New Forged Engine Starting, No Oil Pressure??

clarkytrd

Member +
Hi folks,

I started my new engine today, I had cranked it a few times before starting it (efi fuse removed, king lead removed and injector harness removed.) started on the first turn of the key and ran lovely for a few seconds, but noticed my oil pressure gauge with a full reading and never moved, needle was at the very top of the gauge.

Engine developed a slight top end rattle after a bit so I turned it off to be safe. I know forged engines are a little rattly but this was top end rattle, everything is timed up spot on!

Thought there might not of been any oil pressure, took off the rocker cover and turned engine over by hand and not a squirt of oil out of the head...

Any idea's??

Thanks :)
 

lukep

Member +
Did you replace the pump..... Start with oil pickup fitted? Oil pressure relief valve fitted? Oil seal on the oil pickup fitted?
 

clarkytrd

Member +
Every seal, washer, pump, nut, bolt has been replaced. Dont know what it is!

I primed the engine before hand, well I tried.. I just hope I didnt do any harm cranking it IF there is no oil pressure..!?
 

Texx

Super Moderator
Did the oil light go out?

Did you prime the oil pump with some Vaseline/assembly lube or something similar?

Did you prime the oil filter with oil before installing it?


Remove the oil filter and fill it to the brim with fresh oil and also back fill the oil pump through the oil filter housing, then remove the spark plugs and EFI fuse and crank the engine in bursts of approx 10 seconds until the oil light goes out. Wait for the oil light to come back on and repeat this process until the oil light has come on and gone out several times.

Then reinstall the spark plugs and EFI fuse and start the thing up, hopefully no damage has been done.
 

clarkytrd

Member +
Cheers for that Texx, I'l give it a go tomorrow. I'm pretty sure I oiled the pump before fitting, one thing I did forget, filling up the oil filter lol.

Everything sounds perfect turning over by hand, no knocks or rattles so hopefully all is ok. :)
 

sx_turbo

Lifer
forged pistons sound like a top end rattle,

also did you keep the cam gears tensioned?

check the wiring on the oil pressure gauge, i cant see you doing to much damage on idle for a few seconds, if u have just need new bearings
 

clarkytrd

Member +
Cheers Ricky,

Now that you mention it, it does sound like a rattly forged engine, not much noise from top end at all.

I cranked it over a few times just there, and there is not much oil spray when I open the oil cap... yet the oil filter is full of oil..!?
I cranked it untill the oil light went out, so I presume I have oil pressure??

I'm just waiting on new manifold studs and nuts due a blow from runner no.2, damaged stud and not tightening. Then I'l try it again and see how it goes!

Thanks for the help guys!
 

weeJohn

Lifer
If the oil pressure gauge was on full scale and didnt move then you probably have a break in the wiring or the its not connected to the sensor. The factory switch is ok for checking there is base pressure, sometimes when the coolant is not round the block enough it can be loud on the bottom end as well.
 

clarkytrd

Member +
Cheers for that WeeJohn, You were 100% bang on! I had the Oil Temp Connector in the back of the Oil Pressure Gauge and vice versa lol :p...

So I have oil pressure and the oil temp is bang on.. I still need to set the timing but with engine warm and on idle I am getting between 1 1/2 - 2 bar of Oil Pressure, Is this normal it is??

I am uploading a video of the engine running to make sure the rattle is just the forged bottom end and nothing serious.
Think I'm just paranoid with a fresh forged engine lol :D.
 

weeJohn

Lifer
Pressure is a bit high for a warm engine, but it could be what gauge you are using or where you are measuring it from.
 

clarkytrd

Member +
Its a Prosport gauge, its pretty new! Like I said, I havent set the timing yet so could that cause the pressure to sit a little high?

Most of the time its about 1.5bar on idle :). What kinda pressure should I be getting on idle / cruising and on boost?

Cheers.
 

Skalabala

Member +
Glad the problem was innocent :)
To me 1.5-2 bar is good for idle. What oil did you use?
Boost won't make your pressure higher, you want the pressure to rise to the region of 6bar and no more
 

AdamB

Member +
I think that 1.5-2 bar is good. I got a 5EFE manual here and it says the minimum pressure should be 0.3 bar at idle, I think thats a bit low. Can't see a 4E being too much different.
 

sx_turbo

Lifer
yeah these engines run best with a 1k idle, for some reason they tend not to like 750, and for running in purposes, i recomend upping the idle a tad more to about 1100-1200 just to keep as much strain off the engine as poss, once youve done about 500 miles, turn the idle back down to normal, and i recomend plenty of oil changes, an oil change after 50 miles, then an oil + filter change at 150 miles then an oil + filter change at 350, and an oil + filter change at 500 miles, then go as normal,

at 1k, you should be between 1 + 1.5 bar, 3k should be 3.5-4bar (from memory), any less than 3 bar @ 3k you got issues
 

sx_turbo

Lifer
I think that 1.5-2 bar is good. I got a 5EFE manual here and it says the minimum pressure should be 0.3 bar at idle, I think thats a bit low. Can't see a 4E being too much different.

do not trust that manual, i know its what toyota say, but that low means your engines pretty buggered
 

AdamB

Member +
Did think that myself mate. I would like to say atleast 1 bar on warm idle. A good way to go is 1 bar for every 1000rpm.
 
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