve. (3 times in total)
2. I just finished dropping the oilpan myself. I really really really expected and hoped to find a cracked oil pickup tube, but did not.
So please tell me if you have ever had a similar problem and if so how it was resolved.
I have read some stories about oil pump sealing. (But have been unable to find the necessary details.)
03-20-2004 | 10:20 PM
#2
Hey Man
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 16,525
Likes: 188
From: Nor Cal, Seal Rock, OR
How many miles? Is the pressure normal after driving it awhile? It is strange that it has been going on for 3 years now and hasn't crapped on you yet. I think you are on the right track with the oil pump sealing though.
03-20-2004 | 11:46 PM
#4
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 919
Likes: 0
From: Atlanta, GA
My money would be on the pressure relief valve. I visually checked my valve three times before replacing it. It wasn't until after I replaced it with the updated 1 piece valve that my pressure delay problem stopped.
03-21-2004 | 10:51 AM
#7
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 982
Likes: 13
From: Decatur, Al
Try a different OPRV. If you do a search of my post you will find I could not get my pump to pull oil from the pan, it turned out to be an OPRV problem. The OPRV valve can let air into the oil passage from the oil pan to the pump, so I would try another valve to eliminate this as the problem.