Stiff Member
I found a thread by Jon K a while ago but I'm still not certain. This is a 100% fresh built motor and had 0 oil anywhere until today.
What I did:
Poured probably 6 quarts over the cam trays
1 quart into the oil canister and left the top off
I left my turbo feed lying on my coolant res to watch for oil coming out of it as a sign of oil pressure (no gauges hooked up yet).
the most I cranked for for about a minute straight (didn't count) and got nothing. The oil feed T's off at the low oil pressure switch so I assumed it would get oil fairly quickly. I cranked for a pretty decent amount of time but took a few minute breaks between each session. I'm confused. Did I do something wrong?
Status: Someone put glitter in my oil. Wait. Why's all my oil outside the engine? What's that knocking?
Member
What's the lowest your pressure gauge will read? Maybe it's below the min range of the sender/gauge? Perhaps try to pull the connection off, point the hose or whatever into a can and have someone crank the motor - see that oil is spraying out.
Member
Protomor.
Just start the engine. Cranking rpm is too low for priming.
ßMW///MµrÐêr§þðr†
Is it?Originally Posted by YellowBed
I had 15-20 psi after a good 10/15 seconds of cranking over (priming) my engine for the 1st time.
Pour oil into the oil filter housing (side) as well.
Last edited by milKt; 01-31-2012 at 07:38 PM.
Member
Not the best advice in my opinion. Why risk running the turbo without lubrication and cranking rpm is definitely enough to have the idiot light on the dash go out.
On my first start I only filled the engine with oil from the valve cover. Cranked it for 30 seconds and saw nothing, then cranked for another 30, saw nothing, crank for another 30 and had success. For what its worth, my oil feed comes off the banjo bolt for the vanos feed on the back of the oil filter housing
On the mic with rasMG
My instruction from technica was to hook car up to a battery charger, unplug DME, pull the plugs, Turn key to run position for 20sec, off 20, repeat until the oil light goes out, then repeat one more time. Worked for me!
ßMW///MµrÐêr§þðr†
Bam
Correct. I think the Bentley notes this.
Stiff Member
I have the vanos oil hole plugged. I don't have my electric gauge hooked up as I'm still in the wiring phase. I figured the oil feed for the turbo should gush oil. My oil feed and oil pressure gauge reading (if I had one) is off the oil pressure dummy light. You know, the light that goes off when you have like 1psi of oil on your cluster. Does having the vanos hole plug stop that sensor?
I feel like I cranked for a really long time. I second guessed that I put on the oil pickup tube so I pulled the oil pan off. Everything looks like it was installed correctly. Based on what I saw, it LOOKS like the oil squirters for the pistons are working. Or maybe it's just splashing oil? I'm really not sure. I see oil dripping from the piston skirts.
links instead of pictures cuz they are big:
See drip from teh piston skirt and you can see oil rolling down the side of the block. That shouldn't happen just from pouring oil on the cams right?
http://www.slidewaysonline.com/image...0/IMG_0662.JPG
This is the driver's side. It's tilted to the passenger's side so this side is def more dry. As it should be if the pump was working right?
http://www.slidewaysonline.com/image...0/IMG_0663.JPG
Passenger's side for comparison. There's lots of oil up there that I hope the squirters did.
http://www.slidewaysonline.com/image...0/IMG_0664.JPG
I think the piston is wet. I wedged the camera in there lol.
http://www.slidewaysonline.com/image...0/IMG_0665.JPG
You can still see assembly lube dripping off the #1 con rod.
http://www.slidewaysonline.com/image...0/IMG_0666.JPG
drips
http://www.slidewaysonline.com/image...0/IMG_0667.JPG
Timing cover is bone dry but I guess you should expect that?
http://www.slidewaysonline.com/image...0/IMG_0668.JPG
can't really see that far back in the engine.
http://www.slidewaysonline.com/image...0/IMG_0669.JPG
good shot from the bottom. Crank is def coated but that's probably from dipping into the oil that I overfilled trying to get the system to prime.
http://www.slidewaysonline.com/image...0/IMG_0670.JPG
Status: Someone put glitter in my oil. Wait. Why's all my oil outside the engine? What's that knocking?
Van's Parts
disagree.
I pulled my plugs / fuel pump relay and had to crank for ~1 min, then had oil pressure. Then install it all and fire it up.
-Mike
IG: @mikevanshellenbeck
On the mic with rasMG
Yes it does.
Stiff Member
wow sorry for the mega post...
I cranked for probably 2 minutes total through the whole time. I would crank for like 30 seconds, then check levels, pitter around, then crank for another 30 seconds. I guess you have to do it in quick succession?
Status: Someone put glitter in my oil. Wait. Why's all my oil outside the engine? What's that knocking?
ßMW///MµrÐêr§þðr†
You're gonna need to "prime" your battery soon.
License Revoked
WRONG.
Pull fuel injector fuse, or completely disconnect DME, hook up battery charger, crank until oil pressure light goes out.
re-connect dme
Start engine.
Stiff Member
so... fill oil canister and cams again and just keep cranking? Can I check to make sure my pump is working? I guess I'll get some tupperwear and hand crank it.
no prob with disconnecting relays and DMEs, none of that's in the car yet lol.
i hear you should put the bolt back in for the oil canister cap to keep it from just draining back into the pan?
Status: Someone put glitter in my oil. Wait. Why's all my oil outside the engine? What's that knocking?
ßMW///MµrÐêr§þðr†
NO, don't FILL the canister, just pour a little bit in there (the side.)
Hook up a dang quesadilla (oil pressure gauge) Napolean. Stop fooling around.
Stiff Member
well it gradually sucks down the oil in the main part of the canister (not the center bit) so I fill it like half way and by the time I'm done cranking or walking around, it's empty again.
Why bother hooking up the gauge? the oil feed line for the turbo it Ted off at that same spot. So if the gauge got a reading, the feed should be pouring oil.
Status: Someone put glitter in my oil. Wait. Why's all my oil outside the engine? What's that knocking?
Member
So you have the oil cap off and no oil filter installed?
If so, put a Damn filter in there and the cap on. Based on your last post it sounds like the oil filter canister starts filling but since you don't have a filter in there taking up space and the cap on, the oil isn't making it to the post filter side of the oil filter housing which is the side that will be feeding your oil feed line.
That may be ur issue
Last edited by cragg56; 01-31-2012 at 09:12 PM.
Stiff Member
post filter side being the middle? Nah that's not it. The level goes down in the main area, never up. I wish it went up, that would prove the pump was doing something.
Status: Someone put glitter in my oil. Wait. Why's all my oil outside the engine? What's that knocking?
License Revoked
What is it doing, Nothing?
Member
Maybe I am thinking incorrectly right now, but doesn't the oil come from the pump to the outside part of the canister, then it would go through the filter and then through the hole in the middle canister. If the canister is empty and then you crank your car, is there any oil in the outside part of the canister even if its for just a moment?
License Revoked
Yes.
Last edited by BavarianLove; 01-31-2012 at 09:26 PM.
Stiff Member
From what I can tell, at best it stays at the same level for a bit
Yea you're right.
The oil level in the canister never seems to raise. I was keeping more an eye on it going down than up though.
I'm going to test the oil pump tomorrow and put it back in if it works fine. Then do the 30 second on then off thing people keep telling me. How many times should I do it?
Did anyone take a good look at the pictures? It looks like I was at least getting enough pressure for the piston squirters. I think.
Status: Someone put glitter in my oil. Wait. Why's all my oil outside the engine? What's that knocking?
Member
Then promotor, are you seeing oil even for just a moment in the outside portion of the canister after cranking?
If so, I still think you need to put a filter in there to eat up the volume of the canister so it takes less oil to fill the canister and put the lid on
Last edited by cragg56; 01-31-2012 at 09:32 PM.
Lead Disagreement Eng PE
Pull the plugs, the higher engine RPM helps the pump prime.
If that fails, how hard is it to get an an E36 oil pump? Nissan guys say you should pack it with vaseline so that it has something to generate suction with and will prime immediately. A dry oil pump is basically fighting the air leakage around the rotors, which can be significant to the volume it's pumping. Oil obviously leaks far less due to being far far more viscous.
License Revoked
What the hell is going on here? Are u ready to fire the engine or not? If everything's not ready, why are u attempting to check pressure? in You have no filter, oil cap off, and loose oil lines dangling around???? Get the engine put together before you start doin this stuff..and trying to WATCH the oil flow... This is nuts. Yoshi, why u always gotta face palm my man? It's not likely that you have a bad oil pump, even if u do it's the same labor to replace it now as it would be if the motor was ready to start... I dunno why your worried about this right now. My luv.
Last edited by turbo325ii; 01-31-2012 at 11:37 PM.
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