Sudden loss of Oil pressure, Engine rattling

[Doug Menkhaus]

So, driving to work, a block away, I hear some engine pinging and detonation sounds, like it does when I have crap gas in it sometimes. Gently accellerate to get to next block, sound is getting louder. What's this? Check Gauges light? What? I have plenty of gas. let me see here. OH CRAP! NO OIL PRESSURE!!!



Turn left to get off main street and park truck on side street. Engine rattling a bit, not loud, but a bit). Shut off engine. Go inside to work.



Come out a few hours later with a co-worker, we check oil, plenty on the dip stick. Start it up, run s perfect, just rattling, so yeah, no oil pressure. Turn off after 3-4 seconds.



02 Sportrac, 125K miles, regular oil changes over the years, but iregular driving (I don't drive it much anymore, it sits for days or weeks sometimes.



Is this the dreaded timing chain???



Doogie

 

[Vic Sorlie]

If one of the timing chains broke the engine would not run. If engine runs but you've got no oil pressure then the oil pump's given up methinks. If you look at the schematics on fordparts.com you'll see the oil pump assembly. I think verifying loss of oil pressure with a direct gauge would be first step. If engine's rattling though it doesn't bode well.

 

[Todd Z]

Or pieces of the chain guide ( plastic) is stuck in the bump and boom...



Need to remove the small oil pan and look inside and hook up a pressure tester to the engine.



Todd Z

 

[Mark K 2]

My 1995 Ford Contour with 1235 miles on it did the same thing. The second I heard the rattle, I shut the engine off... right on the freeway... and coasted into a Ford dealer (how convenient). The oil pump died. The tech think I caught it in time, however. My car was towed back to my home dealer and they installed a new engine to be safe.

 

[Doug Menkhaus]

Well, we've pulled tha valve covers and used a scope to check out the timing chains. All is well there, both front and rear.



We've pulled the intake to get at the Oil Pump Drive Gear, all is well there. Last thing is to pull the inspection pan on the bottom of the oil pan (bolts are rusted, might be a bit) and see if something is clogging the intake of the sump. I super hope that I find bits and pieces of the chain tensioners in the oil pick up tube clogging it up. If that's not it, my little '02 might be a goner.....

 

[Doug Menkhaus]

OK, so, here we are, and We have found the problem!



You may recall, I had a sudden loss of oil pressure, followed by upper valve train rattle for 30 seconds while I found a place to pull over and shut off the engine.



Pulled the valve covers, and used a scope to check out the timing gears and guides. All was well, no broken bits and no sludge anywhere to be seen.



Pulled the Intake Manifold and pulled the oil Drive gear, looks brand new it's that clean.



Today, pulled the inspection plate on the bottom. Perfectly clean, no bits of timing guide plastic to be found. WTH could it be then?



Back up to the top of the engine and finally pulled the Oil Pump Drive Shaft (using long needle nose pliers) and WALA!! The oil pump drive shaft is sheared off! Check out the pic. There is supposed to be a gear on EACH end of this shaft, not just the top side. So, it's obvious the oil pump drive shaft is snapped. Easy enough to replace, but, I have to get the remains of the old shaft out of the engine before I can put the new $25 part in. Without dropping the motor, how can I do that? Tomorrow I think we'll try to grab it with a magnet and pull up through the shaft housing. Anybody else run into this? How did you get it out? Help!



Thanks!



Doogie

 

[Doug Menkhaus]

Well, pulled the engine, replaced the locked up oil pump, and oil pump drive shaft. While we were there, we R&R'd all the timing chains, and guides. Putting the engine back in tomorrow (and probably keep working on it through the weekend...)



Keep your fingers crossed!

 

[Doug Menkhaus]

Engine back in with new oil pump, new timing chains and guides... purrs like a kitten