Oil 0 PSI

[GrandmasTR]

Oil 0 PSI (blockage)

I have a no oil pressure reading. Oil is reaching the rocker arms. I disconnected the oil pressure gauge and the Turbo Oil line on the top of the turbo and there is no oil flowing. Anyone know whats up? TIA

 

[Buick Mark]

Its probably coked up, had alot in mine when I pulled the motor years ago. I used pipe cleaners and the parts cleaner you buy in the gallon can. Mark

 

[GrandmasTR]

I took off the Turbo Feed Line, T Fitting and the Box-like (i dont know what its called) fitting off the block. There was very little oil getting by the Box-like fitting, but when I took the Box-like fitting off oil did flow out of the block.
To me it looks like the Box-like fitting allows the oil to only flow one way through a trap door type of thing, is this right? Is it probable that the trap door like thing is stuck?
Sorry I dont know the proper names for everything, I hope this made sense.

 

[Buick Mark]

Its ok if you dont know the manes of some of the parts, the Turbo Buicks have alot of em If your not quite sure what your doing or looking for, have someone hook up a mechanical oil pressure gauge to the junction block (box like brass thingy) in place of the factory oil pressure sending unit and go from there. How many miles on the car?
Did it start making any noises? Ticking, knocking?
Has the engine ever been apart?
What was the reason for taking the junction block and oil feed line to turbo off in the first place?
Any and all info will help. Mark

 

[GrandmasTR]

Actually its a freshly rebuilt engine. My brother, my uncle and I have been working on it. They started it up the other day and I was not around. The told me that the Oil Pressure guage was not working and they think its air in the line. They proceed with the 20 minute break in because they did see oil on the rocker arms.

Of course I am uncomfortable about that but I started her up just for a couple seconds and she sounds good. I am really supprise (shocked) the turbo hasnt blown up (or what ever an un-oiled turbo does) maybe its completly seized I dont know. We have not driven her yet (because of the 0 psi oil reading).

Just alittle bit ago my uncle looked at the junction block and popped the plug-like thing out (in my earlier post i refered to this as a trap door like thing). I have no idea why or how this plug think thing works. We blow in it and no air can get though with the plug in. Logic tells me that this is not allowing oil to get to the turbo or the pressure guage but i guess its suppose to be there.

 

[Mark E.]

There should be no restriction in that fitting.

Where is your guage hooked up?

Later, Mark

 

[GrandmasTR]

Originally posted by Mark E.
Where is your guage hooked up?

The same place everyone else has it from what I have read. Right below the turbo behind the lower radiator hose. Connected to the junction box with the Tee fitting. It is a Mechanical Gauge.

 

[FreddieWilliams]

There should be only one brass “Tee” fitting screwed into the engine block. The turbo is feed directly from this same brass tee fitting. There is no one-way valve in this fitting. It is simply a junction to supply multiple feeds.
It has 1- male thread which screws into the engine block and 2- female threads (one for the turbo feed and the other for the oil pressure switch).
Did you add another “Tee” for your oil pressure gauge or was it always there since you bought the car?
Perhaps it was installed by the previous owner an error and should not be used.

Also, as Buick Mark mentioned, make sure there is no restriction in the turbo oil tube itself. Remove it from the car and flush it with carb cleaner and blow it out with a compressed air gun. You may also want to stick a piece of wire or something thru it to remove any stubborn particles.

The main problem with mechanical oil gauges is the standard poly tubing that comes with the gauge. It will easily kink when installing and restrict oil flow to the gauge causing a zero oil pressure reading. Ask me how I know about this. Tightening the line nut too tight at either end will cause the ferral (sp?) to pinch off the line and do the same.

I highly recommend upgrading the gauge feed line to 1/8” copper tubing. You can usually find it at your local parts store for around $8 for 6ft. This will prevent the line from kinking and allow the ferral to clamp down on the tubing without collapsing it easily.

It seems like your oil pump is supplying oil to the motor but you have an external problem with feeding the turbo and oil pressure gauge.

 

[Buick Mark]

Did they pack the oil pump with Vaseline to make sure it primes with an electric drill first This should be done before the motor runs on its own, It sounds like they didnt, otherwise they would have cought the zero oil pressure, better ask 'em to find out Mark

 

[GrandmasTR]

Originally posted by Buick Mark
Did they pack the oil pump with Vaseline to make sure it primes with an electric drill first This should be done before the motor runs on its own

The pump was packed with vaseline and I personally did prime the pump with a drill. When priming I never checked the gauge, I never thought about that. I just waited for it to catch and the oil to get to the rocker arms.

Originally posted by Freddie Williams
Did you add another “Tee” for your oil pressure gauge or was it always there since you bought the car?

It was there when I bought the car. The "Tee" fitting is attached to 1 female end of the Junction box so Oil can go to the gauge and Idiot Light Switch. The turbo line is attached to the other female end. This blockage is in the male end of the Junction Box.


So its sounds like this "blockage" peice should not be there. Im really curious as to why this piece is there now.

 

[GrandmasTR]

So I just got back from Auto Zone. Amazingly they have 2 workers who do really know there stuff. Anyways they popped the blockage piece out and said it looks like a roller bearing from the oil pump. This would be from my old pump so im not worried, and I guess it could explain why I spun a rod bearing so long ago. Its still seems weird to me how it so perfectly slides in. So I put the two peices in in my pocket seperatly and when i get home they are amazing back together. I got a chuckle out of that. So im sure this is the problem. Im putting the fittings back on without the blockage and I let you guys know the results. Thanks.

 

[Nick Micale]

Originally posted by GrandmasTR
..... Anyways they popped the blockage piece out and said it looks like a roller bearing from the oil pump. This would be from my old pump so im not worried, and I guess it could explain why I spun a rod bearing so long ago. ..... Thanks.

There is NO roller bearings in the oil pump.

Are roller rockers on the engine?

 

[GrandmasTR]

Originally posted by Nick Micale
There is NO roller bearings in the oil pump.

Are roller rockers on the engine?

hmm...no roller rockers. I'll see if I can borrow a friends digital camera and post a picture of the piece. Like I said it came from the old engine, I know this for sure, because It was on the junction block when I put it on the new motor.

 

[Buick Mark]

Is it a roller bearing, or ball bearing. Geez, Im really scratching my head here trying to figure out how something like that would get in there. Im starting from the oil pan, could something get by the pick-up screen, hmmmm, no. Something could possibly make it up the bypass in the pick-up, but it certainly wouldnt make it past the oil pump gears. The only thing that comes to mind is something was in the center (the discharge portion) of the oil filter when you last changed oil, and it made it as far as the junction block Hmmmmmmmmmm, Mark

 

[GrandmasTR]

Well I have oil in he turbo and pressurein the gauge. Idle is 65psi. Thats sounds high to me. Is it?

I also pulled the inlet hose off the turbo and it spins freely with no play. Im assuming its all fine. How can a turbo run 20+ minutes (however never under boost) with no oil and be ok, is this common?

I really appriciate you all taking time to respond. Thanks!