Took the car out today. Ran it 50 miles on the highway to Johnno's and back. Car ran fine. 30 psi oil pressure at idle. 40+ psi on the highway at 3000 rpm. Same as always. Left the store about ten miles from my house, everything's still fine then I hear a noise. It wasn't a wicked rapping noise or anything but it was there. It make it about 20 times and I looked down at the gauge. Zero oil pressure. I immediately shut it down. Got it towed home. I searched on here and was looking for answers or possibilities. There's so many. Oil pickup falling into pan Spun bearing Oil pump gears breaking I'm so mad I can't even tear into it right now. What should I be looking for?
Check the obvious first. Got oil? Pan plug or filter loose or leaking? Check the pump cover for leaks or looseness that might have dropped prime. Pull the distributor and check the bottom gear/shear pin that drives the pump. Is the wire still attached to the sending unit? Never hurts to hope for the easy stuff before yanking the pan.
Oil was changed 100 miles ago. Still full on the dipstick. Absolutely no oil on the ground. Filter tight and not leaking. Oil not leaking at the gauge.
Paul, This may be a long shot but.... My old red car used to break rocker arm shafts. It NEVER happened under a load but when I would be cruising along at a comfortable speed...all of a sudden there would be a noise, in this case a "tick-tick-tick", and the oil pressure would drop to the point of where I would almost panic... After breaking about 4, I finally installed some adjustable pushrods and the problem went away...turns out the heads had been milled too much and the stock pushrods were too long, putting pressure on the shafts.... Like I said, probably a long shot and I'm not really sure what your combo is but if you take the valve covers off and see a broken rocker shaft, that's likely to be the problem...
One question - wasn't it you who had oil filter ballooning problems? I would guess you have a stuck/sticking oil pressure relief valve. The bore and valve have to be free of burrs, etc, and the valve has to slide very freely.
Paul, First mark where your distributer is now. Pull it, look it over making sure the end is not snapped off where it engages the oil pump. If that looks good try to prime the engine. That will tell you if you have lost suction for some reason. Let me know what happens.
I also experienced the broken rocker shaft. lifter comes out of bore and there goes your oil pressure. Easy to check just pull the valve cover. The other thing I had happen once was ditributer hold down wasn't on flange good. Distributer popped out timing cover enough to disengage oil pump but was still engaged on cam gear to run car.
Paul Massicotte Hi Paul,you should also check the oil pump shaft.It is pressed on,it coyld breack loose.Its happened to me.IT was hard to find the problem,and your pressure does drop fast.BrunoD.
If you were using the press in plugs on the front of the oil galleys, you may want to check to see if one or both are still in place. I had that happen one tinme, the driver's side popped out and took out the double roller with it, bent the teeth. Oil pressure was barely off the peg.
Well Brett we have something else in common. (4 speed and broken rocker arm shafts). I took the valve covers off and there it was. Passenger side rocker arm snapped off and laying in the head. I was able to pull the pushrod out through the top of the head. It didn't fall down in. I pulled the intake and the #2 exhaust lifter was resting in the valley against the wall. No visible damage to the lifter. I have a new shaft and buttons already in. Waiting about 15 more minutes to fire it and check for leaks, noise, flying crap going everywhere. Oh yeah and the noise was coughing through the carb because the valve wasn't opening. I really hope I still didn't cause any bottom end damage. Keep your fingers crossed. And thanks for the replies. I'll keep you posted.
Jeff You know I thought that. I was with Johnno and Kevin (wolverine) screwing around in the car when I side stepped the clutch, went for second, but the shifter stopped in the middle of the H. I immediately pushed in the clutch and the car revved to 6000+. This might have caused it??? Now that I think of it maybe? But I can't be sure. I just took the car out. Let it idle up to operating temp., and took it up the street. 28 psi at idle, 40+ at 3000 rpm. A couple 4000+ shifts. Seems OK It's street mannerisms are normal to me. Trust me I won't be going anywhere without tools for a while.
Paul, If you don't have adjustable pushrods it might be a good idea to invest in a set. Like I said earlier, once I installed them the problem went away....in fact, another board member has the motor (that was in my red car) and he's never had anything but GOOD things to say about how strong and reliable it still runs...
Brett Went that route, collapsed a lifter at Yardley's last June, adjusted the pushrod to compensate, the lifter pumped back up and snapped the head off. The infamous Tom Telesco VW clutch pushrod ride home. Ever since I'm afraid of the adj. rods. I'll keep extra pushrods on board just in case.
....and now for a little humor break spurred by your avitar If Well Endowed women work at Hooters, Where do One-Legged women work ?? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I-HOP ??? o No: ou:
The hole drilled thru the shaft to mount has bad stress riser due to lack of dressing edges. Also this point if even slightly overtorqed distorts thei area and compounds problem. .................... Solution, go with roller rockers. :Smarty:
