HELP!! Oil pressure gremlins!

XR4Ti / Sierra / Sierra Cosworth Discussions - Questions, problem resolution, general talk, technical tips and modifications.
Merkur Club web site
TurboDiesel
Level 1
Level 1
Posts: 55
Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2012 10:44 pm

HELP!! Oil pressure gremlins!

Post by TurboDiesel »

I have an auto cross car, and I am having oil pressure problems. The car has much larger stainless braided oil lines that run to a rather large oil cooler. The oil pressure is great until the car warms up, then as the oil temp rises the pressure begins to decrease. Then when driving the car the oil pressure drops when braking hard and cornering hard. Pressure drops so much it causes my oil pressure light to flicker. I've gotten several answers on this, some have been that the lines are too large, and other say I need to shim the pump. I don't know what to do, it'd be great to figure this out...
User avatar
Mike McCreight
Level 7
Level 7
Posts: 3987
Joined: Fri Oct 31, 2003 8:44 pm
Location: Ottawa! Well, Manotick, actually...

Re: HELP!! Oil pressure gremlins!

Post by Mike McCreight »

What's your gauge read? Momentary oil light flickering can mean almost anything.
Auto-X isn't usually a problem for oil pressure, or temperature, for that matter, but then, I don't have much interest in Auto-X either.
I do have a rather extensive cooler setup on my car, and others I've set up for road course and rally use.
I suspect if you DO have a feed/pressure issue, you'll need a better pan, or at least baffles. Or an Accusump sort of accumulator.
It's not a hobby, it's an obsession!
MOTO
Level 1
Level 1
Posts: 60
Joined: Sat Mar 02, 2013 2:04 am
Location: Twin Falls, Idaho

Re: HELP!! Oil pressure gremlins!

Post by MOTO »

Is it possible that most of your oil would be in the cooler/ lines/ engine, rather than the pan? you may have to add an extra quart because of the modifications.
TurboDiesel
Level 1
Level 1
Posts: 55
Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2012 10:44 pm

Re: HELP!! Oil pressure gremlins!

Post by TurboDiesel »

Mike McCreight wrote:What's your gauge read? Momentary oil light flickering can mean almost anything.
Auto-X isn't usually a problem for oil pressure, or temperature, for that matter, but then, I don't have much interest in Auto-X either.
I do have a rather extensive cooler setup on my car, and others I've set up for road course and rally use.
I suspect if you DO have a feed/pressure issue, you'll need a better pan, or at least baffles. Or an Accusump sort of accumulator.
You sound like you understand these cars pretty well, is there anyway I can contact you?
CV12Steve
Level 7
Level 7
Posts: 1473
Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2007 3:57 pm
Location: Sacramento, CA area
Contact:

Re: HELP!! Oil pressure gremlins!

Post by CV12Steve »

MOTO wrote:Is it possible that most of your oil would be in the cooler/ lines/ engine, rather than the pan? you may have to add an extra quart because of the modifications.
Not a bad idea - unless there's a check valve in your cooler it would drain back into the pan once shut down but may hold a quart or more when running.
Stephen
socal1200r
Level 2
Level 2
Posts: 154
Joined: Tue Aug 20, 2013 9:09 pm

Re: HELP!! Oil pressure gremlins!

Post by socal1200r »

I thought the main idea behind an oil cooler was to cool the oil, as opposed to increasing oil capacity? If one wantd to increase capacity, a larger oil pan would be the ticket? But what do I know, I don't auto-x, just trying to look at this logically, lol...
Robert Brooks
1987 XR4Ti, white, AT
Norfolk, VA
CV12Steve
Level 7
Level 7
Posts: 1473
Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2007 3:57 pm
Location: Sacramento, CA area
Contact:

Re: HELP!! Oil pressure gremlins!

Post by CV12Steve »

The purpose of the oil cooler is to cool the oil. While it's doing that it holds oil - that is volume additional to the engine.
Stephen
TurboDiesel
Level 1
Level 1
Posts: 55
Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2012 10:44 pm

Re: HELP!! Oil pressure gremlins!

Post by TurboDiesel »

There is a lager oil pan, as well as the large oil cooler... That along with the large stainless lines, the larger oil filter and the larger turbo! I am not sure what to do, it had been suggested that the problem had to be worn bearings, but the motor has hardly any time on it, and there was a lot of money spent putting the best parts into it... The car is running a SDS distributor-less fuel management setup along with lots of other goodies. It is a complete race car, certified roll cage, fire suppression system, completely re-engineered suspension, and it has been extensively lightened. It weighs less than 2300 pounds wet! This is my last hurdle, I want to get it on the track! I am in the military and I will be heading to Fort Carson, Pikes Peak will be in my backyard... I want people to see this thing burning up the track, I want them to ask questions about what it is, the XR4 needs some recognition. I need to figure this out. I am beating my brains out trying to figure it out. It runs too well, and there aren't any metal shavings in the oil pan, so I don't see it eating bearings. I've had a car eat bearings before, and this isn't acting anything like it did. But who knows. If anyone is super knowledgeable on the 2.3L I will come to you to figure this all out. PM me! Thanks!
MOTO
Level 1
Level 1
Posts: 60
Joined: Sat Mar 02, 2013 2:04 am
Location: Twin Falls, Idaho

Re: HELP!! Oil pressure gremlins!

Post by MOTO »

Does anyone know how "over full" you can run at idle before the crank smacks the oil? You could probably just run an extra quart, just make sure the oil gets to circulating before driving like a maniac.
socal1200r
Level 2
Level 2
Posts: 154
Joined: Tue Aug 20, 2013 9:09 pm

Re: HELP!! Oil pressure gremlins!

Post by socal1200r »

MOTO wrote:Does anyone know how "over full" you can run at idle before the crank smacks the oil? You could probably just run an extra quart, just make sure the oil gets to circulating before driving like a maniac.
I'm with him ^. With the larger everything concerned with the oil system, running an extra quart might be the simplest cure. It's inexpensive to try, and you should know right away if that was the issue. Unless there's some weird baffling design in the larger oil pan, this would be the place to start. Maybe have two oil pressure gauges, one after the oil cooler, and one between the oil cooler and oil pan?
Robert Brooks
1987 XR4Ti, white, AT
Norfolk, VA
Oldmaddog
Level 2
Level 2
Posts: 160
Joined: Sun Jun 05, 2011 3:03 pm
Location: Hellertown, PA

Re: HELP!! Oil pressure gremlins!

Post by Oldmaddog »

I would definitely use a windage tray for autoX unless of course your new pan already has a windage tray built in. Bolts onto the main journals. It help keeps the oil down in the pan instead of sloshing around in the pan.

http://marketplaceadvisor.channeladviso ... i=17042020
TurboDiesel
Level 1
Level 1
Posts: 55
Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2012 10:44 pm

Re: HELP!! Oil pressure gremlins!

Post by TurboDiesel »

Oldmaddog wrote:I would definitely use a windage tray for autoX unless of course your new pan already has a windage tray built in. Bolts onto the main journals. It help keeps the oil down in the pan instead of sloshing around in the pan.

http://marketplaceadvisor.channeladviso ... i=17042020
Windage trays are great, I've got one on the turbo mustang I built. I've just never experienced the oil pressure problem...
TurboDiesel
Level 1
Level 1
Posts: 55
Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2012 10:44 pm

Re: HELP!! Oil pressure gremlins!

Post by TurboDiesel »

I am starting to consider converting the car to dry sump. I would be able to add a daily oil/air separator and the billet pan. I think it would be the best system.
xrattiracer
Level 7
Level 7
Posts: 1108
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2005 1:08 pm
Location: Seattle, WA

Re: HELP!! Oil pressure gremlins!

Post by xrattiracer »

I have a stock oilpan and probably a more serious autox car than you and i dont have any oil pressure issues that i have ever noticed. but i dont have an oil cooler (not even the stock one) and am not ever watching the gauge. but if it is dropping its not been enough to wipe out the engine in the last couple of seasons :)
86 Silver XR4Ti. 'squirted. 12.7@111
03 VW Golf tdi
05 Yamaha FZ6
TurboDiesel
Level 1
Level 1
Posts: 55
Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2012 10:44 pm

Re: HELP!! Oil pressure gremlins!

Post by TurboDiesel »

xrattiracer wrote:I have a stock oilpan and probably a more serious autox car than you and i dont have any oil pressure issues that i have ever noticed. but i dont have an oil cooler (not even the stock one) and am not ever watching the gauge. but if it is dropping its not been enough to wipe out the engine in the last couple of seasons :)
Haha... Don't know about how "serious" your car is, I've not seen it... My car has a fire suppression system, a tubular chassis/roll cage, full tubular suspension that is a complete re-engineer of what was there. The car is nearly 100% custom(even the wheels are one-off custom), even modified an M3 bumper to fit the car because there is more frontal airflow. The car has flared fenders and 14 inch wildwood front brakes. It is running an SDS fuel management system, it has lexan windows for weight reduction. I could go on and on, a lot of money went into this car. I'm not concerned with what you have or how "serious" you believe it to be, I just need to solve this issue. If you can help please do. I need to get this squared away so I can run the car at pikes peak.
Last edited by TurboDiesel on Wed Nov 20, 2013 5:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Post Reply