Lost Oil Pressure in 13B-PP
 

So on Friday night i was going to the strip to do some racing. On the drive there I had looked down at my autometer oil pressure gauge and noticed it was only reading 40psi at about 6000rpm's. This isn't good as it is usally 100psi. I stopped at a gas station to check the oil level and it was fine, oil black and smelt of gas which was from multiple floodings. Found out my MSD box don't work with low voltage. On idle the engine was only making 20psi, normally it reads 80psi. I decided to drive the car back home as it was making some pressure.

Today I decided to dump the oil and check to see if i had any metal shavings to indicate bearing damage from the drive home. Thank god only oil came out. I replaced the oil and started the car and it was reading 40psi on idle. This is only because the oil is cold and i'm sure once it warmed up it would drop.

I'm running a FC front mount oil cooler and the line from the front cover to the cooler has pressure, however the line from the cooler to the rear plate I can compress with my thumb and index finger. Could there be a block in my cooler.

The other option i'm looking at is maybe the spring in my oil pressure regulator broke and there is no tension to keep it closed till it reaches opening pressure.


Any help from you guys would be great as i don't really want to open up my race engine that only has 1000km's on it.

very likely that timing cover O ring has failed,, needs the timing cover removed to replace it
( and due cautions taken to prevent the torrington pinch wen you have the front nut undone )

Keep in mind that bearing shavings wont always come out of the oil drain plug. I know this from experience as some of the material is heavy enough that it will just sit at the bottom near the pick-up tube. Atleast drop the oil pan to make sure. I'm sure your PP set-up isn't to hard to dissasemble. Me I would just pull the engine, break it down, and inspect everything.

RX-8 timing cover gasket. It's embossed steel, and it fit my (Series 4 parts) RX-7 engine perfectly.

If oil pressure does manage to push the front cover away from the side housing, the gasket isn't going anywhere. No rubber O-ring means it's not going to blow out.

My oil pressure gauge only went up to 100psi, and the engine would peg it even when hot.

What are you using for motor mounts? I lost a front cover O-ring once by solid-mounting the timing cover to the chassis. Lots of stress on the front cover that way.

did you restrict the oil squirters or did you use any type of jets on your e shaft?I have noticed that the oil will drop if you dont restrict the squirters.

solid aluminum engine mounts. front cover to solid mounts to cross member,

I have not modified the squirters on the eshaft. I do want to pick your brain about the FB 13B-PP combo you have.........