Please Help!

The oil in my 302 appears to have rust flakes or dirt in it. This has become progressively worse since my antifreeze turned to slush last winter. At that time and several times since, I've changed the oil and filter. I have just come back from two weeks vacation, and I think something major has happened - the engine is a lot noisier and the oil gauge doesn't come off `L' .

Any ideas for checks/troubleshooting would be appreciated.

 

that is not rust you are seeing, that is copper flakes coming from your bearings and that explains why you have a noisy engine and no oil psi

 

It could be coking in the lifter valley. Do you have gritty chunks in the oil?There is a pre-filter for the pcv valve at the back of the intake manifold. If that does not get changed it clogs. Your engine will run like the pcv valve is not working (because it isn't), and coking forms in the valley. I have seen this happen. Solution: Remove the intake manifold, lay a rag at the bottom of the valley and clean the valley with a toothbrush sized wire brush. Remove the rag carefully making sure you do not drop any more coking into the engine. Make sure all the oil ports are clear of obstructions. Place a rag back in the valley to prevent any dirt from getting in the oil ports. Drain the oil. Jack the engine up and place 2x4 's under the engine mounts. Remove the oil pan. At this point might as well change the timing chain since you are there and the oil pump. Remove the oil pump pick-up tube and see if the screen is clogged. You can use a propane torch to burn the screen clean. Clean any coking out of the pan and reassemble in reverse order.
If f-100 guy is right then you still have to drop the oil pan anyway to change the bearings.

 

Is the oil rust colored or does it actually have rust particles in it? If it is rust (or mud) colored something is causing the oil to break down, possibly a main bearing is bad and getting extemely hot and breaking down the oil chemically. That would also cause the pressure gage to read low.

 

Hey Sparky, give us a clue. Is the oil copper colored, rusty looking or muddy looking, or does it have black chunks?

 

Thanks folks.

The oil actually looks pretty clean on the dipstick (I changed it very recently), but at the bottom of the dipstick there was flakes that looked dark or black, and could be `ground up' between my fingers.
Back when the antifreeze froze, I think the engine overheated pretty good. Prior to that there was no problem whatsoever. I don't use the truck that much, but since that incident, the oil gauge has fluctuated sometimes at low rpms, and also rust spots developed on the dipstick.
FYI:
I'm a little mechanically inclined and I'm not scared to take the oil pan off, but bearing changes etc. may be over my head (no matter how much American Chopper I watch .

 

You have coking in the lifter valley Sparky. Do like I told you. Then while you are at it get some plasti-guage and check the bearings, they are probably worn from oil starvation due to the loose coking in the oil. If they are not worn, then you won't have to change them. It is not a hard job. A mechanic will charge a lot of money and not do as consciencious a job as you will on your own vehicle.

 

Thanks for the info.

I started today - I hope I'm done by next New Years

 

Hey sparky good luck, Happy New Year. Make sure all the oil ports are clear. Let us know how it comes out.

 

I'm stuck.

I'm having trouble getting the friggin oil pan off. Before I go off on a tangent I was hoping for some advice.

The thing that appears to be blocking removal is the driver's side exhaust pipe crossing over under the back of the oil pan. I've unbolted the exhaust manifolds from the engine, but not where they join the exhaust pipe. Is this what I need to disconnect to drop the pipe doen or remove it? Or am I on the completely wrong track?

When I jacked the motor up, I only got about 1" clearance on the motor mounts and then it felt like there was resistance. I've read other people getting 4"? That would probably do the trick without dismantling the exhaust.

Any advice would be appreciated...

Thanks in avance,
Sparky302

 

Sparky, you should have left the manifolds on and unbolted the exhaust pipes from the manifold. Do you have a chilton's book? It gives detailed information on how to remove the oil pan. If not try your local library for one. Good luck.

 

Well I got the oil pan off and found the `driveshaft` for the oil pump was broken. It looks like a hexagonal rod, but there is at least a full twist in it - is that how its supposed to look?

Also, what drives the driveshaft? The oil pump turns freely, so I'm thinking the other end is seized or jammed.

Is it good practice to change the oil pump at this point?

Thanks again,
Sparky 302

 

If you have dropped the pan, it is cheap insurance to change the pump. You might want to change the oil pump shaft. Compare the old one to the new one and look for damage. If the old one is not damaged, you can always bring the new one back to the store. I don't remember how the pump shaft looked. Usually, any problems with the pump are usually at the pump and not from where it is driven. pump shafts have broken from using too heavy an oil.

How does the pick-up screen look. If it is clogged, you remove the pickup tube from the pump and burn the screen clean using a propane torch.

Good luck

 

the pump may have been picking up particles and trying to freeze up or like said, too heavy of an oil. if i was you i would pull 1 of the main cap and look at the bearings because this would have me worried if i was finding stuff in my oil. just check for copper and gouges in the bearings and crank. yes your driveshaft is twisted, it supposed to be straight.

 

I do believe he is going to check the bearings. I forgot how the pump shaft looked. I'm glad you set it straight. I think he has coking in the valley and it loosened up and has made it's way through the engine. This would starve the bearings, as well as everything else.