Ozz1967

iTrader: (4)

OK.

I need your help everyone. Huge issues I think...need some advice.


84 TA, 355sbc, 700R4. CC Qjet. So I took my car to the transmission shop to have my trans rebuilt. Drove it the 80 miles down there and had it rebuilt.

I picked the car up this past Tuesday and yes, the trans works great but I noticed that my oil pressure was low. Very low.

I have a high-performance pump in the motor that under normal conditions is 40ish psi at idle and 60+psi while driving approaching 80psi at 75mph.

Now it's reading 25-40psi at speed and only about 6-8 psi at idle.

My electronic gauge pegged at the zero mark at idle but it would jump right up to 20-30psi-ish when I gave it some gas.

Anyway, I drove it 80 miles home from the shop like this. Pressure stayed constant 30-40psi on the interstate but when we got into traffic and slowed down (rush hour stop and go) to 5-10mph the pressure bottomed out.

Once I got home I bought a gauge and I took the electronic sender off and installed a mechanical gauge and verified what I'm seeing on the electronic gauge.

When cold, the pressure is 40psi at high-idle and 20 psi at normal idle. However as the car warms up it drops and settles down to 4 psi in "D" at idle, 6psi in "p" at idle.

If I give it gas the pressure instantly shoots up and at 2700Rpm (70mph if I was on the interstate) its reading 26-30psi and it will gradually build up to 40psi.

I changed the oil and put 15w50 in and changed the filter since both of those can cause a low pressure reading if the oil is warn sufficiently (Long shot but worth the try) and the oil filter can be clogged or collapsed internally (Another long shot). Neither of which did any good.

When I changed the oil, I had no metal shavings on my magnetic pan drain plug but had this golden "river" in the oil when the filter was draining in my pan (See picture).

I'm moving Friday from Utah to Minnesota (1200 miles or so) and need to know if I should be worried or not. I'm already pulling a loaded trailer with my other vehicle so I can't tow it.

I'm thinking I should be very worried but I don't have the time to really do anything with it.

The first picture is my idle pressure. Second is at 2700rpm. The third picture is of the golden stuff coming out of my filter (I picked it up so you could see it).

Engine has 35K miles on it, isn't knocking and isn't making any appreciable lifter or rod knocking noises that I can tell.

Any thoughts, impressions, ideas or help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Night rider327

iTrader: (13)

The golden specks are your bearings, that would also go hand in hand with the low oil pressure.. The bearing clearances are now much wider and pressure drops due to the wide space the oil is trying to fill up.

I wouldn't even crank it again, much less drive it 1200 miles...

I guess it depends on the amount of work and parts you want to replace. Right now you might be able to get by with having crank polished and putting in new bearings... If you drive it and it spins a bearing or locks up you may need new crank, rods, cam, cam bearings, and maybe even a block if it spins a main bearing and eats the block saddle tang up too bad to be machined.

Ozz1967

iTrader: (4)

That's what I was afraid of...and not what I want to hear two days before I move...worst possible time for this to happen.

Night rider327

iTrader: (13)

Yeah man, I hate it for you. That just sucks all around.. You got anybody going with you on the move?

If so I say rent a Uhaul box truck, and a car hauler. Load Uhaul truck with your 'stuff' and pull the car hauler with your TA on it, and have wife/gf/mom/dad/etc drive your other car

Ozz1967

iTrader: (4)

My truck is pulling a 12 foot trailer already. I was going to drive that while wife drove my T/A. We've got three kids a dog and two cats...lol

fervernt

Do you think this trans shop had anything to do with it? Not sure what they could have done installing a trans to screw up your motor like that, but sounds awfully convenient that they get their hands on it and when you gey it back your bearings are shot...

Ron U.S.M.C.

Just a heads up
A 700r4 will be damaged if its pulled/towed with the rear wheels on the ground.
You will need the rear wheels on a dolly of some kind or disconnect the drive shaft.
( to bad its not the new pump ? )

Night rider327

iTrader: (13)

I would not think so... They may have accelerated the wear but not caused it. It takes a good amount of time to wear through the babbitt on the bearings and to cause a drop in oil pressure. Not something that happens over night really.

They may have dogged it and over rev'ed it on the "test drive" after installing trans and that sped up the wear but did not cause the problem to begin with

86LG4Bird

iTrader: (1)

First thing I thought of as I read your post. Thrust bearing. Saw this just recently on a friend's car from a ballooned torque converter. Too much TCC apply pressure can also do it.

Ozz1967

iTrader: (4)

I noticed it immediately after I fired it up. The shop out about 10-12 miles on it for test drive. Yes I suspect they put a little beating on it but enough to wear out the bearings that fast?

86LG4Bird

iTrader: (1)

No, I didn't mean that their test driving it caused the problem, no matter how hard they beat on it. I'm thinking a trans assembly/valvebody error or faulty torque converter that is loading the thrust bearing excessively.

Ozz1967

iTrader: (4)

Hmm...


That would be unfortunate. But so soon after install? I guess ill find out the hard way after the motor is rebuilt.. I do t know another way to check it...?

86LG4Bird

iTrader: (1)

It's just my first guess, from linking the two events rather than thinking it's just coincidence. I wouldn't get too committed to this or any other idea until you tear the engine down and see where the problem is. If it's anything other than the thrust bearing, forget I even mentioned it.
If it is the thrust bearing, I would not put that trans back behind the motor without letting a competent tranny guy check out the line pressures, specifically the TCC apply circuit, and the torque converter.

Ozz1967

iTrader: (4)

How would I tell where the damage came from if it is trans related as you say?