Lew

Okay, I'm going to vent here for the first time. My 84 944 ran great, but it failed the required emissions inspection for plate renewal. It passed last year, but they tightened up the specs. I was told the car took too long to reach operating temperature so I should put in a higher temperature thermostat and fan switch. I did. After that I had to take the car on a 120 mile trip. It was running too hot, and I knew I should probably pull over and have it towed, but I had two six year old kids in the car (not even mine) and I'd better get it home. By the time I got home the oil pressure was low and the red light came on every time I let off the gas. Anyway, I went ahead and did my planned water pump and timing belt replacement, and put back in a low temperature thermostat and fan switch. I fired it up and everything sounded great: then I noticed the red oil pressure light staring at me and the gauge needle not moving. Then the clunking noises started coming from under the hood. I shut it off. I guess now I'm looking at an engine rebuild, thanks to Missouri's recommendation on how to have a cleaner car. Anybody know a good rebuilder?

Dave

Sounds like it may be a coincidence, your oil pump or pressure relief valve might have gone away.

Lew

Good thought. Now that I've cooled down a little, I'll check those out tomorrow. Maybe I'll be lucky. The tapping it just started to make before I shut it down really worries me though.

Dave

I assume you already checked your oil level. Let's hope all that noise is just coming from oil starved lifters, as opposed to real damage. Good luck, and let us know how it turns out.

Lew

I did check the oil level, it was okay. The car ran for a bit before the noise started, so maybe that was the lifters protesting lack of oil. How do I know if the oil pump or pressure relief valve are bad once I figure out how to get to them? Also, even though the car was running hot, the needle never hit the red zone. How could this cause my oil pressure to drop to zero? I had a Dodge Dart once that sprung a radiator leak and pegged the temp gauge needle, and it never lost oil pressure. I just remembered that my brake sensor light never went out either. Anyway, I'm rambling. This is bugging me so much I can't sleep. Guess I'll just go into work early.

Dave H.

[quote]Originally posted by Lew:
<strong>even though the car was running hot, the needle never hit the red zone. How could this cause my oil pressure to drop to zero?</strong><hr></blockquote>

that's prob'ly backwards. if your oil pump went TU, the coolant would warm up.