Lost Oil Pressure!

smkshw · Sep 1, 2014

i was heading onto the highway today and gave it a little gas,a couple minutes later i hear slight ticking from my lifters,i looked at my oil guage and nothing?,so i shut the car off and coasted off the highway,ended up towing it home,oil was low,but not too bad,im guessing its my oil pump,question is,anything else i should check first before i pull the motor?,all i know is its definetly not getting oil.

its a 331 stroker with around 5000k on it.

Gearbanger 101 · Sep 1, 2014

Pull the distributor and see what the oil pump shaft looks like. Chances are it's twisted into a "twizzler"....in which case there's a good chance you oil pump locked up. Probably debris if some sort.

You could probably get to it by undoing the mounts and jacking the engine, but it'll probably just be easier to pull the engine like you planned.

smkshw · Sep 1, 2014

Gearbanger 101 said:
Pull the distributor and see what the oil pump shaft looks like. Chances are it's twisted into a "twizzler"....in which case there's a good chance you oil pump locked up. Probably debris if some sort.

You could probably get to it by undoing the mounts and jacking the engine, but it'll probably just be easier to pull the engine like you planned.

ok thanks for reply,any reason that you know of that would have caused this?,everything was new?....man i realy hope this didnt cause any damage to my engine??,i was in 5th gear cruising for few mins before i noticed.!?!?

mikestang63 · Sep 1, 2014

You did use an ARP or other hardened oil pump shaft and not the weak factory one right? Pull the distributor and with a flashlight look in the hole and see if you the shaft is broken. Then take a long extension and tape a 1/4 inch socket on it and spin the shaft counter clockwise. . See if you feel any resistance and if the pressure builds.

If you did snap the shaft, then it's time to pull the motor out and swap the pump and shaft. Hopefeully you didn't wipe out the bearings.

smkshw · Sep 2, 2014

mikestang63 said:
You did use an ARP or other hardened oil pump shaft and not the weak factory one right? Pull the distributor and with a flashlight look in the hole and see if you the shaft is broken. Then take a long extension and tape a 1/4 inch socket on it and spin the shaft counter clockwise. . See if you feel any resistance and if the pressure builds.

If you did snap the shaft, then it's time to pull the motor out and swap the pump and shaft. Hopefeully you didn't wipe out the bearings.

im not sure,i got the engine put together by a shop,never knew about this issue until now,have to check tomorrow,but after reading up on the net im betting that is my issue,have to say im very nervous now that i ruined my new engine,i thought i used good parts,the oil pump he ordered,i think it was a melling,waranty is over too.

Lscam580 · Sep 2, 2014

New shop built motor? I haven't been so keen on shop built motors lately. Buddy had the same issue. Shops have been picking and choosing money makers lately. I can bet good mustang enthusiast hard work out there, you pull that motor out and tip it up side down, pull the two center rod caps and look at the bearings finding they are good. Oil don't reach them center bearing with lower oil pressure, causing bearing failure and I don't think you have that problem. Now u having no oil pressure at all, shutting the motor down when u did ill bet you saved that motor. New oil pump new arp oil pump shaft and good oil and run it.

smkshw · Sep 2, 2014

Lscam580 said:
New shop built motor? I haven't been so keen on shop built motors lately. Buddy had the same issue. Shops have been picking and choosing money makers lately. I can bet good mustang enthusiast hard work out there, you pull that motor out and tip it up side down, pull the two center rod caps and look at the bearings finding they are good. Oil don't reach them center bearing with lower oil pressure, causing bearing failure and I don't think you have that problem. Now u having no oil pressure at all, shutting the motor down when u did ill bet you saved that motor. New oil pump new arp oil pump shaft and good oil and run it.

the shops been there for years,supposed to be one of the best in my area.
well i realy hope your right,im going to dig into it today and see what i can find.

mikestang63 · Sep 2, 2014

smkshw said:
the shops been there for years,supposed to be one of the best in my area.
well i realy hope your right,im going to dig into it today and see what i can find.

Have the car towed to them and tell them what happened. Hopefully there is a warrantly. Any shop that uses a stock oil pump shaft are a bunch of nutswingers and I would be very suspect of the rest of the build.

Did you get a build sheet that shows the parts, specs, performance (hp and torque)?

smkshw · Sep 2, 2014

mikestang63 said:
Have the car towed to them and tell them what happened. Hopefully there is a warrantly. Any shop that uses a stock oil pump shaft are a bunch of nutswingers and I would be very suspect of the rest of the build.

Did you get a build sheet that shows the parts, specs, performance (hp and torque)?

ya i have the build sheet,just said melling oil pump.
but i just checked it,the shaft seems like it has resistance,dosnt look like it twisted?,without the sender on,oil pumpes out,hooked up a oil pressure tester and it give me only 5psi with an air an drill?

thoughts??

smkshw · Sep 2, 2014

im betting on a spun bearing if my pump has resistance,disaster!

stykthyn · Sep 2, 2014

Drain what oil you have left abd filter it. Any sparkly gold in there says you toasted a bearing.

mikestang63 · Sep 2, 2014

smkshw said:
ya i have the build sheet,just said melling oil pump.
but i just checked it,the shaft seems like it has resistance,dosnt look like it twisted?,without the sender on,oil pumpes out,hooked up a oil pressure tester and it give me only 5psi with an air an drill?

thoughts??

you spun the drill counter clock wise right?

Drain the oil and hope you don't see any shiny. Get a cheap piece of cheese cloth and drain the oil on it or before you cut open the filter stick a big magnet on the bottom.

stykthyn · Sep 2, 2014

To be honest there is usually some grit in a freshly built engine. Have you changed the oil since you've had it?

smkshw · Sep 2, 2014

mikestang63 said:
you spun the drill counter clock wise right?

Drain the oil and hope you don't see any shiny. Get a cheap piece of cheese cloth and drain the oil on it or before you cut open the filter stick a big magnet on the bottom.

yes i spun it counter clockwise,5psi

stykthyn said:
To be honest there is usually some grit in a freshly built engine. Have you changed the oil since you've had it?

yes i changed it twice with cheap oil while breaking it in and twice with synthetic,its been 2 summers now.

went down the distributor hole with a camera and the shaft wasnt twisted or broken,it turns with resistance,going to drain the oil tomorrow,is my only option to pull the motor and take off the pan?,or could it be somthing else?,my warranty is done so im going to have to figure this out on my own,who know the state of the motor,but it had minor valve noise and ran fine,before i shut it off.
thanks for help

stykthyn · Sep 2, 2014

3 options at this point.
Faulty gauge
Clogged pump screen
Worn bearings.
What gauge are you going off of?

smkshw · Sep 2, 2014

stykthyn said:
3 options at this point.
Faulty gauge
Clogged pump screen
Worn bearings.
What gauge are you going off of?

i used an oil pressure tester,basictly im pulling my engine regardless right?
thanks again

elarm1 · Sep 2, 2014

NO don't pull it! I just went through something similar. I thought I spun a bearing only to find a couple of bad lifters. Check everything twice and then get a second opinion

stykthyn · Sep 2, 2014

Wouldn't bad lifters tap?

mikestang63 · Sep 2, 2014

Spinning the oil pump is going to show pressure on a gauge regardless if there are bad lifters or not. He either has a bad pump, the tube has collapsed/come off, the screen is clogged, or the mains are toast IMO.

OP, describe the minor valve noise.

smkshw · Sep 2, 2014

mikestang63 said:
Spinning the oil pump is going to show pressure on a gauge regardless if there are bad lifters or not. He either has a bad pump, the tube has collapsed/come off, the screen is clogged, or the mains are toast IMO.

OP, describe the minor valve noise.

. as i was driving they just started to tick,not crazy loud,just a little louder,they made a little noise before,but i was able to notice they were starting to get dry,luckily i was driving beside a barrier with the windows down,then i shut it off.

im realy hoping i caught it in time

Lost Oil Pressure!

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