I havn't figured out why the loss of oil pressure yet, but here's the history:

1/ oil light came on
2/ driver continued on for a few miles until engine seized when he idled down
3/ pics show 2nd rod bearing babbit seized to crank (I can polish it !!!...maybe....). Bearings had spun...tangs gone
4/ oil pan was full of oil
5/ oil pump tested by hand and pumps fine
6/ oil pump driveshaft intact
7/ installed oil pump drive shaft from underneath. Would not turn, so cam sensor seems OK. Turned engine by hand, and oil pump driveshaft turned properly
8/ oil filter was last part removed....comletely empty...no oil.....not a drop....very weird.

Any ideas what caused the loss of oil pressure?

 

Yeah John I have seen cranks in worse shape be emeried out with some oil as a cutting agent...But what the hell I can figure out is how the pump sucked the filter dry without touching the oil in the pan ?? Its like the Oil pump losts it prime and the oil from the filter just drained back into the pan?

When you clean-up the throw on the crank..just make sure it doesnt have any ridges in it you can hang a finger nail on.. That little Jap car I told you about we did a few weeks ago with almost the same problem...we did replace the pump and cleaned up the crank (only one) throw..and I talked to my Cousin yesterday, and she already has almost 2k on the car already...2 trips down to S.C. and back..and no oil light.. But I did tell her to sell the car after we got it running again..as she has 3 kids..LOL..

The uncles getting to old to go get her on break downs..So I'am next inline... I almost made the mistake of even telling her I would co-sign for one..But caught myself !! LOL

 

Thanks Russ. I think the journal is in pretty good shape, just has babbit stuck to it. No gouges, just high spots of bearing material. I should really junk the whole thing, but I'm sort of interested to see what happens if I can clean the journal and put in new bearings. Might last seconds....might last a year....who knows....

But first I need to find the cause of the problem. Usually it is the cam position sensor, and it might be that, but my mickey mouse test from underneath shows it to be good. Guess I'll have to take it out from up top and see if there are any missing or worn teeth. And take a look down the hole and look at the cam gear as well.

I find the empty oil filter most confusing. I guess it could have drained back, but it's at a slight downward angle, so some oil should have stayed in it. Maybe centrifugal force from the crank spinning past the oil bearing holes sucked the filter dry? (now that sounds like grasping at straws....LOL)

I wish I had an oil system diagram for this engine. It would be nice to know how the oil galleries were drilled and if there's a press-in cup somewhere between the oil pump and the filter that fell out.

 

Yeah that would be the hot ticket with a oiling diagram on it... be able too see what flows where and how ?? LOL

 

Next comes the confusion on buying stock bearings. I seem to have found where Ford had about 4 different sets of colour coded stock bearings, and you matched 1 bearing half to the block number and the other bearing half to the crank number......very confusing if that's the case.

 

LMAO !! Sorry John..I had to laugh...If that isnt a kick in the stones...LOL..I have never heard of such an animal..

 

I'll have to go visit Napa and find out, but on Summit Racing, they list stock rod and main bearings by Federal Mogul with no mention of any of that "matching" stuff.

Rod bearings are only $29.99, and a little more for mains....so it might be fun to see if I can get it to run again. More entertainment than going to dinner and the movies and at about the same price...LOL.

 

I've found out more. I checked 4 of the 6 rod bearings and all are bad....most are spun....some rod journals are beyond a simple clean-up. However, all main bearings are like new.

The cam synchronizer is perfect as well as the cam gear teeth. It's all starting to look like the engine was over-revved, a rod bearing let go, and then the oil pressure dropped causing the other rod bearings to go.

A few pointed questions to the driver, and it turns out there was an over-revving condition a little before the idiot light came on. Apparently the transmission was set to "Low" to see if the front tires could be spun and the revs got a little high.

So does that make sense, ... mains OK, rods all gone, and due to over-revving?

Unless I find something up top broke and allowed the oil pressure to drop off, I'd say it was due to the over-revving. 16 year olds.......smart enough, but don't always use the brain they've got......tough to be a teenager I guess.

 

Well John, Not being firmilar with how those 6's oil..it may have priority Oiling to the mains..As why it didnt take those out first ? Dont know? and then the rods oil thru the crank I would guess and not slash oiled..and took one out..and then the car was still driven taking the rest out til it dies a horrible death !! LOL

Yeah dont be too hard on the boy..We all were 16 at one time..and I know I did my fair share of tearing up the cars and Dads trucks too.. But one thing that maybe a little different..I think I cut my teeth on a crecent wrench...and with Dads help rebuilt my first briggs at age 9 for my mini bike..and then into dirt bike a year later..and at 12 he gave me a 54 Chev 2 dr.. with a blown up 235 six in it..and told me if I could get it running I could have it.. well that summer the head came off..and I found 2 exhaust valves that werent covering the holes.. Just knew that coudnt be right as the rest were over the holes..Didnt know the terminology back then..lol.. But with a part time job..a few weeks later it was running.. Even tho I couldnt leave the driveway with it..I had my own ride with Chrome reverse wheels on it ! LOL.. Awww the memories buddy !!

Havent had a chance to get back to your email..been working on the Boats Fuel Gauge..havent got it fixed yet..and need to by tomorrow..as were supposwed to get rain in wednesday and I need to cover it back up !

I'll catch ya on email... Didnt mean too write a novel here...Sorry guys..

 

Nah...crap happens.....I'm a little more upset that I have to do so much tearing apart to find the truth.

 

Well John, Yeah have to stop and think too...I know I wouldnt have had the stones to tell my dad the truth at that age.. a 65 442 he had, I I had the pleasure of driving to and from school at 16..and take an occational date out with.. well I got a ticket one night for bald rear tires..and Dad knew the tires were only about a year old..well I went with him to get the new Goodyears put on it..and he asked me if I had been smoking the tires..Of course I said NO..LOL..well the car went up on the rack..and when it jerked coming to the stops on the lift..a big piece of solid rubber fell from the gas tank the exact size of the tank also..it hit the garage floor like a welcome mat in front of your house !! He didnt say a word to me all the way home..My knees were knocking etc...I was giving my Mom my cashed checks from work...and when it amounted to the money for the rear tires..My Dad took that and then reamed my Azz... From that day on..I bought all my own car parts..unless I got something for a B-day or the like..LOL

 

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Very cool John... I didnt know you were into animation ? Thats funny stuff right there ! LOL

 

I've checked the oil pump, and nothing slips internally.

I guess I ought to remove the valve covers in case something let go in there, but I suspect this engine gets it's top end oiling up through the pushrods, and doesn't have direct oil feeds like an FE. So I doubt I'll find gallery plugs laying around up there.

I've had a number of people tell me the engine couldn't have been over-revved as there's a rev-limiter in the vehicle ECU. Of course with Ford electrical reliability......oh...that's not fair.....if the limiter is part of the ECU, the whole ignition system would shut down, not jsut a failure of the limiter.

Anuimation?.....moi?.....No....it's just a website where you can select animation and you type in the text. I'm no computer whiz, but making that was easy.

 

Well I know with the wifes car..it has that Ecotec 4 banger in it..and you cant rev it passed 4000rpm's out of gear.. and it hits the limiter..it also has one for reverse that it set way to low..As it cause me a pain in my back side last snow ot revving passed 2000rpm in reverse.. Its a damn good motor for only being a 4 banger and non turboed ..it puts out 165hp, reline is 6400 rpm and it cruises at 60 mph at 2000 on the tach in OD..

But they put all that computer crap on it..and its giving problems now..with only 95K on the clock..So its getting traded in a for a newer ford.. But I do know at one time...When I dont know..we bought the car with 20K on it..but someone disconnected the MPH limiter.... I have had the speedo at 110 and still had 2 grand left on the tach..

But on yours I have alomost pulled my hair trying to figure that one out ? and still nothing ! LOL