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

Bravo. Quite creative.

 

Going to need multiple "fresh" oil changes.

 

Going to need some stints too. Lol

 

OK, success with getting the screens out as well - a little dirty probably time for new ones. Turns out a deck screw works pretty good, just go right through the center of the plastic and pull.

Now just to figure out what the problem is why I tore into this in the first place. Would have liked to found the culprit for the noise. Sure sounded like the oil pump clatter to me as it came from that location (and didn't sound like a rod bearing). I wonder if my oil pump Relief valve sticking shut could cause that or if just oil starvation due to clogged uptake screen would make the pump clatter? Only thing that throws me off on that is when it clattered (possibly due to starvation from the uptake), I never had the oil light come on when parked bringing up to 1,500 rpm. Maybe the clatter was from the starvation and the oil pressure switch was waiting for the pressure to get to a severe low level??? When it first happened and I drove it home up the hills, with the load, it would clatter and the oil light was on.

 

OK, as mentioned I was looking for any specs for the crank drive gear for oil pump for clearances or something. Maybe its not an issue, but putting my oil pump gear on the crank gear, I get about 3/16" slack with rotation from counter rotation positions (lining up with right side of crank key). Also there is some lateral play with the gear on the crank gear. Seems like it should be a better fit, but I have no way to know. Just wondering if anyone thinks this could be the cause to what is causing my possible oil pump clatter...

 

I'd send both heads out to a machine shop for a rebuild if it were me. Bottom end is probably gone

And honestly, this is probably the best example of why quality motor oil and regular scheduled oil changes need to get done.

 

OK, so I went ahead this afternoon and pulled the oil lower pan off to check the sump screen and its a bit dirty... so need to clean it up. Had about 50% air flow suction by mouth towards pump, but I'm sure would be less with oil viscosity. Time to finish my parts/gasket list and get the things to put it back together. Probably going to go with some good advice from those of you here and because I'm poor, to just not replace anything because the oil pump is within specs, the timing chain is only slightly stretched and timing is on the marks. Water pump is also still good. Just need to get new Oil control valves and screens, throw it all back together with new oil and filter with 1 qt. ATF with as minimal cost as possible and cross my fingers and see what happens when the hidden crud breaks up, if the clatter is gone then I should be good for awhile after another oil change and the problem was just sludge causing the stress to the oil pump making it clatter (or stuck chain tensioner making chain clatter). If not, will be back to the drawing board to do it all over again another day ...

 

No metal shavings in that sludge?

 

I didn't see any with a quick look, but I'm saving that thrill of an inspection for in the morning when I get it cleaned up. Good point, I will keep you posted.

 

agreed there is sludge in the engine that does NOT drain

with that much sludge oil passages could be blocked

allowing for starvation to vital parts

the check valve likely does NOT stand a chance against thet amount + thickness o sludge

 

That’s an insane amount of sludge!

 

I like how you say a little dirty.

Depending on finances I would be looking for a used engine or at least a short block. If you are not sure of tolerance on rebuild that may be an issue down the road.

Just a thought

 

Yep, problem is in Costa Rica where I live dealers don't sell Tacomas, so not too many driving around unless they were shipped here, so parts are scarce. I imported my truck right after I bought it in NC when I moved here 8 years ago. This one has to be fixed. Listening to the noise it made in my video I linked on Fb, I'm pretty sure it was the timing chain not being tensioined from lack of oil flow to the tensioner and/or the oil pump under stress from the sump sludge. Should be an easy fix after clean up and a few good oil flushes if I"m correct.

 

Sell it to some locals who fix it and get a hilux instead.

 

if U insist

not sure what type or gradeo oil introduced into the engine

not sure what type driving woud allow the oil would congeal

orig post was about a ‘ 1 quart overfill ‘ ...........................NOT That At ALL !!!!!

sludge thru out the engine CAN NOT be flushed with oil changes

no less the very same circumstance are present

 

Well... I wonder if the frequent short drives I do in the farm and the high humidity has caused so much repeated condensation in the engine that over time it mixed with the oil and sludged up like that. In the humid tropics we have problems that other places don't have. Nearly all electronics go bad in a fraction of the time due to the humidity. Just a thought...

 

‘ 148k miles with clean oil ‘.................................clean oil ?!?!?!?!?!!?

with that amount of s l u d g e there was NO cavitation

the pickup buried in the sludge...................or not allowed to swing down into the sump
( its on a swivel/hinge )

 

Well regarding the "clean oil", I could only tell or report what the dip stick showed without seeing inside the covers. The oil on the dip stick was relatively clean and clear, as it was actually hard to see the oil on the stick at all the day this all began. Just because the entire engine is covered in sludge doesn't mean the oil was visually dirty with carbon. When you pull a dipstick and can't see the metal through the black oil, I call that dirty oil. Mine looked basically like a clean oil change. So go figure... The sludge just sitting there not being affected by the oil or mixing with it much apparently. As weird as it sounds, that's what happened.

 

U are mostly correct it would take sustained driving with temps 180-190 to burn off H2O

for those that want to jump

there are places in an engine with temps 212 degrees & more

no less there are temp ranges that vary greatly resulting from ‘ load & speed ‘

no diff if U walk briskly

jog consistently

run 100 yard sprint

results in elevated body temps & heart beats

the environs contributed greatly...................they are still presnt ( like a bad rerun )

 

its not Ur credibility i question............

U saw what was evident

tho masked by a totally different reality