Oil pressure, and then no oil pressure.

[half-cocked]

Car in question is a 90 FWD turbo.
I primed the oil pump using a drill until oil came out the turbo oil feed from the head. I drop it in the car (2 weeks later) and I crank it over, no pressure from the stock gauge. I connect a mechanical one to the oil pressure sender port and crank, again no pressure. So I just pull the gauge off and crank with the port open, nothing comes out. Plugs arent in, and filter is full. I have the oil cooler lines blocked off till i get replacements but it primed fine with a drill like that. Does the starter spin the oil pump fast enough to get pressure or am I doing something totally wrong?

 

[GTM]

Car in question is a 90 FWD turbo.
I primed the oil pump using a drill until oil came out the turbo oil feed from the head. I drop it in the car (2 weeks later) and I crank it over, no pressure from the stock gauge. I connect a mechanical one to the oil pressure sender port and crank, again no pressure. So I just pull the gauge off and crank with the port open, nothing comes out. Plugs arent in, and filter is full. I have the oil cooler lines blocked off till i get replacements but it primed fine with a drill like that. Does the starter spin the oil pump fast enough to get pressure or am I doing something totally wrong?

Argh, this is never good news. Yes the starter should spin fast enough to build at least an educated guess of 25psi cold. I don't know how much cranking you have done but with the turbo feed off you had no pressure to the cams and hydraulic adjusters. If you had a small drillmotor pump you could pull the banjo bolt off the head and prime from the head to make sure all the cam related passages are filled. You should have oil coming out the cam followers and just about everywhere else that gets lubed. I don't know what else to suggest, other than to crank for a minute and then let the starter cool for 5 and repeat.

Let us know what you find or progress made.

Cheers,
GTM

 

[half-cocked]

I'm pretty sure I know what a drill motor pump is, but where can I get one? Home depot, Ace where?

Thanks
Dan

 

[GTM]

I'm pretty sure I know what a drill motor pump is, but where can I get one? Home depot, Ace where?

Thanks
Dan

Hopefully the chain auto parts stores have them, they are used a lot on marine inboard engines to do an oil change through the dipstick for you can't get an oil pan under them. As for the name you could try QuickChange or oil change pump. Yes, Home Depot may and Ace also. They use to cost around $4-$5 but the last one I saw a year ago was $12(?) but that may have been a mistake or rip-off. It will come with a couple hoses and fitting but you may have to make some adapter for this application.

Remember there is a check valve in the block which is to prevent drain back so if you pressurize the head the block will not fill, if you pressurize the oil sender port it should fill everything unless you have some major problem.

Keep us posted.

Cheers,
GTM

 

[half-cocked]

Update, I decided to take my chances and fire it up, and I left the oil feed bolt slightly cracked to let oil seep out if I had oil pressure. I fired it up and it got oil in under 3 seconds. So clue to why cranking wouldnt do it though.

 

[project_tsi]

oil pressure sending unit?

 

[half-cocked]

I was using an aftermarket mechanical gauge, so that wasn't it.