New LPOP, no oil pressure

[jrholod]

Hi,

I' just finished reinstalling the engine after removal to replace the lifters and gaskets. I have it back in the truck, with a new LPOP and cover, and it cranks strong but the oil filter base isn't getting at oil to it while cranking after 3-4 minutes of total cranking. I've been trying to find if there's a way to prime the system because I didn't to anything, and I have the oil cooler, hpop, hp rails and front cover all off. I'm going to check the oil pressure regular regulator next to make sure it's not stuck. After that, I plan to remove the crank pulley (ugh! just put new bolts on it) and look at things, and fill the gearotors up with lithium grease. Anyone have anything to suggest? Thanks!

~Joe

[dannyboy950]

If you have the cap off and nothing holding closed the plastic drain valve in the bottom of the houseing the filter will not fill up, it drains back out as fast as you put it in.

[jrholod]

Ok so now I have oil coming up the oil filter area, but still no ICP pressure. Charging up now. I guess it really just takes this long?

[dannyboy950]

It can take a while some times. You also have a resivoir that the oilcooler sets in that feeds the HPOP it holds about three qts that you have to fill up plus the oil rails themselves so it takes a bit.

[m-chan68]

Just curious. Did you replace the cam too, along with the lifters? If so, I hope you removed the crank to replace the cam.

[jrholod]

Ran out of budget by purchasing a used long block of the wrong year, so I had to stick with my original engine. The cam was well within tolerances, even the lobe of the damaged lifter - it was the furthest back on the driver side, so I could actually see it and touch it after removing the HPOP. There was some light scratches to the lobe but no gouging. Polished it with some 400 and 600 grit. Never removed the cam or the crank. I have no experience to base the condition of the lobe, but when I was done it felt as smoothe as the others I could reach. I wish I could have gotten the new cam and have it installed but it just wasn't doable this time around.

Now the engine starts! Feels great to feel her rumbe again. Issue I'm having now is with the glow plugs. I replaced all 8 plugs and their harnesses during this job (I'm in AK and the plugs were cheap, figured why not) and now the plugs don't work. Throwing all 8 plug codes. Unplugging the w connectors from the GPCM throw the GPCM code and communication code, pluggin them back in I'm back to just the original 8 codes. The glow plug harnesses are definitely plugged in. I went so far as to to plug in an old harness with an old plug on it and hold it to the frame, cycle the key on, and same codes and the plug stays cold.

I looked at some schematics in the bible and I notice that both of the connectors going to the GPCM share a common Positive lead that says "To Battery" and "Alternator Power" and I can't find that actual connection. I'm assuming that lead comes off of the main engine harness. Where is it? And does it bolt directly to the pass-side battery? Also, the alternator is not installed yet - is that the problem?

M-Chan I still owe you a case of beer from before. Thanks again for that one.

~Joe

[m-chan68]

Yes, the main lead comes off the main engine harness. If you don't have your alternator plugged in, that would explain it. The main positive lead comes from your passenger side battery, so if you don't have that connected, you don't have power to your glow plugs. If you want to verify your connections, unplug the glow plug harnesses, and ohm out all four circuits (glow plug harness side) to battery ground. You should see between 0.5 to 2.0 ohms on each circuit. Any higher than that, you have an issue with the glow plug or harness.

[jrholod]

Got everything else put back together tonight and took her on the road. I busted the nipple off the turbo pressor sensor and glued it back on... so... It sounds like a windy day when under boost. Ordering that guy. Also, once the oil was warmed up, while idling the oil pressure gauge dropped and the dash read "Check Gauges". I'm gonna check under my filter for the drain valve being seated correctly, also I'll take a look around for leaks. Maybe I'll try a new pressure sensor.

Long cranking times too - it's taking a long time to build ICP. Like, 10 seconds so not too serious. Could this still be from a problem on the low pressure side? I should've probably replaced my front cover but due to budgetary contstraints I put some JB Weld on some scratches under the Gear Rotors instead. New Gear Rotors, new pump cover. ICP stays good all the way through the RPM band once it's started, idle and under load. Couldn't still be the HPOP, could it?

I need a break from working on this thing. I'm going to Hawaii on Tuesday! Whoot!

[m-chan68]

Originally Posted by jrholod

Got everything else put back together tonight and took her on the road. I busted the nipple off the turbo pressor sensor and glued it back on... so... It sounds like a windy day when under boost. Ordering that guy. Also, once the oil was warmed up, while idling the oil pressure gauge dropped and the dash read "Check Gauges". I'm gonna check under my filter for the drain valve being seated correctly, also I'll take a look around for leaks. Maybe I'll try a new pressure sensor.

What exactly do you mean by turbo pressure sensor? Are you using a Ford/Motorcraft filter, or another one of those garbage aftermarket ones?

Originally Posted by jrholod

Long cranking times too - it's taking a long time to build ICP. Like, 10 seconds so not too serious. Could this still be from a problem on the low pressure side? I should've probably replaced my front cover but due to budgetary contstraints I put some JB Weld on some scratches under the Gear Rotors instead. New Gear Rotors, new pump cover. ICP stays good all the way through the RPM band once it's started, idle and under load. Couldn't still be the HPOP, could it?

So if I understand correctly, you JB welded the surfaces of the front cover that the gerotor gears ride on? WHY? If money was an issue, you should have at least bought a good used boneyard front cover to install. I understand that a cam and roller lifter failure is an expensive problem to fix (99% of the time resulting in short/long block replacement), but THAT is definitely one part of the engine that should NOT have been band-aided.

Originally Posted by jrholod

I need a break from working on this thing. I'm going to Hawaii on Tuesday! Whoot!

Why don't you stop by Kapaa to say hi to my aunt for me? I must be in the wrong profession. I wish I could afford to take off to Hawaii, because I of all people could definitely use a break from life.

[jrholod]

What exactly do you mean by turbo pressure sensor? Are you using a Ford/Motorcraft filter, or another one of those garbage aftermarket ones?

Further research revealed this to be the MAP sensor. I am using the stock filter.

So if I understand correctly, you JB welded the surfaces of the front cover that the gerotor gears ride on? WHY? If money was an issue, you should have at least bought a good used boneyard front cover to install. I understand that a cam and roller lifter failure is an expensive problem to fix (99% of the time resulting in short/long block replacement), but THAT is definitely one part of the engine that should NOT have been band-aided.

Yeah, the part the gears ride on. My reasoning behind this was that I can replace the front cover with the engine in if it became an issue. I'm still not convinced this is the problem. If I can't troubleshoot the oil pressure issue without replacing the front cover, then it will be replaced.

Why don't you stop by Kapaa to say hi to my aunt for me? I must be in the wrong profession. I wish I could afford to take off to Hawaii, because I of all people could definitely use a break from life.

If you were in a different profession I'm pretty sure my truck would still be a pile of parts taking up half my garage.... And Hawaii is one of the shortest flights from here.


Thanks again everyone, I probably won't mess with anything for a couple of weeks again, it's just good to have the truck driveable again.

~Joe