Oil Intake - where does it go - as in where did my rag go?

[K-fab]

I'm doing my second Phazer install into a single seat off road car. The engine's are amazing.

When I started working on installing the engine into the car, I put a small piece of paper towel in the pickup line spud on the bottom of the engine to avoid dripping oil all over the place. A couple nights ago a buddy helped me put the hoses to the oil res on didn't realize that there was a stopper in the one line and I forgot about it.

I started the engine, and had a small funky knock (probably the geo-rotor in the oil pump eating the paper towel) coming from the engine. Shut it down, checked everything, started it up again - no knock, but the engine would only run about 10 seconds and then shut down - gave me code 30 which is no oil pressure.

I pulled the oil pressure check plug by the left exhaust pipe and discovered that I wasn't getting oil to the system - or very, very little. I also found that the oil that I had put in the engine was now all in the oil res and spitting out the excess into the airbox. So the pump's pumping back out, but it's not drawing anything in. The filter in the bottom of the res is spotless - no blockage in the lines, res or such - it's in the engine.

I pulled the intake line and put my finger over it with the engine running - an oil pump usually pulls a pretty good vacuum, but this one barely did anything.

It would appear that the rag was ingested by the oil pump (It's not in the pump that I can see) and has passed it on into the oil galleys. Fortunately it's a paper towel, so it won't do any damage.

What I need to know is where do I look from here? I've not pulled the pump yet - just the oil pan.

The oil filter is nice and clean - doesn't look like the towel ended up there.

I have a service manual, but it doesn't show (or I've not found the pages) any sort of diagram for the oil system and the passages, so I'm not really sure where to go next.

If someone that's had one of these engines apart and can lead my blind, dumb butt down the correct path I'd really appreciate it.

My first car w/the Phazer in it:

The current build (with the plugged oil galley):

Here's a link to the builds I'm doing if anyone's interested.

 

[K-fab]

That's my next place to go. I was hoping to avoid dumping the coolant (even though I know I'm going to have to...)

 

[PEO]

Have you checked the oil cooler

 

[K-fab]

Hey, what happened to the first reply to my post?

PEO - that's what I was replying about - that's the next place to check.

 

[PEO]

I happened to attached the oilcooler picture twice and it didnt look

to good so i deleted the post and submited again without the picture.

You replayed before i changed it, that why its in wrong order.

 

[SledderSteve]

Re: Oil Intake - where does it go - as in where did my rag g

Here's a link to the builds I'm doing if anyone's interested.

Awesome link K-fab, thanks for sharing.

 

[K-fab]

Well, I don't know exactly what the issue was, but I got a new gasket and oil filter today - so the engine's back together and runs just fine.

I'm beginning to think that I had the intake and return lines to the tank reversed. I checked and rechecked too...

I'm also fairly sure I didn't have enough oil in the system.

I was pretty tired and frustrated the other day so the instructions on filling the engine and tank weren't making total sense.

I sat down and re-read the oil change/replace instructions this morning and the light bulb went on as to what was being said. I can't believe this little engine uses over a gallon of oil! 3.68 liters in the engine, 1.5 in the res. I was at least a quart low in the engine last week. DUH on my part!!!

I took the car out for a quick test run after I got it all put back together.

Grooved BFG Comp T/A's don't have any traction on wet asphalt.

It was very hard to keep the rear from breaking free. Fun too! Slide, slide, slide, SPIN!

I was glad that when I came back into the shop I was pointed away from anything - wet grooved BFG Comp T/A's have even less traction on polished concrete.

I have one more conversion to do. Woo Hoo!!! - 120 hours in this one.

Thanks for the help.

 

[fletch83]

man i'm jealous i want one, would a nytro engine fit in one of those?

 

[K-fab]

man i'm jealous i want one, would a nytro engine fit in one of those?

LOL! The stadium lite sized car is a blast.

I'd be playing on a sled if we had snow in Cincinnati, but I'm stuck in the dirt... (which is fine - dirt runs through my veins - see pic below - three Stadium Lites and a Class 10 desert race car)

No chance that you could put a three cylinder power plant in one. There's really no need for the extra hp the triple would make - the Phazer powerplant's on the verge of being too much for the tires to keep traction on anything other than sand.