b18c1 semi built only has about 700 miles on the motor...

My Oil Light comes on right in front of my street after going pump some gas. I reved it hard once on the way to the gas station, but that was the only time. As i was going down the street the oil light would stay off above 1500 rpm, but as soon has it goes below 1500 rpm it comes on. So i just killed the motor and rolled home doing 15mph.
I checked oil level(filled to 2nd dot), changed oil switch with a known good one, and dropped the oil pan to clean the screen(found mostly liquid gasket). I noticed that when i took off my oil switch I had no oil dripping out of it, but when I took off my friend's oil switch there was a huge as puddle under his car.

Still the light stays on...Oil pump is new only has about 700 miles on the pump as well as the whole motor... I didn't hear any knocking sounds when I tested to see if it was my sensor and screen... What you guys think pump or bearings?


Hooked up oil pressure gauge and it reads ZERO psi...


Modified by integmester at 11:16 AM 8/25/2004

 

I think you need an Autometer mechanical oil pressure gauge.

 

What would be causing oil not getting to my oil switch? I have a autometer, but i need a t fitting to get it put on and today is sunday and no where is really open... i went to advance auto parts and they told me to go to the hardware store. so tomorrow i'll try to get that.

 

bump...

 

I ran mine without a T fitting. Autometer gauge > Dummy light.

 

you have a pic of your setup? if i can get the oil pressure gauge on right now i'll do it... all i got as of right now is the car, the oil pressure gauge with the tubing and those little adapters... if i cant get it on now i guess i can wait until tomorrow.

 

was it freshley machined? if so you may have a clogged oil pick up screen

 

or maybe you forgot the little 0 ring in the top of the head

 

could you be more specific on the o ring? a picture maybe? but i don't know it ran fine for a good 700 miles before this light came on...

 

There is an o ring below the cam tower rails inbetween the center cam cap and the head ppl forget it all the time

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by eLusive ek4 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">There is an o ring below the cam tower rails inbetween the center cam cap and the head ppl forget it all the time</TD></TR></TABLE>

I don't have an low pressure problem but do have an oil consumption problem. I noticed that the little o ring wasn't there. Would this cause my problem? Every test we have done turned up fine. Then pulled the ehad thinking a valve guide was shot only to find it OK too.

 

Seems like something easy to forget and I'll give it a look...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 93H22ACX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">was it freshley machined? if so you may have a clogged oil pick up screen</TD></TR></TABLE>


...and dropped the oil pan to clean the screen(found mostly liquid gasket).

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by LSVTEC 91 Civic &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I think you need an Autometer mechanical oil pressure gauge. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I'd recommend a test with a mechanical gauge as well. You don't have to install one in the cabin yet...but, hook one up and start the engine to see what the pressure is reading.

What all was done to this "semi-built" engine? What is done to it?

If oil is not flowing well to the oil psi sending unit, then that means there is also a lack of oil getting to the engine, because it travels the same path. Was the oil pump or oil pump gear replaced when this engine was rebuilt?

Also, why was there liquid gasket in your pickup screen?

Liquid gasket + rubber oil pan gasket = NO NO

IF anything is needed to secure the gasket while installing, just use SMALL amount of Black RTV high temp silicone on the corners of the oil pan to hold it in place. Otherwise, too much of that $hit and it will squeeze your gasket right out of place, and then the liquid gasket gets everywhere else.

 

I just hooked up a mechanical autometer oil pressure gauge and it shows 0 psi... what is the problem?

I'm pretty sure its a new oil pump... i got my swap built and had to just drop it in my car... unless the person who built my motor didn't change it...

 

 

0 oil psi = BAAAAAD

I know this because I had 3 engines that kep losing oil pressure...not a fun situation to try to dissect.

Have you contacted your engine builder by any chance to see what he says?

Also, when you took the oil pan off to check the pick up unit...what did the oil look like? If you have Zero oil pressure, that means oil is not getting circulated through the engine, which means it's not going to get dirty. SO, that oil should've looked damn near new.

Also, when you clean the pickup, what did you use? Did you make sure that the rest of the tube was clear of obstructions? Also, there is a gasket for the pickup tube where it meets the block. Was that in good shape?

Troubleshooting oil problems is a nightmare if you ask me. It's like trying to find a short in wiring.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ScreaminTeg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Have you contacted your engine builder by any chance to see what he says?

</TD></TR></TABLE>


I cant contact him its been over a year...

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ScreaminTeg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> Also, when you took the oil pan off to check the pick up unit...what did the oil look like? </TD></TR></TABLE>

It looked black thats about it....

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ScreaminTeg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> Also, when you clean the pickup, what did you use? Did you make sure that the rest of the tube was clear of obstructions? Also, there is a gasket for the pickup tube where it meets the block. Was that in good shape?
</TD></TR></TABLE>

I looked at the screen and it looked clean, so i just shook it to see what it had in there and it had nothing but little bit of oil with a little bit of the gasket thing i used to seal my caps for each end of the camshafts. It didn't seem like anything was in the way of the tube. The gasket was fine, but i think ill be dropping the oil pan again.

What you guys recommend me checking while im dropping the oil pan? I can take pictures of things needed.

Oil doesn't even get to my oil pressure switch... so when I installed the oil pressure gauge no oil flowed through the tubing to get mech. oil pressure gauge. What is causing this to happen?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by integmester &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
I looked at the screen and it looked clean, so i just shook it to see what it had in there and it had nothing but little bit of oil with a little bit of the gasket thing i used to seal my caps for each end of the camshafts. It didn't seem like anything was in the way of the tube.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Ok...now that is what would worry me right there....if there is gasket from the cams, which are on the top of the engine, allll the way down in the pick up tube...that means it's traveled throughout the engine, which means that stuff could be anywhere.

 

Anyway of me flushing it out?

 

bump...


Modified by integmester at 9:00 PM 8/24/2004

 

I took off my oil filter and it was pretty much empty. It had a few drops of oil when i tilted it up side down... I didn't do an oil change... could the oil filter go bad... never heard of it going bad after hundreds of miles of driving. I heard of it beng bad right after oil changes.


Modified by integmester at 10:19 AM 8/25/2004

 

bump