The "Doh' it broke" thread

[Iheartboost]

So I was driving out to the local straightaway this morning to take my talon out on its first top speed run, I get out there and check my gauges, and the SOB was overheating! I look at my oil pressure, it's sitting at 0. My first thought is head gasket, but there is no oil in the AF, or AF in the oil. it's to the full line on the dipstick, and there is a good 6 inches in the overflow tank for the antifreeze. I believe there is oil still being pumped, it can be pushed through the feed line to my gauge. when you get it down to a normal temp it idles fine, but when you give it some gas the temp skyrockets. Am I looking at both my water and oil pump going out on me? upon further inspection I found the following unhooked;#1 the plug was broken, I taped the wires inside of the connector.

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#2 Two wires near the alternator/oil filter area unhooked, one has a broken tab stuck in its connector, probably broken off from somewhere. one is not visible, it has a black end on it.

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and #3, this is where I am tapping in for my oil pressure gauge. is this a good place for an oil reading?

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Thanks!

 

[slowboy101]

Personally I think that is a way bad place for your oil pressure, you should tap it right off the oil filter housing to get the most correct reading.

 

[T-mun]

it might not be the best place for oil pressure reading, but if your gauge is functional and you see 0psi from there, i'll be worried about your turbo.

 

[BogusSVO]

also get rid of the plastic tube for the oil pressure gauge, get 1/8 copper line the auto pars stores have it hanging with the gauges, from auto meter (about 15 bux) or go to your local NAPA or hardwear store it will be cheaper and you can by it by the foot( less than 10).. the same compression ferrels from the plastic tube will fit the copper.

the plasyic tends to get brittle and break and spew oil all over the place

 

[Iheartboost]

So, after a couple of days of properly documenting my issue I present to you; my issues. From a cold start oil pressure slowly creeps to 60 psi within one minute, and stays there for about 5 minutes, it then drops down to around 30 psi for 10 minutes, and after that it drops to 10 psi or lower. (this is a reading from the head, I don't have the fittings to hook it to my pump outlet.). I'm thinking the gears in my pump may no longer be to spec, or there is something floating around in my block that is plugging the passageways. Third (and least likely in my mind) is this; mine is missing the wire that is attached.( this picture is not my vehicle, I could not get a well-lit shot of it on mine)

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What is this part? oil temp sensor?

 

[cookmeup272]

Looks to me like the factory sending unit for the oil pressure gauge.

 

[Iheartboost]

Looks to me like the factory sending unit for the oil pressure gauge.

so if that's the sending unit, then what is the similar looking part mounted on the left side in nearly the same spot? I've seen it mentioned that the one on the left is the sensor?

 

[dsmcurse]

thats the factory oil pressure gauge. thats the sending unit to make the factory oil pressure gauge work. then theres a smaller minni one of those that runs the dumby light. and yeah, your oil gauge should be tapped down there along with the oil supply line to your turbo.

big one does the factory gauge, small one does the warning light

 

[cookmeup272]

And you can use either to run an aftermarket sending unit. I personally run mine where the factory sending unit is, disabling my stock gauge.

 

[Iheartboost]

Ok, well I'm going to go look for the wire to hook up to the sending unit, and I'll check my dash lights, because no dummy light came on at any point. If the bulb is good, that means oil flow to the head is being restricted, what's the best plan of action?

 

[cookmeup272]

A lot of times the wires to the sending unit and dummy light get brittle and crudy and break as well.

 

[Iheartboost]

so the dummy light is good, the wire for it is good all the way to where it goes into the harness. the sending unit wire is flat out missing. so this either means that my pump and dummy switch are broken, or the head is clogged?

 

[Iheartboost]

Ok, so I pretty much did an oil change replacing the filter as well. I also moved my oil pressure reading to the pump, which is why I am here now. My oil pressure at the pump seems to slowly go up to 40psi in the first ten seconds, then it pegs on the gauge (which reads to 80), and I can feel the idle speed drop about 100-200 rpms. this pressure kinda spooks me, it looks like it is pushing nearly 100 psi. I have the patience of a saint, but this oil pressure is pushing it.

 

[airmail96]

Do you still have your balance shafts or are they out of the car?

I know when I first start my car it will sit at 80 and then as it warms up it slowly drops down to around 10.

 

[doayamaha]

ok the mini one on the left is for the dummy light it connects with a spade connector, the larger one on the right is the factory oil pressure sending unit, and it connects with the goofy slide connector ###### the black connector you where talking about. also yes directly from the filter housing oil pressure is around 100 psi or better.

 

[Iheartboost]

Do you still have your balance shafts or are they out of the car?

I know when I first start my car it will sit at 80 and then as it warms up it slowly drops down to around 10.

I don't know if it has them still, the car is fairly smooth feeling thus I would have to say yes if I had to guess. I can hear a difference in my engine speed when the pressure goes up, and can hear minor hydraulic noise. Is there some type of regulator for oil pressure to or in the head? Why would it read so low at the head near the turbo feed after warming up? I'm too afraid to let it run long enough to warm up now that I have seen the pressure at 100+ psi

 

[KaLo_o]

what kind of oil are you running? and also how cold is it outside right now? did you get it to running temperature before getting all worried?

sometimes when the balance shafts are removed you will see high oil pressure on cold starts....

consider this mod
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/articles-engine-fuel/319342-oil-pressure-relief-valve-porting.html

 

[Iheartboost]

what kind of oil are you running? and also how cold is it outside right now? did you get it to running temperature before getting all worried?

sometimes when the balance shafts are removed you will see high oil pressure on cold starts....

consider this mod
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/articles-engine-fuel/319342-oil-pressure-relief-valve-porting.html

What's the easiest visible sign that my balance shafts are gone? and no, I'm afraid it's going to pop before it even gets to running temp. I am using 10w40, it was around 50 degrees when I tested today

 

[Colt4G63 also]

What's the easiest visible sign that my balance shafts are gone? and no, I'm afraid it's going to pop before it even gets to running temp. I am using 10w40, it was around 50 degrees when I tested today

Oil pressure:
It's completely normal for a 4G63 to push 100 psi on cold starts. It should be pretty much instant when you start it (on a healthy engine), so I would be concerned about it taking a few moments to build pressure. Perhaps 10W40 is too thick for the cool weather.

As for reading low oil pressure at the head, there are a couple possible causes.

1) Defective or damaged plastic hose to the gauge.
2) The head may have been milled too much, effectively blocking/restricting the oil port to the head.
3) thick oil, cold engine
4) Foreign object in the oil passage.
5) Worn engine and/or oil pump (seems less likely if you have reasonably high pressure at the OFH.

There are other possible causes that usually involve 6bolt/7bolt head swaps, but that most likely wouldn't apply to you since your car is a 90, and is probably pure 6 bolt.
_________________________________________________________________
Balance shafts:
There's a service hole in the back of your block. If you remove the bolt, stick a 1/4" extension in the hole, then gently turn the engine by hand, you'll be able to tell if your rear balance shaft is turning.

That's the easiest way I can think of to tell if they are missing. I would be really carefull doing this, and remove the plugs first so the engine turns easily. Don't force anything, because if the balance shaft is hooked up, and you force the engine over, you'll strip your timing belt.

Whatever you do, don't leave the extension in there and crank the starter.

 

[Iheartboost]

what kind of oil are you running? and also how cold is it outside right now? did you get it to running temperature before getting all worried?

sometimes when the balance shafts are removed you will see high oil pressure on cold starts....

consider this mod
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/articles-engine-fuel/319342-oil-pressure-relief-valve-porting.html

Isn't that a 2g mod though? I'm not sure that my OFH is liquid cooled or not, but mine looks a bit different than the one in the tutorial

 

[Iheartboost]

bump?

 

[FROMxAxDIG]

Perhaps you should do a precautionary oil change. Nothing bad ever came from fresh fluids. Another suggestion change out your sensors just in case, perhaps it was defective.

 

[pj91gsx]

Getting the oil pressure from the head is a good idea. You should have about 8psi at idle at the head. I have my oil pressure being read at the pump, 100 psi at cold start up. The more oil pressure the better. Especially when going with more Hp, better oiling will help. They dont make a high oil pressure pump for our dsms, because you can eliminate the balance shafts and have that high oil pressure. Like said above, its a good idea to run a copper line. You picked the best place to get Oil pressure IMO.

 

[doayamaha]

Perhaps you should do a precautionary oil change. Nothing bad ever came from fresh fluids. Another suggestion change out your sensors just in case, perhaps it was defective.

unless you forget to tighten the oil drain plug