Insufficient oil pressure 90S4
#1
Insufficient oil pressure 90S4
Had this message on the dash and gauge reading no more than 1.5 and doesn't move when revved. Just completed knock sensor replacement and went for a drive, all good, stopped for 20 minutes and in restart got this message and thought it was just a bit hot but after leaving to cool down still same.
Oil level good.
Noticed on restart once cooled and after driving it about 5 miles to get home (gently) noisy lifters so seems oil is not getting to heads.
I've read about the pressure valve and thermostat and I think mine being a 90 also has the bypass.
Will update further in due course but stuck trying to get the pressure sender plug off so I can check gauge goes to 5+ with it disconnected.
I've put quite a lot of force on the plug and wiggled to try and remove it but it just wont budge, I think on the 90 it's a pin arrangement but I can't find any pictures or instructions to remove from a search, all I can find is disconnect wires and unscrew sender to get to thermostat.
So is it pins or does the plug cover terminals with nuts on posts like the earlier cars?
Looks great even if it's broken!
Oil level good.
Noticed on restart once cooled and after driving it about 5 miles to get home (gently) noisy lifters so seems oil is not getting to heads.
I've read about the pressure valve and thermostat and I think mine being a 90 also has the bypass.
Will update further in due course but stuck trying to get the pressure sender plug off so I can check gauge goes to 5+ with it disconnected.
I've put quite a lot of force on the plug and wiggled to try and remove it but it just wont budge, I think on the 90 it's a pin arrangement but I can't find any pictures or instructions to remove from a search, all I can find is disconnect wires and unscrew sender to get to thermostat.
So is it pins or does the plug cover terminals with nuts on posts like the earlier cars?
Looks great even if it's broken!
Last edited by Pagnobito; 07-15-2014 at 04:10 AM. Reason: added picture
#2
Should be 3 pins on the sender, like so.
The connector gets _really_ stuck on there- I think (WAG) the rubber connector must get vulcanized to the insulating material at the base of the pins.
Connector 'E', below:
The connector gets _really_ stuck on there- I think (WAG) the rubber connector must get vulcanized to the insulating material at the base of the pins.
Connector 'E', below:
#3
Thanks,
I know the sender is relatively inexpensive so if I pull the innards out of it try to get the plug off then so be it but the plug will be harder to replace.
I am thinking of some sort of hose clamp around the plug with something looped around it and hanging down so I can put a bit of wood against the pan as a fulcrum to a lever one end through the loop to put more pressure on it than I can with grips and pulling/wiggling on it.
Afraid it also might give way suddenly and I break the wires!
I know the sender is relatively inexpensive so if I pull the innards out of it try to get the plug off then so be it but the plug will be harder to replace.
I am thinking of some sort of hose clamp around the plug with something looped around it and hanging down so I can put a bit of wood against the pan as a fulcrum to a lever one end through the loop to put more pressure on it than I can with grips and pulling/wiggling on it.
Afraid it also might give way suddenly and I break the wires!
#6
Why don't you actually read what he wrote !!!
"noisy lifters so seems oil is not getting to heads"
How are sender electronics realted to that?
"noisy lifters so seems oil is not getting to heads"
How are sender electronics realted to that?
Hmm. I did read what he wrote. It sounded to me like he wants to be able to remove the oil pressure sender connector, so he can then unscrew the sender and cap to check on the operation of the oil thermostat. Failure of the thermostat to open would block flow to the oil cooler, and drop your oil pressure to where you might get ticking lifters.
Without removing the connector, you end up twisting the heck out of the harness while turning the sender, so I was trying to provide him some pics of how the connector sits on the pins, and commenting that it has also been my experience that the connector is a bitch to remove.
And he asked what the configuration of the sender's pins would be on a '90
So the pics of the sender pins and connector seemed relevant to his question.
Dude, I'm just trying to help.
#7
That quote seems to have been deleted.
I wanted to know how to get the connector off the sender so I could double check it hasn't failed by turning on the ignition with it disconnected should slam the gauge to maximum.
However having studied the oil circuit diagram the only logical cause in my mind is the oil pump isn't running and as my timing belt hasn't come off I think it's entirely possible the nut has come undone on the oil pump shaft and the cog is spinning on it. I think it might do that if it ran far enough to rest on the belt cover and miss the woodruff.
So I will be taking the covers off next to check that and ignore the sender for the moment.
Thanks for the help Rob it does help no matter what anyone else thinks.
I wanted to know how to get the connector off the sender so I could double check it hasn't failed by turning on the ignition with it disconnected should slam the gauge to maximum.
However having studied the oil circuit diagram the only logical cause in my mind is the oil pump isn't running and as my timing belt hasn't come off I think it's entirely possible the nut has come undone on the oil pump shaft and the cog is spinning on it. I think it might do that if it ran far enough to rest on the belt cover and miss the woodruff.
So I will be taking the covers off next to check that and ignore the sender for the moment.
Thanks for the help Rob it does help no matter what anyone else thinks.
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#8
#10
Good question, whatever was put in it by the independent when it was serviced last so I'm not sure. It's coincidence that this has happened just as I finished the intake and knock sensors and took it for a test drive just before I was going in there to change the fluids and timing belt. I don't like to do too much at once in case I put any faults on as it makes it harder to find them.
I don't think oil viscosity is relevant at this point anyway as it was running fine with good pressure up until now.
I don't think oil viscosity is relevant at this point anyway as it was running fine with good pressure up until now.
#11
Thats a great looking car what is the color called?
Excellent wheel choice.
So can you please explain what was done to the intake , how far did this refresh go?
IE did the cam cover also get removed?
Have the pins in the heads been inspected?
Might you have the rubber block off pins instead of the updated metal pins that block off the oil ports in the head?
Its not very likely that the nut has come off the oil pump,
unless someone was messing with it .
I would concentrate on removing the cam covers and inspecting the cams for the pin plug coming out.
this thread has pictures and more info.
https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...w+oil+pressure
Excellent wheel choice.
So can you please explain what was done to the intake , how far did this refresh go?
IE did the cam cover also get removed?
Have the pins in the heads been inspected?
Might you have the rubber block off pins instead of the updated metal pins that block off the oil ports in the head?
Its not very likely that the nut has come off the oil pump,
unless someone was messing with it .
I would concentrate on removing the cam covers and inspecting the cams for the pin plug coming out.
this thread has pictures and more info.
https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...w+oil+pressure
#12
Thank you for your question Mrmerlin.
The intake was taken off to replace knock sensors, upon re-install with only required gaskets and rubber washers (consumables) found throttle body bearing leaking on one side, replaced bearings and pressure tested OK.
replaced cam cover gaskets with no issues apart from one of the blanking caps is leaking slightly but I didn't replace the o-rings. was going to take that side off again to rectify with new o-rings. But had this problem before getting back to that. It might be a moot point now anyway.
I really don't think it's the pins in the heads, my symptoms differ from the thread you linked in that my oil pressure does not change with revs. I see your point, I would get lower pressure but even from cold there is still no pressure.
You are correct that it's not very likely the nut has come off the pump but from my symptoms and after doing some study of how the oil circulates it seems that is the most likely point of failure. I haven't run the engine since of course so as not to damage it any further but it might already have gone too far.
It's only done 10K km since the belt change in Japan, car is now in UK, never had the belt covers off yet, was just about to do that after the intake as I said previously.
I am going to be leaving work soon and when I get home will open the belt covers to see and will report back.
The intake was taken off to replace knock sensors, upon re-install with only required gaskets and rubber washers (consumables) found throttle body bearing leaking on one side, replaced bearings and pressure tested OK.
replaced cam cover gaskets with no issues apart from one of the blanking caps is leaking slightly but I didn't replace the o-rings. was going to take that side off again to rectify with new o-rings. But had this problem before getting back to that. It might be a moot point now anyway.
I really don't think it's the pins in the heads, my symptoms differ from the thread you linked in that my oil pressure does not change with revs. I see your point, I would get lower pressure but even from cold there is still no pressure.
You are correct that it's not very likely the nut has come off the pump but from my symptoms and after doing some study of how the oil circulates it seems that is the most likely point of failure. I haven't run the engine since of course so as not to damage it any further but it might already have gone too far.
It's only done 10K km since the belt change in Japan, car is now in UK, never had the belt covers off yet, was just about to do that after the intake as I said previously.
I am going to be leaving work soon and when I get home will open the belt covers to see and will report back.
#13
Ok got it, so a good idea to pull the belt covers and check the belt run,
maybe pull the lower cover as well for closer inspection of the oil pump.
Quick test for you get a piece of lamp cord wire and inset ti into the dipstick tube into the oil, drip the oil onto a black piece of cardboard look at the oil in the sun use a magnifying glass if you find metallic s then you have engine damage.
NOTE using the dipstcik for getting and oil sample may give false reading as it scrapes metal every time its inserted.
maybe pull the lower cover as well for closer inspection of the oil pump.
Quick test for you get a piece of lamp cord wire and inset ti into the dipstick tube into the oil, drip the oil onto a black piece of cardboard look at the oil in the sun use a magnifying glass if you find metallic s then you have engine damage.
NOTE using the dipstcik for getting and oil sample may give false reading as it scrapes metal every time its inserted.
#14
Has anyone considered either a clogged pick-up screen (not very common on 928's, but does happen with other cars).
Cracked pickup tube or faulty o-ring on the tube?
Trying to think if there is any way to get a boroscope down there with a good enough angle to see what's going on with the pickup tube.
Cracked pickup tube or faulty o-ring on the tube?
Trying to think if there is any way to get a boroscope down there with a good enough angle to see what's going on with the pickup tube.
#15
Yes, I have considered that no oil is getting to the pump for some reason but that is more difficult to look at and if I find the pump is good I will be dropping the pan. A silicon gasket is on the list of stuff to do.
It's not a high mileage car at around 56K miles, the pan gasket looks original and nothing in the history to suggest it has been off before.
The cord dip test is a good idea but I will be dumping the oil anyway as it's due and can check then.
It's not a high mileage car at around 56K miles, the pan gasket looks original and nothing in the history to suggest it has been off before.
The cord dip test is a good idea but I will be dumping the oil anyway as it's due and can check then.