rx7tt95

Just when I think I had things heading in the right direction...major problem tonight. I think I might have damaged more than I thought when I ran over the boulder in the road and grenaded the oil pan. Tonight I lost oil pressure on the way home (I have very little but not zero pressure) from work. Hit it a bit to get up to speed and noticed pressure was way down. Car idles fine, vacuum is identical, etc...car does sound a bit different. Seems down on power. Made it home and shut her off. Oil level is perfect, both oil coolers were hot, meaning oil was flowing through them (I have the Mocal thermostat). I'm thinking either spun bearing or snapped oil pump chain. There's a "hair" of pressure (gauge needle doesn't sit all the way down at zero but just above). I can't imagine it would be the oil pickup tube. I'm certain Evo Motorsports checked the pickup tube when installing the oil pan. I'm not a happy camper. This may be the end for me and the car. I know insurance would cover it but Carlos won't be back for a bit due to his project in Atlanta and there's no one decent in town to pull the engine apart. I hate jumping to conclusions so any input appreciated. Oh, doesn't seem to be any smoke coming out the tailpipe.
Michel

rx7tt95

Ok, I let her cool off a bit. Just went to start her up. Starts right up. Heard a clankety clank underneath the car, almost as if something was thrown down the exhaust pipe. Seems to rev ok, but pressure is, on the stock gauge, the mark below the 60psi mark (around what, 20 or 40psi?). Engine oil is colder now so naturally there's more pressure. I'm going to let her cool overnight and disconnect the turbo oil feed line to see if there's oil pumping out. Perhaps I blew the CHRA on the turbo or the turbine itself. If it were the turbine, I would think there'd be smoke out the tailpipe. I'll pull the air filter to see if there's any play in the shaft. Turbo was rebuilt by Majestic Turbo in Waco at the same time as the engine. Since the exhaust beat is the same but it's a bit louder, I'm wondering if I didn't blow the turbo. I would think oil pressure wouldn't be affected?

Zero R

iTrader: (1)

Pull off the filter check the comp intake I have had turbos blow seals and put nothing out the exhaust side.

Tim Benton

iTrader: (1)

weird stuff Michel, hope it gets straightened out. Has you gauge always worked? Mine is the classic, 0 pressure at idle, but goes up when I'm driving. Did the oil pressure sender come off (spark plug side?)

Tim

rx7tt95

That was the first thing I checked...looks intact. I'll check again tomorrow morning but with the change in the engine note, I'm thinking it's the turbo. Sean, would blowing the seal cause oil pressure to drop like that?

RCCAZ 1

iTrader: (10)

I know you mentioned this already, but I'm thinking it could be the oil pickup tube in the pan. Good luck!

Zero R

iTrader: (1)

I have seen a drop in pressure but not to the point your describing. Was the front cover removed at all?

rx7tt95

To the best of my knowledge, the front cover was not removed. There's no oil anywhere on the outside of the engine. I'll call the shop that did the pan removal/installation tomorrow. I can't imagine the pickup getting clogged and dropping oil pressure that quickly nor it just falling off but who knows.

Oil control rings would cause excessive smoking and crank pressure and spun bearings...I'm assuming it would seize the engine?

coldfire

iTrader: (1)

damn that's too bad to hear man

if you had that low of oil pressure then one can only assume it is the oil pump system and its related parts.

hope you get things figured out and it doesn't keep you from driving the car for too long.

- Aaron

vspecpgt

Damn michel, that really sucks, something is always going wrong with you. i would say to def get an aftermarket pressure gauge though, my defi one is much more responsive and accurate.

i had a similar prob, but pressure was fine at idle, when i got on it though, it would climb real high, like normal, 120 psi, but then would drop real quick and then spike back up... like dipping down... anyway checked it a few times, and then just shut off the car.... it was just as i was heading home from my road trip so i'm hoping nothing is wrong either... maybe just a bit low on oil? wasn't leaking though, at least not any significant amount... although the oil dipstick is hard to read, i dunno if it has to do with the new oil pan but its hard to get back into the pan, and didn't show much oil unless i checked immediately after shutting down the car. any ideas on my prob?

lemme know if there is anything i can do to help, as i'm just up the road... course, i am heading back to otown this weekend, but can swing back down next week if you need some help.

dubulup

Don't you do that...don't you say your good-byes...

when you say you lost pressure...was it all of a sudden?


that's never any good.

do you know if they added sealant with that oil pan? If true, could possibly not have dried entirely before adding oil and firing her up and thats not good. Anyone who knows how to turn a wrench can prevent the pick from just falling off...I think you can rule that out.

rx7tt95

I'm sure they didn't let it dry completely before installing the pan. It's been about two weeks since the pan was installed. Pressure loss was very quick. Gauge was reading fine before this happened.

What about the oil pressure regulator? That might be my culprit.

SPEED_NYC

iTrader: (3)

i wouldnt put much faith in the stock oil pressure gauge. that gauge and sending unit are always failing. i'd say that 60% of FD's show inaccurate oil pressure on the factory gauge. most common problem is the gauge not regestering any pressure at idle, then jumping up when you rev, or just dropping off alltogethr (as you've described) you say you drove the car home and a little hard at that while the gauge showed almost no pressure? then you started the car the next morning, still showing zero pressure? trust me, if you havent seen any metal flakes (evidence of spun bearing) in your oil yet, then im almost positive that your engine is seeing good oil pressure and your gauge is lying to you.

get another pressure sender onto that block and start it up, see how the gauge works then, or just switch to an aftermarket gauge and sending unit.

this is a great thread and im anxious to see how everything plays out w/ dyno #'s ect.. Carlos is a very knowledgeable guy and a great engine builder (ive had one of his street ports in my FD) dont worry, you're in good hands....

Roan

rx7tt95

Ok, turbo is fine. Oil pressure this morning started at normal levels but as the car heats up and is revved, pressure drops. There's a DEFINITE wobble to the main pulley when the engine is running. Engine runs fine with more vibration and when I heard the clanking noise, I think it was my wastegate hitting the subframe at startup. NO knock which means all the other internals are fine. I somehow must have damaged the bearing(s) initially when the oil pan exploded or even the e-shaft. Maybe I damaged it shifting...sprung six puck clutch and I'd think the rear differential would go out before an e-shaft. I MUST have hurt it when the oil pan let go a few weeks back. Regardless, this does not bode well for me keeping the car. I just can't do this any more.

rx7tt95

Yeah I'm well aware of the gauge's inaccuracy. The sender is brand new however and I know the characteristics of my gauge. This morning I had pressure, 60psi at first and as the oil heated up, it dropped. I know I still have pressure but not at nearly the level as before. But that main pulley should not have any wobble in it at all and mine does. Carlos is out of town for a few weeks too, maybe longer, which is part of the problem. I just don't have the energy to pull the engine AGAIN and bring it over there.

dubulup

I feel like this is the end of an era the guy who tries anything with custom everything. cosmo motor, scaloped rotors, too many turbo combo's to list, pimp suspensions, great looking style...etc, etc...

I'm sorry about the way you feel. COULD insurance cover any of this?!!


just a question, do you think this would of happened with a sheet metal pan? dented for sure, but I've never seen/heard of a pan blowing out like that...

I wish this was all in your head, but losing oil pressure like that so fast (incident) isn't good for bearings...as soon as the pickup sees air...I don't even like thinking about it.

GoodfellaFD3S

iTrader: (213)

Damn.

Take some time off, let her sit for a while. Best thing to do right now.

Sorry to hear about it Michel, I (having blown 7 motors) know the feeling.

dubulup

^se7en motors...coming up on se7enth year of ownership of 3rd gen RX-7

BLUE TII

iTrader: (9)

just a question, do you think this would of happened with a sheet metal pan? dented for sure, but I've never seen/heard of a pan blowing out like that...

Probably not!

I hit a ~6-7" rock w/ my lowered FC. It JUST cleared the front bodywork as it was laying on its shorter side but it hit the low point on my belly pan rotated upright to hit the rear belly pan center mounting bolt dead center, rolled more and put a HUGE dent in the oil pan and then went all the way down my 3 1/2" stainless exhaust putting many big dents.

No crack/hole in the stock pan despite the huge dent.

The stock sheetmetal pan is made soft so it will deform w/ out cracking.

I imagine aluminum pan could be as safe if it was welded up out of a soft alloy sheet and annealed, but a cast aluminum pan is just going to be dangerously brittle unless there is an alloy and treatment for cast alum that will soften it that I am unaware of.

GoodfellaFD3S

iTrader: (213)

Spooky isn't it ?

artowar

iTrader: (1)

Fess up Captain-- how many of those were yours?

t-von

iTrader: (8)

If it is beaing failer(which I think it is), are you capable of opening up the engine and doing the repair yourself?

GoodfellaFD3S

iTrader: (213)

Every single one. Bad coolant seals on original motor, and then the rest were detonation attributed to---you name it, too much boost, bad tank of gas, shoddy tuning. Toss in Hurley apex seals for four of the popped motors, and we all know the hurleys are made out of styrofoam

rx7tt95

A brief update, the car will be headed over to Evolution Motorworks awaiting the adjuster's approval for engine removal. They'll pull the motor. I am "hoping" to get a hold of Carlos when he comes back from the Portland ALMS race (I think it's ALMS) and I am hoping he has enough time, with some of my help, to pull the motor apart, replace anything broken, and put it back together. I honestly feel very, very bad as it's his reputation as much as mine here. What I mean by that is people were watching to see what the motor would do so I'm a bit disconcerted by that end of it as well. This NEVER would have happened if the oil pan incident hadn't happened. This motor cost me about $7K total, not including the little things I did while the engine was out, other items I added, etc...I really did it right this time. That motor would have lasted forever (well, a really, really long time anyway!).

I'd like to say that a welded sheetmetal pan (or even stock) would not have been ripped apart. I can't truthfully say that however. This was a big piece of rock. It actually took a chunk of concrete out of the roadway where I hit it. BUT, it may have missed the stock pan and hit the subframe. Remember, it also took out the front bumper.

As far as opening up the engine myself, yes, I could probably do that and have someone press in new bearings. But CLR is very meticulous in their buildups. They know all the tricks and Carlos uses modified bearings which I cannot just get anywhere. He's very big on oil pressure in his engines and the bearing designs are integral to that concept. His motors see far greater oil pressure around the e-shaft and bearings than an engine running normal or even some of the deep groove bearings readily available. So I'd need him to supply me with those bearings. Who knows what my e-shaft surface looks like. But truth be told, I wouldn't want anyone else but him working on the engine. It just doesn't make sense. There's certainly no one else in Florida with the combination of his integrity AND his building skills. There are definitely people I trust and definitely people with skills but no one knows this motor like Carlos does.

So that's where I'm at now...car will go into the shop and have the engine pulled. The body will probably be towed over to a local body shop that owes me a free paint job. Hopefully the new nose will arrive in time to be fitted and painted. Hopefully Carlos will have enough time to look over and repair the motor. If everything turns out as planned (and when does that ever happen?), the car will come back with fresh paint and a new (again) engine. What happens after that, I don't know. It just couldn't have happened at a worse time. The new house is being built currently and my wife quit her job as a clinical neurotherapist working for a company that really took advantage of her and other employees. She's just starting up as a mortgage broker but it'll be some time before the funds really kick in. And heck, I'm a journalist. We don't exactly make the big bucks! While I have a company on the side, Velocity Images, Inc., (mostly motorsports photography) it's now the down season for me for a few more months. Premium gas is now at $2.60 a gallon and driving the Rex daily takes it's toll on the pocket book. I'm insane I know...I'm cruising around in a jet black Mazda6 sport wagon right now and I actually like it. Very scary. Must be getting old! Anyway, I'll try and update here periodically with good news. And I just want to reiterate again this should not reflect on CLR and their engine building skills. It certainly wasn't their fault.

rx7tt95

Oh and thanks for all the kind words and support. I do appreciate it. Even though this isn't a fun situation, it's nice to know others can empathize.