C20XE no oil pressure

[BRoadGhost]

Did a sump gasket change along with welding in a baffle plate to the steel sump the other day, refitted everything perfect, reused old [2000 miles] oil & went for 3 mile test drive. Everything fine.

Next day driving to work get 1/2 mile down the road oil pressure dropped like a stone till warning light came on. Killed the engine, spun the car round, pootled home since engine was still cold as...

Took the whole lot off again everything perfect as I expected, but I have reason to believe [after speaking with SBD] I introduced some crap into the oil system which has made the oil pressure relief valve stick.

Undid the 24MM retaining nut which popped off with spring following, but no relief valve. Seems to be stuck in there, what I really need to know is:-

Should I put it all back together & new oil / filter change - hoping valve will open

Or try to prize the standard relief valve out [if so how's best to do this?] & order a nylon bomb proof upgrade from SBD

Or maybe do the above & clean OE valve & refit?

[Iain]

Is it completely wedged in there or were you expecting it to just drop out? I had to remove mine with a set of circlip pliers/a magnet, although it wasn't stuck. (Sorry if its a dumb/patronising question!)

[Benn]

Remove the spring, put the 24mm nut back on and turn the engine over with the king lead off (so it wont start) you should hear the valve pop out. (i had to do this when mine was sticking)

Remove nut, sand and polish the valve as it will prob have marks on it.

Change oil for some cheap stuff, do a few miles and get warm. Then dump the oil and filter out and fill with better oil, should have flushed any "bits" out.


*Cant really see why a nylon one is better, only that if something gets in there it will wear a grove in the nylon so the valve wont stick i guess?*

[novaxe235]

Either do as Benn says above or use a 90 degree pick to pull the valve out, if you buy a nylon SBD valve it will still stick (i did the same) you can buy a small honing tool to hone the bore of the pump, or replace it with a new one, then polish the metal valve on a lathe, That's what i did mines been fine since.

[BRoadGhost]

Thanks guys will try that.

So is this a classic case of why oil isn't being pressurised and fed round the engine?

[joff-turbo-nova]

I got a tapered tap (as in a tap and die set) which bit into the metal just enough to get a purchase and pull it out.

I had the same symptoms - no oil pressure due to crap in the oil - mine was due to debris within a replacement cylinder head.

The valve has a couple of holes at the top on the walls of the valve - a bit of welding rod with a 90 degree turn a the top with a few mm left should enable you to pull it out.

Joff

[novaxe235]

Yes it happens quite a lot, if like SBD said things aren't kept clean.

[Benn]

Thanks guys will try that.

So is this a classic case of why oil isn't being pressurised and fed round the engine?

Yes, it can either stick open or close. Giving to high or to low pressure.

[Will F]

Its never happened to me, but its a v common problem with OE relief valves.

If its a std engine, I would go OE, otherwise I would think about some SBD lovliness

[BRoadGhost]

Just tried hooking it out with a bit of ally welding rod with a 90º bend in it at the top to no avail.

Then tried turning the engine over without the spring in place & no joy. Is that because the sump was off & it needs it for the pressure to blow it out? Should I refit the whole lot except the relief valve spring, fill with new oil & filter then try starting it?

[Rich]

z20let pump ftw

[Benn]

You'll need the sump on yes to get the pressure up.

I'd re fit it all with clean oil and filter, leave the spring out, turn it over with the lead off that should make it pop out. Remove it (watch for oil as some will come out)
Sand/clean/polish the valve then re fit with spring. The turn over to check you get pressure.

[Rich]

The pickup pipses not blocked is it? Sealant gets clocked in it when too much is used on the sump

[BRoadGhost]

Pickup pipe is clean as. Thanks for advice Ben.

[Benn]

Any time dude.

[nova_saloon]

they use pvs ones because the standard relief valve is not alluminium so when heat is added the react differently and can react different, had this with mine. I just used a screwdriver (carefull i add) and managed to get the bugger out polished it up clean out the pump good and stuck it back in. works a treat.

[bazil]

Long nose pliers, open and pull, my mates done the same, ended up in a full bottom end rebuild, no oil for even a short period can kill the bottom end!

He won't go for the ZLET pump as there is a few engines that have resulted in blown turbo seals with that pump, iirc you need to fit a oil restrictor before the turbo in order to stop the seals being fooked.

[BRoadGhost]

Managed to pull the mofo out with an adapted piece of ally welding rod [as not to scratch the steel bore] with great effort I might add in the end... Wire wooled it till it was like a fcuking mirror, lubed her up reinserted, fresh mineral oil & filter ran for 20 min, let cool & drained.

New semi syth & filter again took it for a run, when off gas / braking the pressure gauge does like to drop down low ~ anyone else finding this? When driving say 3K+ goes back up to max. Probably what I didn't expect though is the way the engine behaves now all from 1 tiny component ~ before it never used to rev as clean & had flat spots etc.

Trouble is now the rev counter likes to have a seizure on say 1/5 throttle even though the engine torque / power feels stronger than it ever did before. I'm assuming this has something to do with the ignition system being used to the previous loading on it to achieve same results..?

[Benn]

So is it dropping a bit to low?

[Will F]

Can you get your hands on a mechanical guage to read the pressure properly? I never trust the senders/gauges on Vauxhalls...

[BRoadGhost]

Fcuk it final straw today was a ticking noise 10 seconds after startup that took some driving revs to clear - that engine NEVER taps or ticks & I won't damage it anymore.

Picked up the phone & Paid SBD the £49 plus the VAT plus the carriage for their nylon solution.

God only knows WHAT my coil is doing making the rev counter go mental even though it drives smooth as silk, way better than before…

[Benn]

Some odd probs