9 replies to this topic

[turbotrana]

I have a weird oil pressure problem on my turbo 202.

Driving at constant 2000 to 3000 rpm and the oil light will come on. Whilst rolling along I shut the engine off, immediately start and oil pressure back. It happens unpredictably. If I stay under 2000rpm all is fine. If I hard rev it, the light will come on. Shut off and restart its OK

I changed the oil pump and same thing.

So I can only suspect the oil pickup at this point.

I have a fibrescope that I can stick thru a hole to look at things internally but still not sure where to look first.

So wondering if anyone ever break a pickup on a 202 and if so where.

Any other suggestions to pin point the problem appreciated.

Not keen on ripping the engine out till fully diagnosed.

[76lxhatch]

I would think that a broken pickup would result in no oil pressure at low revs, if at all, as the pump would be sucking air rather than oil. Sounds more like a restriction to me, something is blocked up. Either that or the oil pressure light switch is stuffed.

[FastEHHolden]

Do you have guage fitted?

[turbotrana]

I have a oil switch. I thought the oil switch could be a problem so I got another one and I wired it directly to a new light hanging off the steering colume. This switch is rated to go on about 15psi.

So its definately not that.

I was thinking if its just a slight crack somewhere along the pickup.

Its a real PIA. Over 20 years playing with these engines and nothing ever like this.

[rexy]

Never had a broken pickup in a 202 but have had several in my 355 and 383 holdens. Broke 3 factory ones and a high energy custom one as well! They all broke at the same point - where the head of the pickup meets the stem.
The symptoms were fairly similar each time to what you have experienced. Oil pressure would usually be OK cold but when hot a good rev would suddenly result in no pressure, presumably as the crack was uncovered by the lowered oil level.
Two of the factory heads fell off completely while the others only had cracks that I doubt you would see with your fibre scope. I just pulled the sump off with the eng in the car to fix the last two episodes.
Why so many failures? Not sure to be honest. All were set up properly with respect to the sump floor. Best theory was an odd harmonic from all the custom bits/ large cams.
A side note> the high vol oil pumps are so good in the 308 based engines that I would routinely have the oil warning light come on with heavy braking after a blast through 1st/2nd/3rd as the oil had all gone from the sump! This was with a slightly overfilled high energy sump!

Good luck.
R

[76lxhatch]

This switch is rated to go on about 15psi.

Shouldn't it be more like 5 to 7psi?

[gtrboyy]

When I stripped down my old 202 I found the head of the pickup had cracked right through,it was a high energy pan..engine did show low'ish oil pressure even with a high volume oil pump,it was a junker 202 so I didn't really worry about it too much as it never lost oil pressure.

[turbotrana]

This switch is rated to go on about 15psi.

Shouldn't it be more like 5 to 7psi?

I dont use the standard switch, I am using one with a higher rating.


I will drain the sump and see whether I can get the fibrescope to look at the pickup. When I built the sump I put alot of baffles in there so dont know if I will be able to see.

Nevetheless it looks like the engine is gotta come out. Just dont have time to do it ATM.

I will keep you posted

[turbotrana]

I thought I would post a follow up after all these years. My Tory has been parked up for the last 15 years. The other day I bought an articulating automotive endoscope camera to see inside engines.

I drained the oil and stuck the camera down the dip stick hole.  The large head of the oil pump pick up tube had broken off completely,  just sitting there on the bottom of the sump. So it only had the tube end to suck in oil.

You would get normal oil pressure then all of a sudden it would drop. I suspect sucking up any liquid with a tube would cause a vortex of some sort, that is why you need the typical pickup piece.

Nevertheless the engine has seen a lot of hard work to 7000 rpm so it took its toll on this piece. An easy fix, will have to braze some reinforcemnt to live another day. Nothing sparkly in the oil so I suspect all good in the bearing dept.

[gtrboyy]

Sounds like my old triple webbered 202 after pulled it down large pickup head was in sump.

Ol' 202 was buzzed hard broke alternator brackets & buzzed flywheels loose in early days