ninetysixyenko

VTEC solenoid screen was spotless.
Re-assembled and filled with Rotella T5 15w40. Oil cooler is disconnected currently. When started (cold), oil pressure came right up to 60-65 PSI idling at 2000 RPM until warm, once warm coolant was up to operating temperature, oil temperature was sitting at 150-155*F and pressure was 18-20 PSI. Took it for a drive, and got oil temperature up to 180*F, oil pressure was 55-60 PSI at 3000 RPMs and would drop to 35-40 PSI on VTEC engagement. Once I came to a stop, oil pressure had dropped to 5-6 PSI at idle, and oil temperature was about 195*F now. I slowly drove it back home and oil pressure just kept dropping the hotter the oil got. I got the oil up to about 215*F and pressure got as low as 23-25 PSI at 3000 RPMs, and 0 PSI at idle again once I got back home.

Next step will be to order a new oil pump and replace it once I get some time again. I'm moving into a new house next week, so it will probably be a few weeks. I am thinking there is a piece of RTV lodged in the oil pump or the clearances became skewed when I had the 250*F oil excursion a few months ago, allowing too much free play the hotter (more viscous) the oil gets.

Any other comments or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

spdracerut

I'm leaning towards the oil pump and more specifically the relief valve and spring. I'm a bit surprised there's that much RTV in your pick-up screen. Regardless, maybe some of that RTV got jammed in the relief valve.

ninetysixyenko

I did not open the pump it's self up, but I did take the spring out and verify it was clean and still had tension. I could not see into the orifice with the pump still on the car though. That sounds like a sound theory.

I was surprised with the amount of RTV myself, and I'm not sure why, the oil pan surface and timing cover surface barely have any overhang on them.

ninetysixyenko

Somewhat of an update:

I had a thought that my mechanical gauge isn't as accurate as it should be, even though it's following the digital very closely. I had this thought because it's a liquid filled gauge (normally my due pressure gauge) and they can be effected by temperature, plus the car isn't acting like it has low oil pressure. I went to my local Autoparts store and bought 2 Cheap Bosch oil pressure gauges ($12 a piece) and tied them both into my system. Currently, my oil is 180*F, at idle, the Innovate is reading 5-6 PSI. The liquid filled mechanical is also reading between 5 and 10 PSI. The 2 cheap Bosch sensors are both reading between 40 and 45 PSI.

At this point I am thinking I don't actually have an issue at all. I just ordered a replacement sensor for the innovate gauge. It should be here by the end of the week, I'll update when it comes in.

MorngWoodStewie

Hmmmm lol. Gotta love calibrated items! And or lack of.

Sylvain2000

Good to know your engine is ok.

Still sucks that a faulty , no two faulty gauges caused you so much research.

ninetysixyenko

Just updating this thread as I got my issue fixed this past weekend. It was in fact the Oil sending unit and mechanical gauge that was faulty. of course, Innovate discontinued that specific sensor and the new sensor isn't supported by the old gauge, so I had to order a whole new MTX-D gauge setup, I found this out after the wrong part showed up on the first order. Oil pressure is now what it use to be. The oil sending unit that I took out actually had a tiny crack in the housing, even though I was not leaking any oil, something inside of the unit must have failed causing it.