Oil pan gasket sealing

[Drscottsmith]

Although if I am following along correctly, it looks like you had the oil pan off since starting this thread in Nov 23? Not impossible to crack the pick-up tube when reinstalling the pan....

Yes pan has been off a couple of different times, but I have had pressure since the last time it was off.

I looked at that video showing it crank without the filter on, and I'd have to think you'd pump a lot more oil out if the pump was picking up oil. If I'm thinking about it right, that would point to lack of priming or not picking up oil, but not a stuck OPRV. I'd be inclined to double down on priming and cranking before pulling everything apart again. Pull the filter and pour oil down both ports, then rotate the motor with the crank bolt in both directions a bit, then pressurize the dip stick tube and crank again (and again) with no plugs. Don't be shy -- sometimes the stars need to align for the pump to prime.

I was just worried that so much cranking with no pressure could be doing some damage/wear.

Did you see Gruhsy's last comment in post #32 of this thread. Did you use an oil stone to get that seam perfectly flush/flat per the manual? I'm not sure if that could prevent the pump from priming -- or just cause leaks -- but it's on the list...

Yes went back and looked at that - I believe it is ok. And again, it has run a couple of different times with pressure since it was all buttoned up. I guess I would have thought that if it worked right the first time and has not been touched it should still be fine?

Does the oil pressure gauge appear to work -- jump up to zero when ignition is on, as opposed to no signs of life?
Yes - gauge clicks up to zero with ignition on (it does not move much, maybe 1mm or so but noticeable). New sender that I also questioned, and it could have gone out I suppose, but it did work for awhile. I may take it off and put my manual gauge on there and see what it shows.

Are you sure the assembly order is correct behind the timing belt gear -- oil pump sleeve, then o-ring, then washer, then gear?
Yep - checked that once before when I was not getting pressure (before I added that extra washer). All was good.

Battery nice and fresh and spinning the motor with good speed? Yes and I deep recharge it periodically to keep it up.

Got plenty of oil in there?
Yeppers (well at least to the top mark on the stick)

I'm going to put the front pulley back on and try going to maybe 160ft-lbs and see if that extra bit gets me another mm of snugness against the oil pump drive.

[ItsSunnyD]

Sure you torqued the front pulley bolt all the way to 155 ft lbs when you took the front apart?

I second that, make sure the slip ring with the teeth that goes over the crank snout is in all the way. Cold oil that is new also seems to take forever to build pressure on start up in my 944. its perfect after a few miles. Your OPRV may have gotten stuck, unlikely but possible.

[ItsSunnyD]

Although if I am following along correctly, it looks like you had the oil pan off since starting this thread in Nov 23? Not impossible to crack the pick-up tube when reinstalling the pan....

Yes pan has been off a couple of different times, but I have had pressure since the last time it was off.

I looked at that video showing it crank without the filter on, and I'd have to think you'd pump a lot more oil out if the pump was picking up oil. If I'm thinking about it right, that would point to lack of priming or not picking up oil, but not a stuck OPRV. I'd be inclined to double down on priming and cranking before pulling everything apart again. Pull the filter and pour oil down both ports, then rotate the motor with the crank bolt in both directions a bit, then pressurize the dip stick tube and crank again (and again) with no plugs. Don't be shy -- sometimes the stars need to align for the pump to prime.

I was just worried that so much cranking with no pressure could be doing some damage/wear.

Did you see Gruhsy's last comment in post #32 of this thread. Did you use an oil stone to get that seam perfectly flush/flat per the manual? I'm not sure if that could prevent the pump from priming -- or just cause leaks -- but it's on the list...

Yes went back and looked at that - I believe it is ok. And again, it has run a couple of different times with pressure since it was all buttoned up. I guess I would have thought that if it worked right the first time and has not been touched it should still be fine?

Does the oil pressure gauge appear to work -- jump up to zero when ignition is on, as opposed to no signs of life?
Yes - gauge clicks up to zero with ignition on (it does not move much, maybe 1mm or so but noticeable). New sender that I also questioned, and it could have gone out I suppose, but it did work for awhile. I may take it off and put my manual gauge on there and see what it shows.

Are you sure the assembly order is correct behind the timing belt gear -- oil pump sleeve, then o-ring, then washer, then gear?
Yep - checked that once before when I was not getting pressure (before I added that extra washer). All was good.

Battery nice and fresh and spinning the motor with good speed? Yes and I deep recharge it periodically to keep it up.

Got plenty of oil in there?
Yeppers (well at least to the top mark on the stick)

I'm going to put the front pulley back on and try going to maybe 160ft-lbs and see if that extra bit gets me another mm of snugness against the oil pump drive.

When i rebuilt my engine with new rod bearings and seals, it took a minute of the engine running to get the oil to pressurize. the pump may struggle until the oil gets warm or the pump can spin fast enough.

[Thom]

I had a new oil pressure sender that was not giving accurate readings so went back to an old one... If your new sender is of dubious quality then I'd not be surprised if it already gave up the ghost.

[Drscottsmith]

That has definitely crossed my mind. I will take the sender off and use a manual gauge to check before I take anything else off.

[dr bob]

From long-past-prime (sorry...) memory that's not 944-centric -- Don't be afraid to prime the whole system in advance with an external pump via an external filter adapter plate. You can push oil back to the pump from the outer ring connection, and prime the system forward from there via the center port.

Filter adapters and hoses are cheap. You can use cheap power-steering hose and generic fittings for connections. An old power steering pump with a drill motor is a poor-man's solution. It doesn't take a lot of pressure since you have time on your side.

[Drscottsmith]

Ok so got the sensor off and ready to check pressure with manual gauge this afternoon (after recharging battery).

So...I don't have an old PS pump, but could I not pull vacuum through one of the holes at the filter and pull oil up from the pan to at least verify the pickup is ok?

2nd thought....can I bench test my sensor for change in resistance by putting a fitting on. the end with a piece of tube, fill the tube with a bit of oil, and put some air pressure on the oil to "pressurize" the system and check that I am getting resistance?

Just thinking of EVERYTHING possible before pulling the pan again. Also may pull the timing gear off to see if something happened to the oil pump drive gear (or something else) this last time.

[Drscottsmith]

Well no pressure with mechanical gauge. I think I am pulling everything off the front at this point to see what is going on.

Ugh! Makes no sense to me that it is something this involved when it DID work.

[Tom]

Well no pressure with mechanical gauge. I think I am pulling everything off the front at this point to see what is going on.

Ugh! Makes no sense to me that it is something this involved when it DID work.

I'd be temped to start it up and count to 3... Or at least re-torque the front, blow air into the dipstick, and crank it with no plugs for 5 to 10 seconds per try. Stuff can go bad just sitting, no doubt, but what are the odds?

[Drscottsmith]

Ok I’ll try that first…maybe tomorrow will be the day!