Penny-wise, pound......(aka stupid engine tricks)

[Livolsi, Stephane]

OK.OK. Here's my sad tale....

Many many moons ago I rebuilt the 4 cyl engine in my atoyoT 4X4 pickup.  I
did the complete teardown and sent the block away to be hot tanked, get
bored oversize and have the new pistons and crank installed (didn't feel
comfortable doing that part myself)  Got my block back, put it all back
together and into the truck.  Moment of truth.....crank, start and run very
nicely until helper points out no oil pressure on the gauge. Shut her down
and check the wiring to the sender - all ok.  Look up how I could possibly
have screwed up the oil pump and determine there is no way to get it wrong.
It's either in or it isn't.  And if it's in, and the crank is turning, the
oil pump must be pumping.  Me and all helpers totally stumped.  Pull off the
front of the engine to make sure pump gears are in and ok.  They are.  What
a PITA!!  Start up and still no oil pressure. ARRRGGGGHHHH!!  Agonize and
research for about a week until someone gets the idea that maybe the pump
has to be primed.  What the heck -- take off the front of the engine
(again), and pack the oil pump gears with grease.  Reassemble and crank with
ignition disconnected.

WTF!! Oil is squirting out a threaded hole in the side of the block.  We
determine that the hole goes into an oil passage and there used to be a plug
in there that they must have taken out when they hot tanked the block.
Without the plug, the oil pump could not create the vacuum to suck the oil
from the pan to the pump.  When we packed it with grease, it was able to
create the vacuum.  Fortunately it appeared there was no damage due to
running without oil because the engine gave many years and another 120,000km
of service (before I sold it) 

ah, memories.....

Stephane

> ----------
> From: 	Edward Birch[SMTP:edwbirch at home.com]
> Sent: 	November 30, 2000 11:06 AM
> To: 	quattro at audifans.com
> Subject: 	Penny-wise, pound......
> 
> You're not alone, my friend.  Many, many years ago, I completely rebuild a
> 1200CC FIAT Spider motor.  Complete rebuild. However, I did not replace
> the
> radiator hoses....the top hose was a weird design that had to be ordered
> from a FIAT dealer.  Anyway, on the way to work one morning, the top
> radiator hose split, the motor overheated and seized.  Oh, did I mention
> the
> temperature gauge....it read normal with no water in the cooling system.
> That car was my last FIAT.
> 
> Ed Birch....
> 1991-100
> 
> "A gun in hand is better than a cop on the phone"--Anonymous.
>