por4ever

It's another low oil pressure issue. I will have about 3 bar on startup and after about 20 min of driving the pressure will drop to almost nothing and the light comes on.

Things I have done are replaced seal on the OPVR, replaced oil filter with Mahle filter, crank bolt is at 150ft lb, poured some oil in the center hole and the outer holes on the . Previuosly when I have changed the oil the plug has been clean, never any metal. I drove the car from Cali to VA and the problem really became apparent when I got to Norfolk. I changed the oil when I got here and there was a little metal on the magnet. I changed the oil again a couple days ago after about 300miles and no metal on the magnet. I did have fuel in the oil on the way out that I think was due to a leaking injector but I replaced those yesterday.

I am now realizing that it is probably the bearings or the oil pickup tube. My problem is I am in the Navy going to school and I just don't have the time to drop the pan to fix either of those things.

This car has never been the a concourse winner and there are a number of other small problems I had hoped to take care of so I am wondering if it is really worth holding on to at this point.

Any tech advice would be appreciated if I missed anything. I just need about three more months and 4k miles before I can park it while I go on deployment. I am just really at the end of my rope here. Thanks for reading this.

V2Rocket

how much oil do you put in it?

Josh B

Look at this thread - sounds like the same problem I was having with my car.

https://rennlist.com/forums/944-turb...re-issues.html

Chris White

Get the 1 piece replacement OPRV. The original 3 pcs part can get pretty erratic after it has been disturbed.

por4ever

@Josh B: So the thermostat was the solution? I think I had read your thread before. That is something I had thought about checking too. Is it that the t-stat was sending too much oil to the cooler?

@Chris White: That is another thing I was curious about. I have an '86 but this is the OPVR that is in the car

I am thinking the engine has been replaced at some point since the stamp where the engine number should be just says H m44. Will a late 1 piece fit in the same hole as an early type one? I know they are not supposed to be interchangeable but will it fit? I have always had a low pressure problem on idle but strong otherwise.

Josh B

I think the thermostat was getting stuck in between diverting oil to the cooler and sending it back into the engine. It is pretty easy to check - just have to have the right size tools but you can do it in the garage.

333pg333

Just out of curiosity, what oil and grade do you use?

por4ever

I'm using castrol high mileage 20w50.

Josh B: I'll try to take a look at it tomorrow.

CPR

Welcome to Norfolfk

Chris White

Yep - that’s the replacement 1 piece OPRV.

KuHL 951

It sounds like you have a later 87+ block by the 'H' so you should have the right OPRV if that's the one you posted. The early 1-piece conversion OPRV has the o-ring right at the very tip as shown below. The later OPRV will fit but is longer and won't seat correctly in an early block due to a guide sleeve in the block.

Early OPRV

por4ever

KuHL 951: Thanks for the clarification.

I checked the oil t-stat today. Cleaned only a little sludge off the part itself and did not look like there was any gunk in the housing. Same symptoms as before. Next step is to chek it with a mechanical pressure gauge and see what it tells me.
In the oil pump it looks like there is a splined ring that looks like it puts pressure on the pump gear from the crank bolt. Clarks garage talks about wear on this part. Will this wear have a negative effect on pressure? I can't think of anything else. I also noticed a very slight seepage from the seal but can something that small cause this? I appreciate the input.

Josh B

Was the little piston pressed out of the thermostat at all? Mine wasn't fully collapsing.

ibkevin

por, you in SD?

por4ever

@Josh B: The little "nail" in the bottom was all the way back into the housing. I did not have a way to test it otherwise.

@ ibkevin: I'm stationed in SD but I am in Norfolk for school. Back in a couple months then 6 month deployment.

Noticed, after I got everything back together the oil needle was jumping a bit. To me this suggests fault with the sender (there is a good bit of grime on it) or crack in the pick up tube opening and closing slightly. I will try to source a sender at a local parts store or something just to check.