Uh-oh!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Topic: Uh-oh!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Read 1975 times) previous topic - next topic

Uh-oh!!!!!!!!!!!!!

December 03, 2008, 03:28:41 PM

Well I started changing oil on the TC today. Just now this second in fact. And you know what I'm going UH-OH about??

I pulled the Pennzoil PZ-34 filter that was on it.....and NO OIL came out.

NONE.
It's dry as a bone. And remember, I just drove this car 2000 miles without incident.

Any ideas what could keep oil from passing through the filter like this?

Uh-oh!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reply #1 – December 03, 2008, 03:39:28 PM

Was there ever any oil in it? Or was it bone dry from the get go?

Sounds bad to me. What was the oil pressure doing?

Uh-oh!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reply #2 – December 03, 2008, 03:50:05 PM

I spun the filter off and there was nothing in it. Bone dry. Doesn't look like there has ever been oil in it.

This is the first time I've changed the oil since buying the car and driving it that 2000 miles home. And if I can believe the factory gauge, the pressure was perfect, all the way home. No bad engine noises either. Nothing.

Uh-oh!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reply #3 – December 03, 2008, 04:48:42 PM

maybe the filter outlet is clogged, but the pump is okay? Pull your pan and see what it looks like, or get it flushed.

Uh-oh!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reply #4 – December 03, 2008, 06:35:18 PM

I think the TC's had the oil heater/cooler on them also, right?

I bet that adapter thing is plugged and the oil is just bypassing the filter. It couldnt have run 2K with no oil pressure!

Oh wait, its coolant that circles through the adapter, never mind.

Just trying.

Uh-oh!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reply #5 – December 03, 2008, 09:32:12 PM

Yes, it looks like there is a thing that screws to the block (that the filter mounts to) and it has what appear to be two pieces of heater hose attached. And yes, the filter is bone dry.

Once again I'm a bit disappointed in the factory manual in that it doesn't show how the oil runs through the motor. (actually I'm disappointed with the manual over all)

So does anyone out there have an illustration of the path the oil actually takes through the motor? It might help me figure out what is wrong.

Uh-oh!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reply #6 – December 04, 2008, 02:12:18 PM

Quote from: Haystack;245987

maybe the filter outlet is clogged, but the pump is okay? Pull your pan and see what it looks like, or get it flushed.

Pump MUST be ok. I drove it 2000 miles. If there was no OP then I wouldn't have gotten 200 FEET

Uh-oh!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reply #7 – December 04, 2008, 03:59:24 PM

The outlet from the pump to the filter must somehow be plugged. The pump has a bypass in case the filter gets clogged. Can you remove the Oil Cooler? I wonder if the relief valve is stuck open. Even then, I would expect some oil to get through into the filter.

If you feel adventurous, you could get a priming rod and spin the pump with the filter off to see what happens.

Uh-oh!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reply #8 – December 04, 2008, 05:17:01 PM

By the cooler you're speaking of the piece between the filter and block, with the heater hoses connected?

I suppose. I'm guessing it's held on by the threaded tube in the middle, since it seems to have a "nut" around it. I'm also assuming there is a gasket between it and the block. Is this something that is available, or something I should just make myself?

Bunch of questions, but that's how we learn.

Thanks

Uh-oh!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reply #9 – December 05, 2008, 07:51:22 AM

The gasket is available, but I cant remember where ive seen it. Getting old, I guess.

Uh-oh!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reply #10 – December 05, 2008, 01:13:40 PM

I have the 84 shop manuals. Volumn D, Powertrain, Lubrication & Maintenance in the 2.3L I-4 OHC engine section.
One of the figures does show the oil circulation through the engine. Another figure shows how the oil cooler and filter are attached.

From what I can see there is no way the oil can circulate through the engine without going through the filter. The bypass for a clogged filter is built into the filter itself. The high pressure relief valve at the oil pump would let the oil go back to the pan.

I think you should try to prove that oil is flowing. Disconnect the oil line to the turbo or remove the oil gauge pressure sensor. Then crank the engine by jumpering the starter relay.
Messy I know, but I think you need to answer this question for sure instead of assuming.

Someone who knows more about this engine than me will probably shoot me down, but this is what I would do.

Uh-oh!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reply #11 – December 05, 2008, 02:36:55 PM

Thanks. Maybe the manuals I have are incomplete. It's a two volume set (actually looking at them again it says "Volume B" on them. my bad)

Anyway, everyone I've talked to agrees there is no way I could have driven 2000 miles without oil pressure through the motor.

Any way you can scan that illustration and send it to me?

Uh-oh!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reply #12 – December 05, 2008, 04:52:56 PM

Uh-oh!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reply #13 – December 05, 2008, 06:39:04 PM

Wow. That sure makes it look like there is no way to get oil to the rest of the motor if it isn't passing through the filter. Still there has to be something going on. Cause if all the oil goes through the filter before anything else, that motor shouldn't have gone 2000 miles

Thanks for posting that!

Solved???????????????

Reply #14 – December 05, 2008, 07:49:52 PM

After seeing that illustration of the oil path I decided there couldn't be to many things going on here. So I decided to cut the filter open. Below is a pic of the filter and obviously it has had oil in it. I've never seen a filter drain as completely as this one has, so I'm inclined to believe there was a problem with the filter which allowed some oil in, but not much. There wasn't enough oil in there to fill a thimble.

SO I think maybe I'm going to declare the problem solved and attribute it to the filter. But IF I can get another body here to assist, I may fill it with oil, attach a hose to the filter post and crank it over to see what happens.

Thanks to all for the assistance:D