Oil pump 83' 944

Brad O. · 06-10-2003, 12:05 PM

Ok i have a 83' 944 and im just now getting around to restoring it and all that good stuff. But when its running i get a fairly loud clicking sound. It used to do that for about 2 mins then it would quiet down. But now it doesnt at all. I was told that its the lifters. But my oil light is on and according to my guage i dont have any oil preassure. So i changed the sending unit and still the same thing. I paid a good little chunk of money and had a mechanic change the oil pump but the SOB screwed me over and didnt do it. (i have a law- suit pending against him so do many others). So do any of you have any idea of whats wrong with my poor car thanks.

FLA944 · 06-10-2003, 01:09 PM

Sounds like the oil press. relief valve (OPV). On the bottom of the oil cooler there is a cover, remove it, the spring, and the valve. Clean all in a solvent and clean where it goes in. If any scratches on the valve take them out with emery cloth. Lube all parts with assembly lube pior to installing.

Rick

Brad O. · 06-10-2003, 03:55 PM

Thanks FLA944 ill try that in a few mins

Anyone else have any other ideas just in case?

todwic · todwic's Garage

I had a simular problem with my '84. I did what FLA sed and that did the trick.

todwic · todwic's Garage

I would look to the oil pump as the very lastest of last of a problem. They are really very simple, and inherently durable. Much like corkscrew compressors (high volume guys like sol-air) the oil pump has two gears that "squish" (or squash, your pref.) the oil to wherever it goes. very little to go wrong.

Brad O. · 07-02-2003, 07:45 PM

ok i took out the preassure relief valve and it turns out its one of the newer 1 piece models. Instead of the original 3 piece that comes standard with a 85 and prior or something like that. And i read that its a direct retrofit so it should work fine. But when i took it out there was some gunk on the little holes at the end of the valve i cleaned that off and i started to examine it to see how it works and i pushed on it and with much resistance it started to move toward the top of the valve. but it took alot of pushing to compress it but when i did it some oil very little oil came out of little hole on the side and thats it the holes on the end didnt open or anything and i had to push pretty hard to compress it. So i cleaned what i could stuck it back in and still nothing no oil pressure according to the guage and the light was still on and still that horrid clickin sound didnt quiet 1 bit. So my Q's are.

1.Should i have to push that hard to open it as far as i did? Can the engine produce enough preassure to compress it that much to open it?

2.Should the wholes on the end of it open up when i compress it?

anything would be much appreciated

drew1 · 07-02-2003, 09:19 PM

That little valve lets off oil when there is so much pumped that the pressure is high enough to cause it to open.

If you don't have oil pressure, you could have a pump that isn't putting out enough (maybe stopped up strainer in oil pan) or too much oil getting by somewhere else. If you rev the motor does it build up pressure?

drew1

Martin T · 07-03-2003, 05:22 AM

my bet would be the crank pulley is loose or the the power steering pulley is not seated properly, this will give the oil pump no drive and result in this problem

Col · 07-03-2003, 11:16 PM

I am having the same problem with an 84 model. Any luck yet.
A local mechanic told me that if you remove the pressure relief valve and turn the motor over you will get oil out of the opening in the block.

I tried this and got no oil out of the pressure relief valve opening so I guess the oil pump is not functioning or the sump oil intake is not connected tightly

FLA944 · 07-07-2003, 07:31 AM

Col,

Give us a little more info, year,miles, condition,etc..

If you are not getting oil out when turning over you may simply need to prime the pump. Remove the oil filter and pour fresh oil down the return tube (center) goes straight to the pump.

Now, when you turn over you should get oil out of the opv. If not remove the filter again and turn over. You should see oil being pumped up the feed side (outer). If not, serious problem. Drop the pan and and check screen. be careful of the baffle do not force pan drop, inch the suction tube around baffle gingerly and take you're time the baffle is worth about $300.

With the pan dropped you can now remove the oil pump up front. Order the front seal kit from pelican (cheap stuff) as well as the oil pan gasket. Due to the high heat of the 2.5 the seals deteriorate quickly.Check the gears on the pump. they should be ok unless sucked up alot of crap. More likely the PO or someone didn't line up the gears correctly

Rick

Col · 07-07-2003, 05:15 PM

FLA944

Thanks for the information.

Its a 1984 with 140,000 Km on the clock. I have had the car for about 2 years and not touched the motor. New front and rear wheel bearings and most recently a clutch (all done myself after reading the great threads on this forum). Reasonable condition starts easy and no smoke. Have not had a compression test.

I have put in a new clutch and had not started the motor for about 2 months.

I have tried putting oil down the return tube as you suggested (half a dozen times) and turned the motor over but still no oil at the opv or at the feed holes at the filter housing.

I fear I may have serious trouble, but will try priming it again before dropping the pan.

Cheers
Col

swimmingly · 07-07-2003, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by drew1
That little valve lets off oil when there is so much pumped that the pressure is high enough to cause it to open.

If you don't have oil pressure, you could have a pump that isn't putting out enough (maybe stopped up strainer in oil pan) or too much oil getting by somewhere else. If you rev the motor does it build up pressure?

drew1

Not too long ago my oil pressure gauge flickered for a few miles and went dead (went to 0 and stayed there). After the drive, I was parking my car and noticed the wheel was difficult to turn. I was able to take it to an auto shop and raise it on a lift. The pulley on the crank that pulled the power steering belt literally fell off (I think someone didn't tighten the bolt on the end after doing a timing belt job) and so the pulley and the belt were just sitting there on my spoiler under the nose of the car. I put the pulley and the belt back on and tightened the bolt on the end of the crank to fix it. I drove it around a little bit and naturally the power steering fluid circulated and steering became easy but ALSO the oil pressure gauge went back up to normal!

So, yeah, I would check the power steering pump's belt first.

-Matt

swimmingly · 07-07-2003, 05:29 PM

oops, pressed the "quote" on the wrong post, I meant to reply to Martin's post.

-Matt