Can Engine Survive A Little Bit of Oil Starvation and Recover ?

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12-07-2011, 12:48 PM

#21

zeroptzero

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Join Date: Oct 2009

Location: Ontario Canada

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Quote:

Originally Posted by aCab

Are you sure you are experiencing oil starvation on track? It sounds like you're too nice to the car to drive it hard enough to experience it. Are you on r-comps when you track?

Does the motor feel like its lugging during cornering? It may be fuel starvation rather than oil starvation.

well I will never really know since the engine didn't appear to suffer any visible signs of damage. The only thing that alerted me was the increased wear found in the used oil sample, and the wear measured by used oil analysis only measures tiny soluable particles of metal, not larger particles that drop down into the pan. I'm probably being a bit OCD about this in hindsight, I was worried when I started the thread but I feel a bit better now and seeeing that the car is running fine. I'm just going to upgrade the bolts and oil pan as a precautionary measure if I do get back to the track next year. BTW, my runs at the track weren't overly hard runs, just light lapping, and only basic street tires used. There was no noticeable difference in the engine operation during cornering.

I am really looking forward to checking my oil jet bolts though, my car was produced in 2002 and is around engine number 5300, just shy of the last reported oil jet bolt changeover point in 2002. I've always wondered if my car had the new bolts or not, looks like I'll find out soon. Once I'm in there I'll be able to look up at the cylinders too which could be helpful.

Thanks for all of the replies thus far.

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12-07-2011, 08:15 PM

#22

davidc1

Join Date: Jun 2009

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Billman250

This engine can withstand MOMENTARY pressure loss, due to slight air intake through the oil pump due to sloshing. all engines can.

Its when the oil is low enough that the engine can make enough revolutions without oil, push away the remaining oil, and make metal contact.

The crank is supported across a straight line, hence you never see a damaged main bearing.

The rods are individual, and the forces are always opposing. This is why you can immediately spin a rod bearing due to oil starvation.

Keep your oil on the full mark at all times if you drive agressive or track the car, and you will be fine. Of course its good practice to always keep it full.

The saddest thing I learned about the s2k is the difficulty in checking the oil. I have 3 engines under my belt due to IMPROPER reading of the stick, not lack of checking.

If you pull the stick, and it reads perfect on one side, and shows nothing on the other, you HAVE NOTHING. Both sides of the stick must read the same. The reason one side reads and the other does not is because the stick takes a layer of oil off the inside of the engine on the way out.

So note to all, check BOTH SIDES of the stick, always.

Good point about reading the stick on both sides Billman. I've been fooled by this many times. In addition, I find our dipstick is one of the hardest to read, regardless. Especially when the oil is clean. A little trick I learned was after you pull the stick, put it upside down. The oil will flow and "pool" a little making it easier to read.