A few oil related problems (Tapping)

1988SupraDreams

1988SupraDreams

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tte said:
Yeah...also get everything else checked.

I thought you took your block down to Rob's to get it machined already or did you just get a jdm?

Cheers,
Roy
Click to expand...

JDM with New HG and did quite a lot of examination of the head. The pistion rings looked fine, and the cylinder walls still had the Toyota machining marks. I also replaced the Oil pan gasket before installing the motor and the undercarriage looked fantastic. So... It was simply a 40k mile motor that needed a new HG.

IJ. said:
Go through a bunch of the basics first before pulling the motor...

Unclip an injector at a time and see if it stops.

Try using a long screwdriver as a stethoscope and listen around the motor.

Has the Oil Pressure dropped since it started tapping?
Click to expand...


Will do.

When it first started tapping yes the oil pressure was low, and when I added oil to it the pressure went back to normal, but the tapping still ensued the same as before when it had 3 quarts left. Although it does seem a tad bit lower than before, but nothing major.
 
johnathan1

johnathan1

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Aug 19, 2005
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1988SupraDreams said:
JDM with New HG and did quite a lot of examination of the head. The pistion rings looked fine, and the cylinder walls still had the Toyota machining marks. I also replaced the Oil pan gasket before installing the motor and the undercarriage looked fantastic. So... It was simply a 40k mile motor that needed a new HG.




Will do.

When it first started tapping yes the oil pressure was low, and when I added oil to it the pressure went back to normal, but the tapping still ensued the same as before when it had 3 quarts left. Although it does seem a tad bit lower than before, but nothing major.
Click to expand...

EEk...it may be rod knock then...just pull one injector clip at a time and listen for the knocking to stop...
 
1988SupraDreams

1988SupraDreams

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tte said:
Arent the cork ones not good ?

I read they leaked....

Cheers,
Roy
Click to expand...

Well it's not leaking now :) so far so good.


Pulled each injector clip and each time it still made the tapping noise absolutley no change

Edit: Had a friend come to help who held the motor at the tapping point, definetly coming from the bottom end
 
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Adjuster

Adjuster

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Apr 8, 2005
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"The oil pan gasket is new and is spotless"

#1 Source of your oil leak, cork, or any type of punched gasket on the pan. IMNSHO, just use gasket maker like "The right stuff" and you will have no pan leaks period. (Same goes for valve covers, use the stock type rubber gaskets, but run a bead of sealant around the inside edge of that gasket, install the cover, and tourqe with lock washers under the bolts, and you should have no VC leaks.)

Tapping noise I don't know about, but go to Harbor Freight, spend 5.00 and buy a Engine Stethiscope, and listen to your motor. Should be able to pin it down with this. (And it's fun to listen to things like your alternator bearings, injectors, and other stuff around the engine, and hear how healthy, or sick they are by the sounds they make.) Moving the scope tip along the block, you can actually pin down what, if any bearing is going bad too.

One more leak possible? Did you check the rear plug on the main galley? It's a small plug, and if it's leaking, would possibly cause the oil to look like it was a rear main seal leak. (My guess is you have a leak at the rear of the oil pan, or rear of a valve cover, but the oil plug is about the only other option back there that comes to mind.)

Your low oil condition reciently is not a good sign however. (even if you start with 6 quarts, if you lost 3, your seriously low, and could have run with little or no pressure, and could have damaged the bearings.)

Good luck. :)
 
1988SupraDreams

1988SupraDreams

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Adjuster said:
"The oil pan gasket is new and is spotless"

#1 Source of your oil leak, cork, or any type of punched gasket on the pan. IMNSHO, just use gasket maker like "The right stuff" and you will have no pan leaks period. (Same goes for valve covers, use the stock type rubber gaskets, but run a bead of sealant around the inside edge of that gasket, install the cover, and tourqe with lock washers under the bolts, and you should have no VC leaks.)

Tapping noise I don't know about, but go to Harbor Freight, spend 5.00 and buy a Engine Stethiscope, and listen to your motor. Should be able to pin it down with this. (And it's fun to listen to things like your alternator bearings, injectors, and other stuff around the engine, and hear how healthy, or sick they are by the sounds they make.) Moving the scope tip along the block, you can actually pin down what, if any bearing is going bad too.

One more leak possible? Did you check the rear plug on the main galley? It's a small plug, and if it's leaking, would possibly cause the oil to look like it was a rear main seal leak. (My guess is you have a leak at the rear of the oil pan, or rear of a valve cover, but the oil plug is about the only other option back there that comes to mind.)

Your low oil condition reciently is not a good sign however. (even if you start with 6 quarts, if you lost 3, your seriously low, and could have run with little or no pressure, and could have damaged the bearings.)

Good luck. :)
Click to expand...

I used a Toyota HG set on everything and got a cork fel-pro gasket for the pan. I find it hard to believe that they'd be leaking already, and they seem to be okay from what I can see. I have the front inspection plate off and can clearly see that the oil pan is not leaking. The valve cover gasket is new too.. I also have bolts and lock washers on it instead of the screws.

Could that Main galley rear plug cause enough oil leak to drench the bottom of the transmission? (Tranny is not burning oil, Had fill plug off today)

Guess I should get pulling the transmission... and figure this crap out..

Still doesnt change the fact that I have that light tapping.. Time to go get a stethoscope.
 
1988SupraDreams

1988SupraDreams

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Any kind of pour in treatment you guys reccomend to stop the tap? I'm going to try changing the oil after finding/fixing this oil leak and I was wondering also what kind of oil I should run? Synthetic, High Mileage, Synthetic blend, or conventional. I know to run thinner oil like a 0/5-30 weight for the bearing clearances..
 
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tte

tte

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Yeah...It would be easy to pull out the tranny and have a look at the rear of that block and see whats happening.

Cheers,
Roy
 
jdub

jdub

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Feb 10, 2006
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I'd give Pennzoil Platinum a try. Based on what you've said (JDM motor, possible bearing clearance problem), the 5W-40 European formula may well best meet your needs. Shell Rotella T 5W-40 would also be a good choice. Both flow fairly well cold and will provide an additional oil film thickness for worn bearings.

Don't use any additives...most are a complete waste of $$$ and will do more damage than good. Also, do not mix oils...you will be upsetting a balanced additive pack.

Hope you didn't toast your motor running it low on oil...like the guys above said, that is the #1 cause of rod knock. I'd check that cork gasket...every one I've seen leaks. That rear seal is suspect as well. You need to find that leak and I would run a quart over the full mark on the dipstick.
 
1988SupraDreams

1988SupraDreams

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jdub said:
I'd give Pennzoil Platinum a try. Based on what you've said (JDM motor, possible bearing clearance problem), the 5W-40 European formula may well best meet your needs. Shell Rotella T 5W-40 would also be a good choice. Both flow fairly well cold and will provide an additional oil film thickness for worn bearings.

Don't use any additives...most are a complete waste of $$$ and will do more damage than good. Also, do not mix oils...you will be upsetting a balanced additive pack.

Hope you didn't toast your motor running it low on oil...like the guys above said, that is the #1 cause of rod knock. I'd check that cork gasket...every one I've seen leaks. That rear seal is suspect as well. You need to find that leak and I would run a quart over the full mark on the dipstick.
Click to expand...

Pennzoil Platinum 5W-40 it is. And like most Supra owners, I always overfill.

Thank you very much for your input jdub
 
1988SupraDreams

1988SupraDreams

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Just got done with the stethoscope, I can hear the sound through both cams over the 1st cylinder and through the oil pan on the 1st cylinder and I can barely hear it at all through the block. It seems louder through the cams especially the driver side one, even to my untrained ear. What could it be? Lifter right?
 
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AaronsSupraMKIII

AaronsSupraMKIII

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1988SupraDreams said:
Enough so that the transmission always has fresh oil on it, I lost about three quarts on a 130 mile trip. (Which is when I first noticed it at the end of the trip.) It had never done it to this extent before, I might have lost a half a quart of oil after doing that trip twice.
Click to expand...

Mine was losing about that much when I bought it, and was coated at the same places.....My motor mounts were both broken, and the oilpan had a hole in the upper left side from vibration. Under the cross member... :aigo:

Im sure that is not whats wrong with yours, but never hurts to look.
 
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