No Oil Pressure, Big Problem

87TurboMKIII · Jun 17, 2004

I don't drive this car much, I have been working on it to get it ready to take to the track. I started up the car the other day to take it for a little drive, and I noticed that there was no oil pressure. The car didn't sound different at all. Well, I was tired that day so I just shut the car down and forgot about it for a couple of days.

Today I removed one of my valve covers to see if oil was getting to the rockers. Well, I poped it off and found saw that there was oil on the rockers. I then started up the car, and then went to check on the head. I saw oil crawling up very slowly, but it was not shooting out like it should.

I was wondering if you guys think it could be my oil pump? What else could cause no oil pressure besides a bad oil pump and inaccurate clearences between the pickup and bottom of the pan?

jrichker · Jun 17, 2004

Broken oil pump driveshaft, damaged oil pump pickup, clogged filter. Avoid running the engine until you have found & fixed the problem. Use of a mechanical gauge installed in the engine compartment to read the pressure would be a good thing to do.

Pull the distributor and use a 1/4" socket to turn the oil pump shaft counterclockwise. You'll need a reversible electric drill or speeder handle for the socket. You should be able to get 40-60 PSI without any problems. This will save wear and damage to the engine since the only thing turning is the oil pump. By turning the pump shaft with a speeder handle, you will be able to feel if there is any drag on it from the pump. There should be some resistance since the oil is cold, and pushing it through the pump requires some effort.

Smokedawg · Jun 17, 2004

do as jrichker said..do not start the motor

Pull the distributor and use a socket to turn the pump and use a mechanical guage..

If it is building a little pressure then it probably isnt a broken oil pump shaft because it wouldnt build up at all...Its might be a pump problem or a oil galley plug decided to pop out on you.

Good luck!

-Smoke

Venom4.6 · Jun 17, 2004

I had the same problem a month ago. Replaced the oil pressure sender. Good to go now.

Smokedawg · Jun 17, 2004

Venom4.6 said:
I had the same problem a month ago. Replaced the oil pressure sender. Good to go now.

Oil pressure sender??

Do you mean the sending unit? I dont believe that would be the cause if he takes off the valve covers and has little to no pressure..

ironheart1 · Jun 17, 2004

Indeed, if his problem was only the sending unit, oil would shoot up as per normal.

87TurboMKIII · Jun 17, 2004

How hard would it be to replace an oil pump? Is it possible to do it on a stang without pulling the motor? I ask because the car is sitting in my driveway right now, and I don't own a lift.

Smokedawg · Jun 17, 2004

I tried getting my pan off with the motor in the car with my tubular k-member and it was a no go..Ended up having to pull it to get the motor out...I think you can rent/borrow a motor lift from autozone stores now..

-Smoke

Venom4.6 · Jun 18, 2004

Smokedawg said:
Oil pressure sender??

Do you mean the sending unit? I dont believe that would be the cause if he takes off the valve covers and has little to no pressure..

Oops. I missed that part of his post. That'll teach me to post early in the morning.

jrichker · Jun 18, 2004

87TurboMKIII said:
How hard would it be to replace an oil pump? Is it possible to do it on a stang without pulling the motor? I ask because the car is sitting in my driveway right now, and I don't own a lift.

Been there, done that - You can do it in the car. Be sure to take heed of the other posts, as they may have included something that I missed. Disconnect the battery at the battery ground terminal, remove the fan & fan shroud. You may also have to disconnect the steering shaft and drop the steering rack. Both motor mounts will need to have the large nuts that secure them to the frame removed. You will need to jack up the rear of the transmission as well to get the required clearance. The trans mount will have to be loosened, and it is a good idea to remove the drive shaft.

I also had to disconnect the cat pipes at the headers to get the engine high enough to remove the oil pan. Jack up the engine with a wood block under the oil pan and watch for things that bind or hoses/electrical wiring that may need to be disconnected. I put a couple of wood blocks between the headers and the frame to support the engine.

Scrape the pan mating surfaces clean as possible - old gasket stuck to the surfaces are a source of leaks. Get a high volume/heavy duty pump, and a replacement HD pump shaft. FMS makes one, and ARP does too. When you install the pump, the funny looking washer thingy goes on the part of the shaft that fits into the hex socket in the distributor shaft. It keeps the shaft in place when you remove the distributor, which you will have to do to prime the pump. Forget to put it on, and the pump shaft can come loose and fall down in the bottom of the oil pan.

There is a one piece oil pan gasket which will help re-assembly if you can find it. If you can't get this gasket, use weather strip adhesive to secure the cork gasket to the pan rails and the rubber strips to the bearing caps. Read the instructions on the adhesive carefully to make sure the gaskets are permanently stuck in place and won't move when you slide the pan in place. Use lots of blue silicone sealer on top of the front and rear rubber seals where they mate with the pan.

Fill with oil, replace the filter. Reconnect the battery, switch the ignition on to enable the gages, but DON'T crank the car. Remove the distributor and use a 1/4" hex socket to turn the pump counterclockwise (same direction as distributor rotation) until you see oil pressure (an external gage is a great help long about now) and keep turning for about 30 sec after you see the pressure come up. A reversible drill is the best tool to use to turn the 1/4" socket. The pressure should come up to about 50-80psi with cold oil. Once you see good pressure, check for obvious leaks, and then and only then, lower everything back into place and bolt down the mounts and anything else you had to take loose. Re-install the distributor and set the timing with the engine running using a timing light (don't forget to disconnect the SPOUT plug and reconnect it when finished) 12-14 degrees BDC is good. Start up and check for leaks, let it warm up and look again for leaks. It took me 2 days plus, but I am old and slow, maybe your granny is faster.

Black1987Stang · Oct 15, 2006

jrichker said:
Been there, done that - You can do it in the car. Be sure to take heed of the other posts, as they may have included something that I missed. Disconnect the battery at the battery ground terminal, remove the fan & fan shroud. You may also have to disconnect the steering shaft and drop the steering rack. Both motor mounts will need to have the large nuts that secure them to the frame removed. You will need to jack up the rear of the transmission as well to get the required clearance. The trans mount will have to be loosened, and it is a good idea to remove the drive shaft.

I also had to disconnect the cat pipes at the headers to get the engine high enough to remove the oil pan. Jack up the engine with a wood block under the oil pan and watch for things that bind or hoses/electrical wiring that may need to be disconnected. I put a couple of wood blocks between the headers and the frame to support the engine.

Scrape the pan mating surfaces clean as possible - old gasket stuck to the surfaces are a source of leaks. Get a high volume/heavy duty pump, and a replacement HD pump shaft. FMS makes one, and ARP does too. When you install the pump, the funny looking washer thingy goes on the part of the shaft that fits into the hex socket in the distributor shaft. It keeps the shaft in place when you remove the distributor, which you will have to do to prime the pump. Forget to put it on, and the pump shaft can come loose and fall down in the bottom of the oil pan.

There is a one piece oil pan gasket which will help re-assembly if you can find it. If you can't get this gasket, use weather strip adhesive to secure the cork gasket to the pan rails and the rubber strips to the bearing caps. Read the instructions on the adhesive carefully to make sure the gaskets are permanently stuck in place and won't move when you slide the pan in place. Use lots of blue silicone sealer on top of the front and rear rubber seals where they mate with the pan.

Fill with oil, replace the filter. Reconnect the battery, switch the ignition on to enable the gages, but DON'T crank the car. Remove the distributor and use a 1/4" hex socket to turn the pump counterclockwise (same direction as distributor rotation) until you see oil pressure (an external gage is a great help long about now) and keep turning for about 30 sec after you see the pressure come up. A reversible drill is the best tool to use to turn the 1/4" socket. The pressure should come up to about 50-80psi with cold oil. Once you see good pressure, check for obvious leaks, and then and only then, lower everything back into place and bolt down the mounts and anything else you had to take loose. Re-install the distributor and set the timing with the engine running using a timing light (don't forget to disconnect the SPOUT plug and reconnect it when finished) 12-14 degrees BDC is good. Start up and check for leaks, let it warm up and look again for leaks. It took me 2 days plus, but I am old and slow, maybe your granny is faster.

Jrichker described everything good as usual I had to change my pump and shaft a month ago...u no those cork valve cover gaskets? the ones with the little metal rings around the bolt holes so u dont overtighten them...somehow one of the metal rings came out, last time i had it apart which was like 5 months ago too , must have been hiding and finally came out the night I was beating on her really good...she ran awesome...Went to go start it the next morning...Clunk clunk clunk etc...n no oil pressure...the ring got sucked in the oil pump, locked it up, twisted the shaft like a twizzler and then broke cleanly off at the bottom...looks pretty cool actually .......Did almost everything jricker mentioned besides taking out the driveshaft...except I couldnt pull my pan all the way out, (chrome one so i dont no if its any bigger than normal)...had to reach my hand up in the pan with it hangin between the block and crossmember, clean out all the little metal shavings n there were LOTS of them, looked like glitter on my hands ...cleaned the pan out spotless (pickup tube and screen too), got a Felpro one piece gasket from advance from 20 bucks which made it tons easier to put the pan back up, btw put in a new ARP hardened oil pump shaft and new Melling pump...primed it with a socket and 1/4 ratchet and socket electrical taped to two long extensions (so they cant come apart and go down the motor).....spun it with my hand and made plenty of pressure like that spinning the little ratchet since i didnt have a drill....but back on the roads now

Anaconda · Oct 17, 2006

Had the same problem, it can be done without pulling the engine like jrichker said. He and black1987stang both are right on the money with their replies.

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