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Loss of oil pressure. Whats going on?

beyondloadedSE said:
Okay, oil is now back in the car and the oil pressure has gone unchanged. The "time bomb" continues ticking.
Click to expand...

Hey, Take a magnet to that material and see whether it is magnetic or not.

Bearing material would be steel, lead, copper, on a tri-metal bearing at a minimum. Anyway it is really hard to tell with the low-res picture you got.

I'd start seeing what the properties of the metal were with some simple tests so we can get an idea of what it might be.

For metal that size to come out of a bearing would mean that a rod would have to be going already. I mean does anyone remember he side clearance on the rod in the crankshaft journal? It isn't much so I can't see large pieces like that coming out. I'd say oil pump gears, maybe something in the head where the cams are, or perhaps the timing chains/sprockets/guides/tensioners first...
I dunno, more information/pics is needed.
 
I had my brother take the metal shavings to a magnet and they do NOT stick. So, im guessing its not part of the bearing. Perhaps the oil pump impellar?
 
Jim,

You may have just hit the nail on the head. If the gears are wobbling around in there, they could very well be taking shavings off the casing they're housed in which would be aluminum and would also explain a loss of oil pressure. It's an ugly job to do in the car, but it can be done to replace the oil pump if you don't want to mess with trying to pull everything. Basically, you're pulling the oil pan, pickup tube, valve covers, crank pulley, alternator and bracket, timing cover, timing assemblies, and oil pump.

Rick
 
Wow, first thought was a rod bearing thrust surface getting sliced off, but then Warmonger's comment on bearing magnetics have me questioning it... but after further review, I believe that the only steel used in these bearings is the backing of the main lead babbit area and not the side thrust surfaces. Being made of lead/brass/nickle, those side thrust pieces wouldn't be magnetic. Anyone have a new set of Clevite 77 bearings that they can test with a magnet to see if the edges pull???

It looks just like the rod bearing pieces I pulled out of Silvie. :-(

EDIT: I've failed to find a picture online of bearing construction, but I know I've seen one before of the innter steel only going down the middle...
 
im also gonna agree, i think you need a closer inspection of your oil pump, and if that does'nt show you the dillio, then i would prepare to pull the whole thing and dissassemble. :( i would only assume that it is a timebomb.
 
bnoon said:
Wow, first thought was a rod bearing thrust surface getting sliced off, but then Warmonger's comment on bearing magnetics have me questioning it... but after further review, I believe that the only steel used in these bearings is the backing of the main lead babbit area and not the side thrust surfaces. Being made of lead/brass/nickle, those side thrust pieces wouldn't be magnetic. Anyone have a new set of Clevite 77 bearings that they can test with a magnet to see if the edges pull???

It looks just like the rod bearing pieces I pulled out of Silvie. :-(

EDIT: I've failed to find a picture online of bearing construction, but I know I've seen one before of the innter steel only going down the middle...
Click to expand...


There are no "real" thrust surfaces on the rod bearings to speak of. The rod and cap as a combination have a machined surface that acts as the thrust. The bearing does not extend out. There will probably be some main bearing thrusts to prevent crank walk and that is something to look at.

However, I stick by my first advice to check the material out first and see what it is. If it is aluminum then it is NOT a clevite77 bearing and it must be something else.
If it is copper or lead or zinc it is probably a bearing. Aluminum will be quite hard in comparison to the lead or zinc. Copper will look like copper....etc.
It shouldn't be that hard to clean them up and put them on a paper towel, then take some good pictures.
 
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