Starting Up A Car That's On A Steep Slope?

[CRoNic...]

Is there any implications to starting up a car that hasn't done anything for 2 weeks when it's on a pretty steep slope?

I haven't driven/started up my GTR for about 2 weeks now, so I went outside to start it up this morning. My driveway is on a insane slope. But I always reverse the car in, so the engine is facing up towards the road (if that makes sense). Anyway, turned it over, and the oil pressure light stayed on (due to 0psi oil pressure) for a good 10 seconds and then it went flying up to 60psi.

Obviously all the oil was at the very back of the sump, but would this cause any sort of harm to the engine itself? No bearing issues? The oil is full, as I just had it serviced and a oil change a few weeks back. But I can't check it when it's on a angle obviously, as it reads that I've got no oil.

Just a bit worried, as you would be when you see 0 oil pressure lol.

I'm not getting any weird/strange sounds coming from the engine, either. And all the compression, etc etc etc is a-ok.

Usually when cold, the oil pressure will sit on 6 for 10 seconds, then slowly dip down to 2... but then if I drive to the road and get the car on the correct level, it shoots back up to 6 and will stay there until the car is nearly warm.

[Blue32]

simple solution - park your car the other way so all the oil is at the front of the sump where the pickup is for the oil pump, then you won't have these dramas ever again. FYI if we see 0 oil pressure in the aircraft I fly for greater than 10 secs, we change the engine........

[CRoNic...]

That's crazy! So the oil pump is at the front of the engine (meaning closer to the radiator rather than the firewall)?

[Blue32]

yep - behind the harmonic balancer just below the water pump. Pickup is in the middle of the lowest part of the sump.

[Sinful]

There would still be a bit of oil sitting in all the bearings from when you turned it off last and in probably some sitting in the crank and oil galleries, when you start it up we are talking about a millisecond of "no oil" .Once the car is started there should be oil pressure and the pump is working immediately as it runs off your crank. Your crank moves the oil pump gears move...There are too many myths about have to warm up the car before you drive it..I think pish posh but each to there own

There would only be a problem arising if you had low oil in the car...

Cronic you worry me..you have brought a GTR but do you know the price of unforseen outcomes that are out of your control that come with owning a GTR

They have a proorly designed Sump from factory and the R32 have a crap oil drive on the crank If you are as worried as you are about oil issues I would be pulling the engine out and putting in the neccessary precautions to put your mind at ease!

[CRoNic...]

Yeah true. Also, I'm relying on the standard oil pressure unit... which is notorious for providing incorrect readings from the sender unit!

But from now on, I'll drive into the driveway rather than reversing in!

Edit: Jess, yeah I've done a fair amount of research on R32 GTR's and their oil issues, etc. (hence why I went for the 94 model to eliminate the early model crank issue). I'm fully aware that a full rebuild can cost between $5000 for a basic one, all the way up to $10,000 for a pretty serious rebuild and then up and up from there. But, saying that, it also depends on what's let go when you do get a 'death knock' or other weird rattle (block might have a hole in it, bearings might be shot, crank might be marked, etc).

I don't think mines ever been rebuilt, but at the same time, you can't have a idea to how the car is treated in Japan... even if it's recipts say it's only done 30,000k's and garaged all it's life, those 30,000k's could have been days bouncing off the rev limiter! It's had a compression, leak down test, etc and the motor has proved to be healthy.

I can only delay the rebuild... I can't prevent it. All RB26's will need a rebuild at some point. Just like the ceramic turbos... it's not a matter of if it'll let go, it's a matter of when. I'm currently putting aside money for roughly the price of a full engine rebuild in which I'll install all the required oil mods (gated sump, new oil pump, oil restrictors, etc).

I've owned the GTR now for a good year and it's been pretty good to me (touch wood). I've always had it serviced every 5000 k's or 3 months, whichever comes first, but I barely drive it. Most of the time it just sits in the driveway.

Edited January 10, 2009 by CRoNic...

[Sinful]

Yeah your right those guages can be crappy but if the red light goes off after start up and it doesnt come back on your all good!! But you do understand that oil pressure needle moves up and down while driving, with cornering and idles at light and just normal paced driving should sit around -4 ? Its if it goes under -2 then worry

Get a aftermarket pressure guage installed

[CRoNic...]

Yep I know about the gauge. It always sits around 4 under normal driving and 2 at the lights and between 6 and 7 when cold. It once sat right near 0 at the lights, but I got it checked and the sender unit is a bit dodgy. It's about 10psi for each 1000rpm.

I'm looking around at the moment for a aftermarket gauge! Electrical one, that is. I don't want boiling oil pumping into the cabin lol.

[Sinful]

Edit: Jess, yeah I've done a fair amount of research on R32 GTR's and their oil issues, etc. (hence why I went for the 94 model to eliminate the early model crank issue). I'm fully aware that a full rebuild can cost between $5000 for a basic one, all the way up to $10,000 for a pretty serious rebuild and then up and up from there. But, saying that, it also depends on what's let go when you do get a 'death knock' or other weird rattle (block might have a hole in it, bearings might be shot, crank might be marked, etc).

I don't think mines ever been rebuilt, but at the same time, you can't have a idea to how the car is treated in Japan... even if it's recipts say it's only done 30,000k's and garaged all it's life, those 30,000k's could have been days bouncing off the rev limiter! It's had a compression, leak down test, etc and the motor has proved to be healthy.

I can only delay the rebuild... I can't prevent it. All RB26's will need a rebuild at some point. Just like the ceramic turbos... it's not a matter of if it'll let go, it's a matter of when. I'm currently putting aside money for roughly the price of a full engine rebuild in which I'll install all the required oil mods (gated sump, new oil pump, oil restrictors, etc).

I've owned the GTR now for a good year and it's been pretty good to me (touch wood). I've always had it serviced every 5000 k's or 3 months, whichever comes first, but I barely drive it. Most of the time it just sits in the driveway.

The 94 model still has the early crank issue...Even on R33 Crank I have in my car I still put a bigger crank collar on it to drive the oil pump...

Cool, I am glad you are aware of GTR issues...You hear of so many horror storys and GTR being off the roads for years Just the way you sounded it was like you just brought the car a week ago.I do apologise I mean no offence

I opened up my R33 engine and it look like brand new inside..I only pulled my engine out as I had no idea what it was or what was in it and we were bored one day I know my car had been tracked as well in Japan as some of the suspension work was not standard and I had negative-6 Camber on the front haha..

[CRoNic...]

Lol no offense taken, Jess! Glad to have your input here! We need more GTR guru's lol.

[Dohmar]

Yep I know about the gauge. It always sits around 4 under normal driving and 2 at the lights and between 6 and 7 when cold. It once sat right near 0 at the lights, but I got it checked and the sender unit is a bit dodgy. It's about 10psi for each 1000rpm.

I'm looking around at the moment for a aftermarket gauge! Electrical one, that is. I don't want boiling oil pumping into the cabin lol.

I got a mechanical oil pressure gauge, no oil in my cabin really depends on how well u fasten the seals.... I prefer mechanical to electrical simply because theres too much electrical stuff in the car already, and mechanical gauges are always calibrated (well the VDO's I have are) and I like the independant readout...

-D

[Blue32]

You will have a full oil pump drive collar on your GTR Daniel - you are right in thinking the early GTR's have the half width oil drive, but late R32 upwards are all good.

The GTR has 2 independant systems of indicating oil pressure - an oil pressure GAUGE (with oil pressure sender which are notoriously faulty, generally they read right for a while, then read incorrectly like 2 bar low ((still indicating oil pressure TRENDS)) and then read true again. All nissan RB oil pressure senders do this (RB30 upwards). The second is the oil pressure LIGHT, which runs on an oil pressure SWITCH totally independant to your pressure gauge. If you ever see this come on whilst driving, shut it off as quick as possible (safety first of course, but) the means you have NO oil pressure and if you are lucky you'll only score your bearings. Next step would be you will spin a bearing, then if that seizes you install air conditioning in your block and a rod escapes........BAD + $$$$$

You shouldn't have damaged your bearings with parking it on an extreme angle, however this is definately not a great idea and will accelerate bearing wear. 10 secs without pressure isn't great, and with such a simple rectification of parking your car the other way round, I know what I'd be doing. The oil pickup is probably exposed when parked the wrong way round, and it only gets oil feed to it once the crank splashes the oil around and causes the oil to slosh around, THEN feeding the pickup.

As for oil warmup - in your application be careful not to boot it when it is cold, just drive on minimum boost and revs till it does warm up. This will ensure all components are at operating temp and oil is up to temp where it is designed to lubricate properly. Hell, I warm mine up for 10 mins before it even moves, but my application is different with forged pistons etc.

JESS - negative 6 camber eh, was your car a delorean in its previous life?? jokes, I think you mean castor

[rad100]

so ur saying with forged pistons the oil temp needs to be at operating temp?

this is very interesting reading..

[Blue32]

Forged pistons expand with heat and contract when cold. It is only a very slight amount, but depending on levels of silicon within the piston make up (which varies between manufacturers) you set clearances to allow these pistons to expand into the actual clearance you desire. All engine components are happiest when stable at operating temperature. Consider the fact we have cast iron blocks and alloy heads........

Think of it this way - some of our engines make 680hp odd at the engine. On 156.7 Cu in. That is the equivalent of a 400 chev making 1730hp. You wouldn't just jump in one of those and cain them cold would you? In fact most of these engines get pulled down and rebuilt after every (drag) run......

[Sinful]

I got a mechanical oil pressure gauge, no oil in my cabin really depends on how well u fasten the seals.... I prefer mechanical to electrical simply because theres too much electrical stuff in the car already, and mechanical gauges are always calibrated (well the VDO's I have are) and I like the independant readout...

-D

I prefer the mechanical oil pressure guages as well its more of a true reading. Only a tiny line that goes to the guage Cronic

You will have a full oil pump drive collar on your GTR Daniel - you are right in thinking the early GTR's have the half width oil drive, but late R32 upwards are all good.

As for oil warmup - in your application be careful not to boot it when it is cold, just drive on minimum boost and revs till it does warm up. This will ensure all components are at operating temp and oil is up to temp where it is designed to lubricate properly. Hell, I warm mine up for 10 mins before it even moves, but my application is different with forged pistons etc.

JESS - negative 6 camber eh, was your car a delorean in its previous life?? jokes, I think you mean castor

Each to there own on the oil warm up theory..

haha Nah I had Cusco short arms in my GTR that gave me -6 camber. The top of the tyre was pulled in under the guard and the bottom stuck out more so gave it this look " \ " Was awesome on the track as I didnt get understeer. But bad on the road as chewed all my tyres out on the inside as was only using the smallest amount of the tyre..Castor is when you move the strut and pull the tyre more forward or backward in the wheel arch..Is that Correct?

[r33 chris]

hey andrew you know ur stuff man, i just learnt a shitload lol