Just wondering if anyone can give me some advice. Since I had a couple of eye operations and some other problems, my motor-home has been sitting since April when I went to Terlingua. About a week ago or so, I drained the oil and changed the oil and filter. Since I didn't want to just start the motor and not drive it to get it up to temperature, I just let it sit.
Today I went out to take it in for inspection which runs out this month. When I started it, the bell went off and it said to check my gauges. I had no oil pressure. OK, takes a little time to build up pressure, so let it run for a few seconds. Turned it off and restarted it, same thing. Let it run for about 20 seconds or so and shut it down. Do not want it to seize up on me, so will not run it for very long.
What do you think is the trouble? Could the new filter be bad? Sitting without running after the oil change, could that have made ports or screens clog up? Did my oil pump shaft break. Don't really know what to do or where to start.
This morning is our monthly ham radio breakfast and afterward, I will stop by the Ford dealership in town and pick up a Motorcraft oil filter and replace the Wix that I just put in. The motor is a Ford V-10.
Ben gave me some suggestions, so hope it is something simple. Any and all advise would be appreciated.
Since you going to a "coffee break" with all your ham buddies, ask around. Shoot, you may find a mechanic there that can give you some advice or is familiar with that same engine and issue.. AND report back later what you find out please.
ReplyDeleteIs there oil showing on the dipstick?
ReplyDeleteDizzy, years ago it was a common part of changing the filter to fill 'er up before installing. But that doesn't sound like your problem since you ran the engine for an hour without any oil pressure. As long as there is oil in the bottom of the sump, it's gonna pump up pressure.....in most cases. To me, 20 seconds sounds like a long time to build up pressure (most take right at 5 seconds).
ReplyDeleteI can think of a lot of possibilities for your problem. But they would require you to pull the engine and tear it down....lol....j/k.
Just changing oil will not cause the oil pump to go out, so we gonna look at some other possibilities. AIR....!!! I'm think'n pressure switch here. An air lock not letting the pressure switch detect oil pressure. Apparently you don't have an oil pressure GAUGE....just an idiot light....what is probably in the same circuit as the alarm.....what is probably operated by the computer system.
The first thing I would do is re-replace the filter....Oh, you already said you was gonna do that. Wix is a very good filter and I really don't think that is the problem. When you change the filter, it should be full of oil....what means the oil pump is working....that is if you installed it empty. If you filled it with oil first, we have to go back and start all over again. We know that the oil pump shaft can't be broke since the engine wasn't running when you changed the oil. And when you parked it, it had oil pressure and no alarm.
There is a test you can do to check if the oil pump is pumping, but it's gonna make a mess and the EPA will fine you dearly. Remove the oil filter, have the little lady start the engine (no more than 5 seconds). You are under there watch'n right? Oil should gush out of the engine where the oil filter screws on....something like a quart or two. Now we get'n somewhere. No oil means you got a problem. But you already know that. After ya clean up all the oil what gushed out, refill the filter and put it back on. Remember righty tighty, lefty loosy....hehehehe. Ok, now we know we have (some) oil pressure. So what is setting off the alarm? AIR???
Now for test #2. Remove the oil pressure switch. Hmmmm, what we gonna do with the mess it gonna make when the little lady starts the engine. Most rednecks will have some fittings lay'n round the will allow a hose to be connected and directed toward a container (most rednecks will just lite it fly and clean up the mess tomorrow).
Well shoot, this has been fun but it's get'n looooong. I would suggest you drive it to the Ford dealership, but don't think you could get there in less than 20 seconds. Remember that each time you start the engine with no oil pressure, there is less residual oil to lubricate. What ever you do, don't ruin a perfectly good Ford 10 cylinder power plant.
Hee Hee Hee, after writing all that crap, I done forgot to suggest you reset the computer/computers.
ReplyDeleteDisconnect the negative battery terminal for 5 minutes, reconnect and restart engine. NO....not for over 10 seconds.
Thank you for your help. Yes Barney, the dip stick said full. I was thinking of starting it up again and if the valves arn't clicking, then it probably is OK. But, BB, I will take the new oil filter off and see if there is oil in it. Better to be safe than sorry. Will keep you guys updated. The guys at the breakfast and at the dealershiip seem to think that the highest probability is the the sending unit for the oil gauge. (yes, BB, it has a gauge but they are not much better than an idiot light. They only rormal or low, so I am told)
ReplyDeleteWell shoot, since you have a gauge, it's gonna move when ya crank up the engine....if you have any pressure at all. Did it???
ReplyDeleteNow that we are guaranteed that there is oil in the sump we can move on. Two things happen often on the New electronic dash instruments. The instrument cluster has partial faiilures ($650 on a 2004 diesel named the Truck) or the sensor for oil pressure fails. If you have the "modern" electronic systems it is just a yes or no switch for pressure. The instrument panel is programmed to show you the feel good info.
ReplyDeleteBilly Bob, I had some errends to do and haven't got around to working on the MH. I do have a gauge in the panel and it never moved, but Barney is right, it probably works like an idiot light. Gonna go out now and pull the oil filter off, if'n it has oil in it, I will put it back on and fire it up and see what happens.
ReplyDeleteSo....what you're say'n is that you done what I been doing for the last few years, put the new filter on dry. After this episode I will NEVER do it again.
ReplyDeleteI really don't think you're gonna just fire that sucker up and "see what happens". Just out of curiosity, when ya got home from Terlingua, did you happen to see if the gauge was working before you shut down? Oh wait, there would have been the alarm scar'n the crap out ya. Now what else could happen just by replacing the oil and filter??? Nuttin, absolutely nuttin. Ahh, did ya put the drain plug in before you filled with oil and it's lay'n on the ground??? I did that one time, so don't be say'n..."what a stupit question".
OK guys, There usually is an idiot in most problems and I am that idiot. Here was the problem, when I took the old filter off the filter gasket stuck to the mount. I didn't notice it, from now on I will check more closely.
ReplyDeleteThe old gasket pushed out and let the oil past. Since the first time I started the engine, I shut it down almost immediatly. Checked the oil level and it was down a half quart (enough to fill the filter) and I didn't see any oil on the ground. Dark under there and 5W-20 looks like water. The second time I started it up and ran it for a little longer, it pumped out all my oil.
This idiot got it fixed. Thanks for all your help, and yes the filer had oil in it when I took it off. Glad it was something simple.
Boy howdy am I glad you found the problem. But in the mean time, since you got everyone involved, I dad a google. The Motorcraft reccommended filter has a anti drain back something or another. Don't know it the Wix does, but it's important.
ReplyDeleteGlad you got it fixed,, sounds like there was a loose nut behind the filter wrench!!:-)
ReplyDeleteBB, I went to the Ford dealer and asked their parts department for a Motorcraft filter for my year V10. They gave me one and that is what I used. Will go back and get another one for next time. Now to get rid of the idiot.
ReplyDeleteBen, there sure was. Next time I will try to tighten up that loose nut.
I did that once. Put two filters on, and filled it with oil twice. Since I had been taught by my newly-X husband to buy enough for 2 oil changes, I had nothing to put in and was stuck 2 blocks from the house. Called the X, and he graciously brought me oil and filter, and had me go through the steps. It was a new Toyota truck, and I was doing the first change. I thought the ring I felt where the oil filter went was some kind of seat built in. He realized it was the old gasket. sigh. Lesson learned...
ReplyDeleteI meant to say I went through the process twice, putting 2 sets of oil and filters on and losing the oil each time, second time got me 2 blocks away from home in my new truck. I'm tired and can't put good sentences together...
ReplyDeleteYep, gotta watch that seal sticking to the block and putting on a new filter with one already included.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I was going to suggest is a trick I use to do when working on motorcycles. We'd fill the oil filter up with oil before screwing it on.
Some oil filters were situated in such a manner than half the oil spilled out. But the reason why we did this was that most engines have the oil pump near the filter. If the thing has been sitting for a while or just had a recent oil change, it gets the oil to the pump faster and thus to the rest of the engine faster.
My old Ford Falcon wagon was notorious for starving the engine of oil for a good 20-30 seconds. I'd hear the tappets ticking away like time bombs. Screw that. After the first service, each one I did after that prompted me to fill the oil filter with some oil first. The tappets only ticket away for 3 seconds after that.