Itinerant Air-Cooled

RSorak 71Westy wrote:The oil at idle just barely flows outta the plastic oil gauge tubing. At 2000 RPM it flows pretty good but I can stop the flow by holding my finger over the end of the tube, this equals little to no pressure. Yes 2 senders. Yes pump is turning. Stock oil cooler only this is a 71 style dual port.

I cannot confirm that oil pickup is sealed this is one of the things I plan to check when splitting case. Bearings were all new, but nothing was measured. Engine is quiet. No knocking sounds.

Well, I am waiting right here. Good luck and may the issue present itself clearly . . . . . . .??

I apologize that this comment is probably not helpful in any way but I gotta give you props for having the brass ones to run your brand new engine with no indicated oil pressure. I hope everything turns out as best it can.

Dont have to run it long to see if its making pressure or not.....

dtrumbo wrote:I apologize that this comment is probably not helpful in any way but I gotta give you props for having the brass ones to run your brand new engine with no indicated oil pressure. I hope everything turns out as best it can.

A VW engine can run at idle with just an occasional squirt can of oil, they have excellent bearing surface area.
But . . . you don't rev it with no oil pressure.

Amskeptic wrote:But . . . you don't rev it with no oil pressure.

This is where my concern was based. Cam break-in and the post describing the 2k RPM measurements. Ah hell, who am I to comment. My wife drove her bus with the oil light on and it's fine... really!

Here's pics to prove very little to no damage from running over an hour with very little to no oil pressure.



See how the main bearing places for the bearings that are grooved on the back are dry? Shouldn't oil be pumped into the groove?







The blue silicone is my impromptu case plug, theres a metal pipe plug that just fits inside the hole and its firmly siliconed in place.

I'm still baffled as to why no oil pressure, all bearings are in place and everything looks a ok. The oil pickup is firmly in place, It appears I never removed it.

Any ideas????

Did you pack the oil pump full of Vasoline?? (don't go there) Mine would not build pressure until this was done.

RSorak 71Westy wrote: See how the main bearing places for the bearings that are grooved on the back are dry? Shouldn't oil be pumped into the groove?

I'm still baffled as to why no oil pressure, all bearings are in place and everything looks a ok. The oil pickup is firmly in place, It appears I never removed it.

Any ideas????

Is that red silicone all over the pump installation area?
What is going on up the inlet of the pump?

You cannot really get a read on main bearing oil supply distribution, because by the time you disassemble this far in, the oil has had lots of time to drain away. If you are saying that it is *dry* dry even in the main bearing gallery opening to the bearing, well hell, I don't know, RTV chunk in a gallery?
Colin

Yes theres a small amount to help prevent oil leaks, just around the very front perimeter. What do you mean by what is going on up the inlet of the pump.....nothing....just a passage.

They are dry as in have never gotten oil on them dry.......you can see it in the pics.

No I did not pack the pump but it was pumping oil I saw it with my own eyes, flow out the end of the plastic line going to gauge. Just not making any pressure.

RSorak 71Westy wrote: They are dry as in have never gotten oil on them dry.......you can see it in the pics.

I cannot discern that closely from here. In an oil splashy crankcase, I do not know how dry dry could exist.

If you have compressed air, try clearing each passage in the reverse direction of normal flow.
Colin

It really sucks the way this engine is designed that there's no way pressurize the oil system without it assembled and running.

Compressed air tests yielded everything fine, oil/air coming out all the required holes and none where it shouldn't be. The main bearings I thought looked dry were getting oil fine. Completely baffled I decided to test the oil pressure gauge. Nada Nothing the DAMN GAUGE WAS DEAD. Engine has probably been fine the entire time. No wonder it looks fine.

Time to put it back together and run it with another tested proven that works oil pressure gauge.

RSorak 71Westy wrote:DAMN GAUGE WAS DEAD.

One for the books . . . May I visit you on my way through to Dallas?
Colin

Sure. Be glad to! When do you expect this to be?

RSorak 71Westy wrote:Sure. Be glad to! When do you expect this to be?

Right in between here and there.
Colin
June 03 Sylvester ........................... Alpharetta GA
June 16 kirk ...................................... Sherman TX

Well the engine jumped back in the Thing today and with a diff gauge makes lotsa oil pressure. Lesson learned.