Is My Oil Pump Dead?

[HRthirtyone]

Hey, just put a new rb20 in my r32. Its running a HKS2530, 5500ccinj, microtech etc. was driving it hard the other night, and noticed i could hear a very loud "ticking" sound from under the bonnet.

i pulled over and checkd under the bonnet, and it sounded like a lifter on the intake side. whilst idling at 1000rpm, the red oil light would come on, revs drop, then go off, and revs pick up. it would repeat this.

the standard oil pressure guage also reads very low. I am pretty sure my last engine died of the same symptoms, would blocked turbo lines cause this? Anyone got any ideas?

[brizzi]

hey dude. what oil do ya run? If ya got the money get rid of the standard oil pressure gauge ther so dodgey! I put a electric aftermarket in mine cos i was worried bout the low reading! Mine runs 100psi when cold and 50psi warmed up cruzn on the high way... 80pound when ya give it a gut full and 35 40 pound at idle.. oil is castrol edge 5w30 fully synthetic.

[brizzi]

my old rb25 had that noise. after i had been flogging it but i put that moreys oil stabiliser in with the oil then it was as quiet as a mouse!

[HRthirtyone]

yea im using penrite 5-40w synthetic blend, went in a week ago with a new filter. The lifter(s) were REALLY loud, like it had NO oil whatso ever.

but its full, and theres no leaks. I wouldnt be so worried if it was just the oil pressure guage. I plan on getting one of the Justjap gauges..

my oil return line from turbo has a kink in it, and may be restricting flow, would this cause low pressure?

[brizzi]

Oh yeah man.. That is on of ya main feeds from the oil pump... i think but it should just blow ya pressure rellief in ya pump not a expert but i dont like bein a know all (",) hope ya havent done any damage to that nice turbo but! Wish i had one....

[brizzi]

That oil is good but! Its not like you are using dodgey crap

[HRthirtyone]

hmmm yea cheers!

[FATGTS-R]

As I understand it the oil return from turbo is under no pressure and is just gravity fed back to sump. So I would say its not the cause

But having that kink could slow down the oil return process and possibly back up the return pipe to the point its struggling to get out the turbo and blow seals?

Am I on the righ train of thought?

[BHDave]

I'd say oil pump as the factory light goes off at really low pressures (under .5 bar) and is less prone to failure than the dodgy factory gauge. For it to be on at idle, combined with the noisy lifters is almost definately pointing at a pressure problem, whether the pump or a pick up problem (you don't have a dented sump by any chance?).

As fatgts-r has pointed out, the kink in the return line is doing you no favours but would more than likely result in a smokey turbo rather than an oil pressure problem as it is only a low pressure return to the sump. Even blocked oil feeds to the turbo should result in a higher system pressure rather than lower (and again, not so good for the turbo).

You'd know the difference between noisy 550 injectors and lifters too i'd bet so i won't go there Not that you can hear the injectors clicking away from in the cabin.

[HRthirtyone]

ok, started it up this morning, i changed the oil filter for the hell of it, and topped it up with oil. The stock guage went up showing pressure, just below the 4. No lifter noise, and sounded perfect. I rekon ill get a proper pressure gauge before i take it anywhere.

[T04GTR]

just put a oil presure guage on. theres only one way to know. also blocked turbo oil lines wont cause this problem.

do you have a remote oil filter thingy on.?

ive seen people put them on backwards so the oil has alot of trouble flowing backwards threw the filter

[Cubes]

whilst idling at 1000rpm, the red oil light would come on, revs drop, then go off, and revs pick up. it would repeat this.

This is the strange part, as its a new motor have you checked all your earths? Maybe a bad earth is causing rpm drop and as a coincidence the oil light to show? A stab in the dark but its worth a look.