Thread: little to no oil pressure?

Tweet

i was at the central cruse in last nite, i wont lie i was makeing a ass outta myself. well when i went to leave i goosed the truck harder then ever dident shft tell 4grand (normal shift point 3000rpms)just to get the crowd going. well while at the next lite i was smoking like crazy and i had like 5lbs or oil pressure when i run 30-60 give or take. i did a compresson test today and all cylinders were in very good shape with no leaks. my Q is do i need to take the heads off and check the valve gides? or is it worse? when i started it i got the blue smoke 2. thanks for your help


nate

You don't say what engine you're running, how many miles are on the last refresh, etc, but it sounds like you have more than one problem - something causing "...smoking like crazy..." and something causing low oil pressure. The smoke is oil getting into one or more cylinders where it wasn't before, which may not be causing your pressure problem. Did all of the plugs look clean or did one (or more) have oily residue compared to the others? Your sudden drop in pressure after new stress points to a spun main bearing, cam bearing or oil pump problem. My guess (pure guess, not enough info to analyze) is that you spun a bearing, opening up clearances and dropping pressure coupled with a ring or seal letting oil get in one or more cylinders. Run it for a good easy test drive, then pull the plugs and see how they look, for a start. Listen for any new sounds on your cruise.

its a 352fe and it has 90,000 miles. i pulled the plugs and all 8 were fald. burnt oil and grime all over them and i did a tune up last month

Sound like you didn't do it any good. On a FE mtr the valve seals can cause
the smoke. Especially with that may miles and age in general. I hope you didn,t
hurt the bottom end. The low oil pressure should be checked out. They pretty
hard to hurt from my experience.That's a lot of miles if it took many yrs to reach.

Valve stem seals can cause leakage especially since they are a rubber type of compound and will crack and break loose. Then lotsa smoke. This problem is fairly easy to fix, that is after you lift that 87 pound intake and remove the heads.

The loss of oil pressure - that can get interesting. It might be as easy as replacing the oil pump drive shaft that rounded off - and of course it wallowed out the oil pump and/or distributor. Then it might be a spun rod bearing (probably not a main) - and I have done that on an FE - or even as bad as a cracked main bearing web. I've also done that. Both times, the engine ran just fine, kinda, that is except for some strange deep internal clunking noises.

Whatever - fix it before you drive it again (you really wanted a 390 anyhow)

thanks for the info guys. nice to see yall looken out for you little hot rod brother

Nate, is there any rattling or other strange noises from the bottom end????

Lots of things "could have happened", but you have to start somewhere to figure it out.

First thing I would do is find out "if it has any oil pressure". Pull the oil sender and install a test oil gauge. Pull the distributor out and make up an oil pump drive rod. Take a 1/4" drive deep socket and weld a drill rod (or old screw driver shaft) to it so you can run the oil pump with an electrict drill for the test.

It this checks OK, put the distributor back in and repeat the test with the engine running. You might have stuck open the pressure relief valve.

As far as the valve stem seals, it's easy to replace them with the heads and manifold still on, in the car. All you need is an old rocker shaft, the K&D spring tool and just put the cylinder on TDC, one at a time. If your worried, you can use the compressed air method.

If you lost oil pressure, one of the first audiable signs will be rattling hydralic lifters.

ok i was driveing down the i10 today and i was resting at 50psi all i can was is what the hell? no smoke ran like a wet dream. and no noises from the motor just dry lifters when i dry start. is this a early warning for something?

Sounds to me like a spun bearing, hard to say since it all the sudden stopped the smoking and has Oil Pressure now. Sounds to me like a good reason to pull it out and build it right! 4,000 RPM shouldn't hurt any motor but a diesel...

Majority of FE's are front sump oil pans, did the truck accelerate hard enough to run the oil away from the pickup? If it was a bit low on oil, it can happen and that is hard on bearings... Kind of doubt that a "just once" deal would ruin a bearing.....

befor i drive the truck any ware i check the oil,coolent and master.so oil sloshing shouldent b the case.but i dont no ive owned the truck for 5 years and dident relly tare into it the first owner was trying to race it found out it ran a 16 at like 80mph and sold it to me calling it junk.i love my 66 and cant wait to drop the 428 im building in it