2.3 internal guru question...

[mikepotts]

okay so most of you already know what ive been building for my ranger, for those who dont... ive replaced a tired 2.0 with a j/y 2.3 which i had a valve job done cleaned up the bottom end added a new melling std oil pump, windage tray, roller cam, and adapted the efi intake to a holley 350 cfm carb. something interesting happened when i tried to prime the motor with a drill on the oil pump primer shaft i made... IT BLEW THE OIL FILTER APART! yes is said blew it APART. the end of the filter where it is crimped together came apart... motorcraft filter. so, i timed the motor, dropped the dizzy in, replaced the filter with a fram refilled with oil. primed the carb and fired it up! it started and ran perfectly! but it was dark, i could hear some funny noise below the intake... i dont know if there is another issue with the filter yet, i will continue checking it over tomorrow, just wanted to get this post up to see if anyone can think of anything off hand... if not, i will update this when i have more info.

 

[Mark_88]

Hmmm...interesting...sorry, but the only thing I can think of is the oil filter was defective...I'd be interested to know if it happens again though...

 

[mikepotts]

thanks, ive used hundreds of motorcraft filters (302's ect) and never had a problem... i guess i was due for a defective one. i hope that was all it was, it runs too good to have to get back into it! i spoke with a friend, he suggested maybe the new oil pump had the bypass valve stuck or something...

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

he suggested maybe the new oil pump had the bypass valve stuck or something...

took the words right out of my mouth.

either a defective pump or defective oil filter would be my vote. i would start by verifying the oil pressure with a mechanical gauge.

 

[4b316]

Mike,any time you put a new pump in ,you should put it in a pan of oil and prime it that way before it goes in,then prime again when in.This way you not only know that it that it is primed but gets rid of any machining leftovers,works for us

 

[mikepotts]

well... all of this might be a mute point. i went out this morn. looked at the new filter, and saw the gasket hanging out the side, so i spun it off and put the gasket back in place. the truck started right up flawlessly, i let it run for a minute before i decided to shut down and check the oil level. found it low, added some, tried to start back, it didnt even make a complete rotation before stopping SOLID! i guess it's back to the drawing board... gonna pull the motor and see WTF! maybe i should have put the 5.0 in it. this is my first effort with the 4 cyl's.

 

[Mark_88]

well... all of this might be a mute point. i went out this morn. looked at the new filter, and saw the gasket hanging out the side, so i spun it off and put the gasket back in place. the truck started right up flawlessly, i let it run for a minute before i decided to shut down and check the oil level. found it low, added some, tried to start back, it didnt even make a complete rotation before stopping SOLID! i guess it's back to the drawing board... gonna pull the motor and see WTF! maybe i should have put the 5.0 in it. this is my first effort with the 4 cyl's.

Ouch! Sorry to hear that...could be the new oil pump is wonky, but I've never heard of one stopping an engine like that...or blowing off oil filters...but very much an unusual and interesting situation...could be a good tech bulletin if you figure it out though...

All the best...

 

[mikepotts]

im a TOOL! at least partially, it seems i had a problem, then added another... i forgot to mention when i topped off the oil level i also started filling the radiator with coolant. it was THEN that i tryed to start it again, and it was locked up... it is hard for me to admit my stupidity, but evidently when connecting the pcv line to vacuum and the coolant line to the intake (same size hoses) i got them swapped around thus when i was filling the radiator it was working its way back to the place on the intake where i had hooked it up to manifold vacuum thus filling the intake thus filling the cylinder with an open intake valve thus hydro lock! told ya'll i was a TOOL! anyhow, i got all of that straightened out, changed the oil and filter, it atarted right up again... then... blew the oil filter gasket out. i put it back tightened it TIGHT! started it up again, and it blew it out again. so, i guess i need to pull the pan and oil pump... the problem HAS to be the pump, best i can figure.

 

[Mark_88]

Wow, I don't think you need any more lessons on this one...lol!

You had mentioned it did this even before you started it up...with the drill...since I'm not familiar with how this end of it works, I can only assume things...is there a line that goes to the oil filter and then another line that goes outward to the top end? If so, I would 'assume' that the line going out of the filter is plugged and when you prime oil into the filter it has no place to go so it builds pressure in the filter till it blows...

I love proving how ignorant I am...lol!

 

[mikepotts]

i made an oil pump primer from an extra dizzy and had the drill on it.

all the oil passages are internal in the block, best i could figure the relief in the pump HAD to be hung open, so i jacked the motor up in the truck, dropped the pan and removed the pump... i called autozone and raised cain since ive spend over $500.00 there in the last 2 weeks, they are gonna replace the pump and will be giving me another filter and oil... ive read else where on a mini stock message board where someone had over 100 lbs of oil pressure! it was suggested the valve was stuck he replaced the pump and fixed the problem. hopefully i will also!

oh and i doubt there is a blockage since there is oil coming up to the cam and lifters.

 

[mustang9093]

Oil pump

The oil pump internal relief valve is stuck closed. This will cause extreme oil preasure. The valve is spring loaded and preset at the factory for the correct running oil preasure. You can take it apart or replace the pump. I think I would swap it for a new one back where you got it. We use to modify the Melling pumps to increase the oil flow back before you could get the HV models. High preasure does't always mean high volume... Hope this helps.

 

[mikepotts]

well guys... as it turns out the relief WAS stuck, i swaped it out at autozone for another new pump... before i installed it i removed the plate and checked the relief and guess what... this one was stuck also! i got it free, lubed it with 30wt oil, packed it with vaseline (a mistake) then installed it. i got the vaseline thing from another web site, the reason i say it was a mistake is... it took FOREVER to get it to start pumping, but it finally took off and pumped nicely without blowing anything apart.... YEAH ME!

 

[Mark_88]

Excellent!


Glad it wasn't too difficult to resolve...it might make a good sticky for the tech board too...I'm sure there are many who consider changing the oil pump and if they knew it had potential problems avoid the extra down time of having to yank it out again...

 

[mikepotts]

as a final note... ALWAYS CHECK THE RELIEF VALVE FOR FREE TRAVEL! before installing remove the bottom plate to do so, while it is apart lube it with the MOTOR OIL of your choice DO NOT use vaseline or grease! then you can install it with confidence.