This all started with a camshaft replacement job on my 98 D1. Timing cover went back on and couldn't prime the pump, timing cover came back off, packet the pump, got oil pressure but very delayed like 30 seconds or more after every shut down. I removed the timing cover once again, replaced the oil pump and resealed the pick up tube. Everything is as it should be to my best knowledge. Started the truck and it took about 20 seconds and had oil pressure which is to be expected because the system was dry. I then proceeded to heat the engine up and get the cooling system bled. That went well, took it out for a lap around the lake roughly 5 miles, got home, shut the truck off, waited 15 minutes, started the truck and the light went out within 3 seconds, happy camper. This morning I started the truck to confirm the issue to be resolved, truck ran for 30 second and the light never went out. I shut the truck off, threw the keys and now here I am at work asking you all what I could have possibly missed? Everything is sealed, torqued, bled you name it. I'm using a 10w-30 oil and a wix filter. The pressure relief in the timing cover moves freely. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks, - Tyler
Oil Pressure Help Needed.
- Thread starter LRDONE
- Start date
Have you changed the oil filter during your ordeal? If not then I would start there. If that doesn’t fix it then it’s time to put a gauge on the system. Obviously your warning light is working but we don’t really know what the system is doing. Sorry you’re having a rough go of it. Hopefully it’s just the backflow valve in your oil filter.
I have a brand new wix filter on it. Which is the same spec as the fram ph16 that's always worked well with it. Prior to this oil pump change when the problems of delayed oil pressure first started I had 42psi on a mechanical gauge, it just took 30 seconds to get there which is why I decided to replace the pump and reseal everything. I will put a mechanical gauge on it tonight and see what it's actually doing.
You park your Rover outside could be the outside temperature has something to do with oil light staying on. You said that when it’s up to operating temperature all is well I think I would be concerned if oil light was on when at operating temperature. Oil gauge will tell you something. Is the oil switch new?
It's parked in the garage on a level surface. When the oil pressure delay was present before this it was warm out. Before I tore everything apart to do the camshaft earlier this year it never had an oil pressure problem. In fact the oil pressure light would go out while the engine was turning over before it started. Ever since the cover came off I've been battling this. It's something I'm doing wrong or something I hurt during the process. If I tear this back a part it will be the fourth time in three months chasing it lol. Oil switch works and I have a back up that works, I tested both of them on the bench with a mityvac, both signal at 6-7psi.
I was just wondering if the backflow valve in your oil filter was bad. Was just asking if that one particular filter has been on there the whole time you’ve been battling this problem.
I see, yeah it's been through a few filters since the beginning of problems. I originally thought that was a problem as well. It just seems like everything is working as it should but it's losing its prime every time it sits. How problematic are the pick up tubes? I'm sort of wondering if the pick up tube has a crack in it somewhere? Idk.
You changed the cam? Did you change the lifters as well? What about the cam bearings? Primarily the front cam bearing condition?
I replaced the cam and lifters, I did not touch the cam bearings. The cam and lifters have since been broken in with penngrade 20w-50 break in oil at 2000ish rpm for a half hour and it runs fantastic. Minus the oil pressure delay. I've actually put about 200 or so miles on this motor since the cam and lifter replacement.
What was the condition of the front cover oil pump housing? Were gears cracked or broken?
The housing looked good, and within the .001" clearance spec that the manual called for. the gear was in good shape no cracks, the only thing I questioned about it was some scoring within the gear teeth which I thought could have been caused when initially trying to get the pump to prime.
Yes sir. Brand new. Also the timing cover gasket was a victor rienz gasket. I found that to be the nicest gasket so far.
Well shoot. So much for the easy stuff. I guess at this point I would hook up a gauge to see if that point you in a direction.
I know right! I'm just stumped. I'll check the actual pressure tonight and see what happens. I would also be nice to see how quickly it's draining back. I may also screw another oil filter in place just to eliminate the wild chance of a defective filter. I would also like to double check that there's no issues with the pick up tube. I cleaned it really well and resealed it but I never thought to check it for cracks. Maybe I hurt it some how during the removal process.
If you search a little here you’ll find several of us have D1’s that exhibit the same behavior. Your case is intriguing because you seem to have caught the issue when it started, so at least the potential causes are narrowed down a bit. The bad news is no one seems to be able to pin it down. The good news is it doesn’t seem to result in engine damage in the short to medium term (knock wood).
Does your time to light out vary noticeably with ambient temp? Most report that it does. Mine is close to normal at summer temps (3-5 secs cold start) but increases to 10-20 secs in the 30s-40s, about as cold as it gets here. It was even worse before a reseal. Like you, I didn’t find any “smoking guns” in the oil path. I agree with your hunch that something in the oil pump path must get disrupted and mess up the prime. I just can’t figure out what.
Cheers,
joe b
pdx or
95 D1 v8 5sp