Troubleshoot help please - Low oil light then engine noise - Oil pump?

Hey Guys, so to clarify... My oil was a quart high when I put it in as I overfilled it and checked the dip stick showing 2cm high. I left it in, and later after the 1.5 hours drive and oil light, then checked it hot with engine off and it was at the same level. So yesterday I tore the front down and checked the oil pump and all 3 measurements with feeler gauge are within limits. The only test that failed was my OIL PUMP RELIEF VALVE was stuck in the case housing. It took some work to get it out with the sludge I had, and after cleaning the bore, with new oil, the valve failed the test as it was still sticking not falling with gravity to the bottom of the hole. So at this point the only thing I can tell that is wrong is that valve was sticking as the pump itself clearances are good. Can you tell me if that valve sticking would cause the noise I heard that sounds like the oil pump? Maybe I heard the chain instead, but not sure why my oil light would have come on, unless that valve would have caused it. I can't find a spec. for the clearance between the crank gear and the oil pump, so not sure if that is good or not. You can hear the video with sound at the Fb link... Also, should I replace the chain and gears since I have it open? I have 148K miles.

 

Lots of sludge as well. Its only been driven about 30K miles in the past 8 years.

 

The other thing I am wondering may have happened is if the Relief Valve stuck, and the oil pressure dropped, possibly this caused my chain tensioner to get stuck, and the noise is actually coming from the chain due to stuck tensioner. By inspecting the timing marks, it looks like the chain is OK, and the tensioner is not extended as would be with a streatched chain, so I thought it was OK, but if the tensioner is stuck, then maybe thats the problem causing chain slap? There are no chain marks on the valve covers, but maybe the slap was between chain and the guides, don't know. Need to check the tensioner if thats possibe to tell if its bad, not sure how.

 

Here it is after my pressure wash with just water today. Got most of the thick Sludge out.

 

That is the dirtiest 1grfe I have ever seen! I imagine your oil screens one per bank are clogged af. In the future if this thing runs again- switch to synthetic for any long duration of sitting. I honestly wonder if foul play is/was at work here.
@Torspd
@Lucario Runner
@12TRDTacoma
Y'all outta see this.

 

Just another thought- you have so much sludge in there taking up space- adding the "correct" amount of oil in this situation might lead to an over filled situation.

 

that oil ran hot and was run for a very long time. thats the forbidden chocolate frosting

 

wow, last time I saw that much sludge was in early ‘70s with engines running Quaker State oil back then.

 

what is the plan for this? are you going to rebuild it or just run it till the engine expires?

 

Someone severely neglected oil changes in that engine's life, the oil pickup at the bottom of the pan is most likely 100% plugged and causing your low oil pressure.
The damage is likely already done but you could drop the lower pan and try to clean as much of that crud out as you can, reassemble and cross your fingers.

 

You may have a failed rod/c'shaft journal bearing.

I suspect the FUBAR is more than a chain or pump.

Pressure washed the top end with water.....OMG.....you now have introduced water to the oil system. Likely some drained into the oil pan.

But on the other hand, you can't screw up any more than it is already.

Me thinks a new engine is in your future.

Good Luck.

 

Hey Guys, thanks for the input. Well the oil pan is basically dry today, sprayed it out also with air. I was thinking the sump screen as well is clogged, so may just need to take the pan off to clean it too. Its my only truck, so need to get it running and plan to keep it forever. Chocolate on the engine was my thought also. Once I get it running I plan to do a good flush with MMO, or 1 qt. ATF (500 miles) and change oil and filter again. The timing chain tensioner isn't extended, so chain seems OK as marks are also aligned but with 148K wasn't sure if I should change it anyway or leave it (any thoughts?).

Working this morning on getting the cam valves and oil screens out. As to be expected the valves came right out with solenoid first... then valve core plunger. So I need to apparently tap the right size bolt in to pull the rest of the valve body out (not sure who came up with this valve design... . The oil screens of course are also basically glued in, so not sure what the trick is for pulling them out. Any suggestions or whats the trick? I'm still not sure what the noise was, and after running it a time or two before breakdown it actually couldn't be heard at idle, needed to rev it a bit to hear. I isolated the noise to lower part of the timing cover and heard directly through the oil filter, so that's another reason I thought it was a clatter from the oil pump. Still not sure, but I'm not ready to drop the crank and pull the engine to find out. Anyone have the spec for the clearance between the oil pump and the crank gear? This is the sound I posted in the Fb group link.



Thanks

 

As sludged up as it is anything could be suspect of making noise, like I said clean it up and see what happens.
If it ends up being something major I think I'd look for a good sludge free used engine rather than attempt to repair that one.

 

I had the same solenoid problem as you, on one of my past engines. I sprayed some WD-40/penetrating lube around it. Then twisted the body back and forth. Until the o-ring was free enough. Then gently pried it out. Maybe a heat gun could be of use as well.

Your oil galleries are likely caked as well. That will be harder to get that oil out of, without using ATF and or diesel to break that stuff down.

The tensioners could all use a solvent bath to clean them. Otherwise, get new.

The oil pan screen most definitely needs a cleaning.

 

Good God! The last time I saw an engine that f'ed up was in the 90s when a customer complained a rough running condition on a Honda.

That right there is what happens when you wait 30,000 miles in between oil changes.

 

OK, I got the OC valve out using a PVC cement anchor the right size, then put a screw into it by holding onto 1/4" of the exposed anchor with a pliers so it wouldn't spin. Then pulled it out with the help of my hammer claw.

 

Dang man. So you were probably experiencing oil starvation due to lack of flow back to oil pan. That much sludge with new oil trying to clean it up breaking it loose. That terrible man.

 

Thoughts on when reassembly is done- adding a full can of sea foam into it before operating it. Then letting it get up to temp. Shut her down for a few hours then do an additional oil change?