oil pressure problem, what else is new?

[r34 gtr]

as some of you may remember, a while back (last year maybe?) i posted about a problem with my car not having oil pressure when i start it. well, its been a long time and it still does it. i havnt made any attempt to fix it as i just dont have the time.

when i start the car it will just sit there and knock quite loudly until i put my foot into it a few times. then the pressure goes up to normal and stays there. the car uses absolutely no oil. if you dont rev it up it will just knock for minutes, and i have not seen the pressure go up normally on its own. it has to be revved up. i think the pressure is a little on the low side when im just cruising, but as soon as you step on it it goes up like it should. i get about 55-65lbs at 3500rpm cruising, and 75-100+lbs when i put my foot into it (rpm regardless). one other thing, if the car is warm, it doesnt have this problem as much, but probably a quarter of the time. when its hot it only takes a second before it goes up, not like when its cold where it takes 15-25 seconds.

since the pressure is fine after i rev it, i wasnt thinking it could be the pump. maybe the switch or the regulator? either way its still going to suck replacing it. help me figure it out while i still have the money to fix it!

- Tim

[float_6969]

I think there might be an internal check valve sort of thing that is supposed to keep oil in the pump while it's off. It's usually just a ball bearing and a spring. Perhapse yours is varnished up and isn't holding oil in the pump like it should. When you turn the motor off, the pump is just sitting full of air instead of oil and at idle speeds, it won't prime up.

That's my theory anyway.

Regardless, you'd have to pull the pump to dissasemble it, so you might as well put a new pump on it at the same time.

[Nowhere]

What weight of oil please.

[r34 gtr]

i always run castrol gtx 10w-40. i used 20w-50 for a few months at one point when it got really hot outside but ive changed back since.

float, thats basically what i was thinking. ive been reluctant to check it out though as i dont really want to pull the engine a 3rd time in a 6 month span.

does anyone know what the oil pumps cost and where i can order another one? was it taka that had the higher volume one?

- Tim

[boost_boy]

i always run castrol gtx 10w-40. i used 20w-50 for a few months at one point when it got really hot outside but ive changed back since.

float, thats basically what i was thinking. ive been reluctant to check it out though as i dont really want to pull the engine a 3rd time in a 6 month span.

does anyone know what the oil pumps cost and where i can order another one? was it taka that had the higher volume one?

- Tim

Tim, you don't need a high volume oil pump, trust me. However, it may be very wise to pull the engine and see if your mains haven't been touched. Unfortunately, it is very possible to pick up garbage oil pumps, so you're kinda playing Russian Roulette with oil pumps as well. If your oil pump pressure is playing games with you, I'd be quick to check my main and rod bearings because what you have going on doesn't sound like a bad oil pump. Just my $.02.....Oil pumps can be found at most auto parts stores, but I'd be inclined to check-out NAPA or a serious auto parts dealer as opposed to something off ebay.

Dee

[r34 gtr]

the mains and rod bearings are less than 8k miles old. clevite 77. i checked them last time i had it apart (2 months?) and they looked perfect. this engine is brand spanking new from the bottom to the top. i get no knock whatsoever except on the cold starts. ive been suspecting the oil pump for a while as its the only thing i didnt touch when i rebuilt it. and again, the pressure seems fine (still within spec) after i get it going.

- Tim

[r34 gtr]

i just realized, why is it that every time i have the money to get my car running right something breaks that requires more immediate attention?

also, the roof started leaking today. dont know where from.

[float_6969]

I got my new oil pump from Nissan. IDK, if they can still be had from them or not.

[AWDB12wagon]

http://www.importperformanceparts.net/ has toga oil pumps for the CA18, and they also have stock replacements. I would agree with the pressure valve not doing its job.

[biosehnsucht]

I originally got clevite 77's from ebay for cheap, only to discover they were over/undersized. Got some normal sized bearings from O'Reilly's (Federal Mogul I think.. made in Japan on the box) and they were correct size.

Now the point of the post is..

The Federal Mogul bearings looked so amazingly perfect, the same from any angle, but the Clevite's didn't have that same polish look to them.. in fact, they reflected light differently in different areas..

So for anyone having to get new bearings, my vote is for Federal Mogul!

[r34 gtr]

federal mogul is awesome. another perk is that they are ridiculously cheap. anyway, my bearings are the correct size. i ordered them from advance and checked the clearances and everything before i put them on. ive had no problems and ive gotta say, if theyre good enough for john force they are good enough for me. same goes for my oil. john force!!

- Tim

[capwred]

heres where i got mine from tim.and it work's great.you can take the oil cap off as soon as you crank the motor and you see oil flying around.

http://www.trademotion.com/par...gid=1

p.s. and i think its the cheapest place to get it.and its a oem piece.

[r34 gtr]

thanks man, ill probably have to pick one up.

- Tim

[NeedCAforS13]

what oil filter are you running?

[r34 gtr]

a mobil one (nine freaking dollars). it was the only thing that they had that didnt suck. freaking advance auto never has a purolator pure one for the ca18. its discrimination i tells ya!

- Tim

[biosehnsucht]

why are you not running an OEM oil filter?

For most Nissans including CAs

[r34 gtr]

because there is an auto zone next to my house, and the nissan dealer is 20 minutes away.

[AWDB12wagon]

thats right up there in price with the K&N gold oil filter...

[NeedCAforS13]

if you don't run an oem nissan oil filter alot of cars have low oil pressure on start up problems.... we get alot of cars at nissan making noise when they're first started in the morning because they're running non-oem filters. not really sure why.

[c-rad]

I just get 3-4 filters at a time from my local Nissan. They are like $5 a piece. Also, fwiw, I got my oil pump from everythingnissan.com (nico advertiser) and it was priced good. I THINK it was $90, but I am not positive. I do know it was HALF the cost of the one at Advance Auto Parts and Autozone.

[kapower06]

The pump from everythingnissan.com is $101 and factory. The mobil 1 filter is a very goos filter but so is the puralator and the OEM filter, so whichever is cheapest.

[boost_boy]

Purolator is the cheapest and that's what I use. I mean, I change my oil frequently and with new oil comes a new/cheap filter . But I can't justify spending $9 on a filter, especially in a turbocharged car that gets abused. And for you guys that are running rich, I know your oil turns black quick and that's because of rinse-down. As for the cheapy $$ pumps, hey if you're happy with the oil pressure they create, then it's a steal.

Dee

[kapower06]

Dee, thats the same filter I use also, Puralator Pure 1. Change my oil every 2500-3000 miles, and its still slightly honey color, Mobil 1 10-30 for my oil choice. I get around 22-25psi at idle after its warmed up, and right at 65psi at 3000 rpm. When its cold i have about 60 psi at idle and well over 100psi (gauge pegged at 100) at anything over 3000rpm.

[r34 gtr]

its been tested a few times and the pure one, by purolator filters better than the others. best part is its cheaper than most at $5 each. freaking advance never has the one for the ca though!

edit: whaaat?!?! im getting like 12lbs at idle topps, and 45-50lbs at 3000. i need a new pump stat. when its cold i get 100+lbs at idle and it just pegs the gauge if i put it in gear.

by the way, ive gotten tired after 1850 posts of signing my name to everything. im just not gonna do it anymore. im sure no one cares. im drunk! wheoo! ok, im done.

[kapower06]

It can be for the Ka ca I think the vg even uses the same one, look up fram 3652 (i think) and cross reference it to the puralator. Tell them to start stocking it .

[r34 gtr]

wow. i am terrible. its the PL24457. yes i happen to know the number. thats how many times ive tried to get it, and then complained bitterly to advance auto. have they stocked it yet? no. i hate people.

[float_6969]

Tim, you can get anything done at advance auto you want. If nothing else they can bring it in from another store. Ask for the store manager. Tell him that you've been trying to get them to stock that filter and it's not being done. Don't be an ***, just be polite. I promise that advance can get you that filter and stock it w/o a problem. Somebody is just being lazy.

My local advance auto didn't used to stock the CA exhaust mani gaskets, but I got them to do that for me.

[r34 gtr]

ive got them pretty much trained (as i have the nissan dealership here). they just seem to always forget the oil filter. if it meant that much to me i would have ordered some, but i usually just say screw it and buy some other decent one.