Engine Oil pressure/noise 89 GT

Aoneill5.0 · Jun 10, 2023

Hello,
I recently fired up the GT and found lots of engine noise and like barely any oil pressure.

Shut it down
Restarted , same thing,
Checked oil, was fine.

Just wondering the best way to diagnose.

Correct me.. Dizzy has oil pump shaft ran by Cam right?
Can I check that somehow??

Havnt pulled oil filter yet either. Hoping it’s Clogged but I doubt it.

Thanks
Andy

General karthief · Jun 10, 2023

Stock oil pressure gauge?
Anyway you could pull the distributor, drive the oil pump shaft with a drill like a pre-oil and check with a mechanical gauge.
What's the engine noise? Shake, rattle or roll?

Aoneill5.0 · Jun 10, 2023

Stock guage worked well
Engine was smooth and pulling hard 1 day before

Engine noise seems like top end was not getting lubed.

More of a tappet/shake but certainly noticeable and I’m pretty decent mechanicaly

Good point
Spinning the oil pump, and seeing the result

KO of course
2 people job
Mark the timing as well

Mustang5L5 · Jun 12, 2023

Buy one of the tools to allow you to hook a drill up to the oil pump shaft. Pop a valve cover off and turn the drill. You should see oil coming up and lubing the top end. On an 89 with the older style pressure gauge, you should see some sort of pressure register on the OE guage in the dash.

Definitely pull and inspect the oil pump driveshaft under the dist. Have seen them twist up.

2000xp8 · Jun 12, 2023

Aoneill5.0 said:
Stock guage worked well

There is no scenario where the stock gauge works well.
Install a mechanical gauge and you will know exactly where the pressure stands.

Aoneill5.0 · Jun 12, 2023

Mustang5L5 said:
Buy one of the tools to allow you to hood a drill up to the oil pump shaft. Pop a valve cover off and turn the drill. You should see oil coming up and lubing the top end. On an 89 with the older style pressure gauge, you should see some sort of pressure register on the OE guage in the dash.

Definitely pull and inspect the oil pump driveshaft under the dist. Have seen them twist up.

Aoneill5.0 · Jun 12, 2023

Ok. Will do,
And thanks for the advice

limp · Jun 12, 2023

Aoneill5.0 said:
Havnt pulled oil filter yet either. Hoping it’s Clogged but I doubt it.

Thanks
Andy

If its a fram, change it...

Aoneill5.0 · Aug 12, 2023

Hi again,
Been a while,

Anyway I’m no further ahead with no OP /Noise

Havnt started it either.
Changed Filter to STP,
Checked oil again, top full it says.

Spun the oil pump shaft counter clockwise
Seems like zero friction.
Can the shaft be pulled strait up,?? And removed?? For inspection??

Also , with say 10-15 seconds running
Any damage likely on internal parts?

Thanks Guys

AeroCoupe · Aug 12, 2023

Counter clockwise is the correct direction. If you are tiring it with a drill you will feel a lot of resistance if the pump is in good shape. I had an oil pump go down on a motor and killed the crank and rod bearings but I was driving it on a toll road at 75 and not sitting in a driveway.

Buy a mechanical oil pressure gauge at the parts store and connect it where factor sensor is. This is the only way you will know if you have pressure.

The oil pump shaft is six sided and they can have a washer that keeps them from pulling out with the distributor like this:

They stock shafts have been known to twist up like Mustang5L5 mentioned so definitely check that.

If it’s the shaft is good and you are not getting oil pressure it could the the pickup tube screen is plugged or the pump just quit.

limp · Aug 12, 2023

Isn't there an oil galley plug in the valley that can come loose or is not installed ( I forgot it) sometimes??
When I recently primed my new engine the battery operated drill would barely turn it and I had to get a corded 1/2" drill out to make it spin.. Its quite a draw based on my experience... I can see how the shafts twist apart...
Stock pump on my car....

AeroCoupe · Aug 12, 2023

There are two oil gally plugs on the front of the block behind the timing chain cover and then a third one that you have to remove the distributor to see and install. There is one under the lower intake at the back of the block. There are three more at the back of the block. With all that being said if it was one of the three in the back of the block you would have a puddle under the car. The ones behind the timing chain cover and the one under the lower intake could be popped out and that would kill the oil pressure. The two that are the most common to come out are the ones at the front of the block and next to the cam shaft. The cam shaft retaining plate typically keeps them in but if one were to work loose enough it could let enough oil by to affect things very dramatically.The one behind the distributor is tapped by Ford and has a 1/4-18 NPT plug in it so really no need to worry about that one.

Rear of block (random pic of the web):

Front of block (random pic off the web):

On the Windsor blocks (1969-1997) the two right by the camshaft (1. & 2.) are flush like 1. in the picture so I am guessing this block is obviously earlier than 1969.

Overall odds of this happening are relatively low but every motor I have had built the three in the front and the three in the rear get tapped 1/4-18 NPT and a threaded plug with loctite gets installed in every one.

Noobz347 · Aug 12, 2023

I would pull the valve covers if you haven't already.

Aoneill5.0 · Aug 25, 2023

AeroCoupe said:
There are two oil gally plugs on the front of the block behind the timing chain cover and then a third one that you have to remove the distributor to see and install. There is one under the lower intake at the back of the block. There are three more at the back of the block. With all that being said if it was one of the three in the back of the block you would have a puddle under the car. The ones behind the timing chain cover and the one under the lower intake could be popped out and that would kill the oil pressure. The two that are the most common to come out are the ones at the front of the block and next to the cam shaft. The cam shaft retaining plate typically keeps them in but if one were to work loose enough it could let enough oil by to affect things very dramatically.The one behind the distributor is tapped by Ford and has a 1/4-18 NPT plug in it so really no need to worry about that one.

Rear of block (random pic of the web):

Front of block (random pic off the web):

On the Windsor blocks (1969-1997) the two right by the camshaft (1. & 2.) are flush like 1. in the picture so I am guessing this block is obviously earlier than 1969.

Overall odds of this happening are relatively low but every motor I have had built the three in the front and the three in the rear get tapped 1/4-18 NPT and a threaded plug with loctite gets installed in every one.

Hello again, I was Didn’t get around to more checks,,

Just did now and found this.
Twisted shaft, Broken an inch from the top.

Symptom now discovered
Recomended next step, before I screw anything else up??
And recommend shaft to buy as well?

Thankyou General!

AeroCoupe · Aug 25, 2023

I would say a locked up oil pump but you can buy a new ARP oil pump shaft and then try to prime it with drill. If it doesn't move then you have the pleasure of either pulling the motor or dropping the pan in the car to swap pumps.

Aoneill5.0 · Aug 25, 2023

AeroCoupe said:
I would say a locked up oil pump but you can buy a new ARP oil pump shaft and then try to prime it with drill. If it doesn't move then you have the pleasure of either pulling the motor or dropping the pan in the car to swap pumps.

I agree, I’ll try that
Hand spin both ways first,
May get lucky.
Fresh oil if free and see what happens

Thanks

AeroCoupe · Aug 25, 2023

Other thing that may have happened is the pickup tube got plugged up but I’m not sure if that will lock the pump up.

If you do not have one get a mechanical oil pressure gauge from the parts store and get that hooked up. If the pump spins and there is no pressure then you know what you have to do.

limp · Aug 25, 2023

Use one the the ARP or other " better" shafts...
IF you replace your oil pump, standard pumps are just fine, NO high pressure or HIgh volume needed...

Aoneill5.0 · Aug 25, 2023

AeroCoupe said:
Other thing that may have happened is the pickup tube got plugged up but I’m not sure if that will lock the pump up.

If you do not have one get a mechanical oil pressure gauge from the parts store and get that hooked up. If the pump spins and there is no pressure then you know what you have to do.

Yes.
My plan is to
Weld a piece of 1/4 round stock to old shaft long enough to turn by hand.

If I can free it up,
Make sure I get oil pressure with the drill
Then
Change
Flush
Change oil and send it!!

We will see!

Engine Oil pressure/noise 89 GT

Aoneill5.0

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General karthief

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

Aoneill5.0

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Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

2000xp8

Aoneill5.0

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Aoneill5.0

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limp

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

Aoneill5.0

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AeroCoupe

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

limp

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

AeroCoupe

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

Noobz347

Stangnet Facilities Maint Tech... Er... Janitor

Aoneill5.0

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AeroCoupe

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

Aoneill5.0

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AeroCoupe

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

limp

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

Aoneill5.0

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Engine Oil pressure/noise 89 GT

Member

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

Member

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

Member

Member

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

Member

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

Stangnet Facilities Maint Tech... Er... Janitor

Member

Attachments

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

Member

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

wrap a little cheese around it and its a done

Member

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