Botched Balance shaft elimination ?

[samhain]

I bought this car for my son who just turned 16 in Sept. we have had it about a year and a half. Bought it with the bent valves - broken timing belt. We put a fresh head on it and all was good. Well turns out I made the mistake of buying the tensioner pulley off of E-bay the bearing in it locked up 2 weeks ago. The kid didnt stop the car soon enough so bent valves again.
We found this deal on craigslist
1990 Talon TSi AWD
Got the new motor in and we have low oil pressure. It looks like the pump is new so I'm thinking he botched the BS elimination ? It is pumping oil but low gauge pressure to the point where the idiot light is blinking. I am not letting the kid drive the car which makes him very unhappy. Pull the motor again or do it in the car? Am I making the correct diagnosis?

 

[bastarddsm]

Its possible the bse was botched. Only way to tell is to take stuff apart and check it out. You can do it in the car. I would start by dropping the oilpan. From there you can get a look and see how things are. Check the rods, see if they feel tight. You shouldn't be able to feel any play. If you can feel noticable play, its posssible the shortblock is plain wore out. If they feel good and tight somthing else is probably to blame.

Is the original shortblock still sound? why not swap another head onto it and use it?

 

[samhain]

The new motor is freshly rebuilt with Ross pistons 0 miles I wouldnt want to go back to a 100,00 mile plus motor.

 

[AlphaVision]

Try removing the oil pan and look if the balance shaft bearings have holes on them. If they do make sure they are off the block holes. That way they will block the oil sprinking from there and the oil pressure will raise.

 

[samhain]

Is it possible to put the front balance shaft back in to block the oil ports without pulling the motor or the oil pan?

 

[AlphaVision]

Did you check those holes? Well if you want just to block them why putting the shaft back. Just rotate the bearings if they are still there or buy some without the holes. They are very cheap.

There is a BSE kit from mitsubishi that is for the EVO motors and it works for DSMs. I am almost sure they sell only the bearings alone.

 

[samhain]

yes just being a bit lazy... putting a shaft in there would also block the holes.

 

[94hipsitsi]

Try something easier first. Did you check the oil sender sensor or wire connection first? My buddy just put in a motor as well and was getting the oil light at idle. I told him since the motor was moved around before the install that the sender may have been compromised since it is at the bottom. Found a frayed oil sender wire, proper connection resolved his issue.

 

[samhain]

yes Ive checked that. There are 2 wires there one for the gauge and one for the idiot light and they are both telling me low pressure. Although I can look in the valve cover and see oil squirting onto the cams and we had the turbo oil line coming off the head a bit loose and it was pumping oil out onto the ground pretty good til we tightened it. So I have some pressure.

 

[#40Fan]

Go to a local part store and get a cheap oil pressure gauge. Double check that the pressure is as low as it is telling you before you do alot of work.