Guys,
I just picked up another 97 cavalier that was listed locally, but was through Ebay and has 167K miles. I was able to go test drive it for a few miles and everything seemed tight. Clutch, brakes, tires, trans, and motor all seemed cool. The motor still seems plenty strong and not all half dead and wheezy and I was pretty happy about how well it still ran at 167k.
After picking it up on Friday and driving it around for about 15 minutes, I noticed that while I was at idle, the oil light would come on - but go away with a few RPMs. Part of my initial purchase tune up was an oil change, plugs, wires, and new valve cover gasket since the existing one was leaking ALL OVER. Along with the oil change, I threw in a half bottle of Marvel Mystery Oil. All the plugs I pulled out looked great and not all oil soaked or anything else odd.
Anyways, I drove it today for my 55 mile commute with alot of highway morning traffic stop and go. It seemed that the longer the car was running, it took more and more RPMs to get the light to go off. I stopped at the first exit after I noticed this and made sure I still had plenty of oil on the stick and I did. I can only assume that I have an oil pressure problem. I assume that the MMM wasn't a great idea since that treatment would seem to thin the oil out.
I don't know the exact RPM numbers since I don't have a tach. My automatic 97 does though - go figure.
Is there anything I can add to the oil to help this light go out, like a "motor honey" or some 90 weight or something? Any other aditives?
Is this low oil pressure thing really a big deal or would it just be fine to ignore the light at lower RPMs as long as I know that I have plenty of oil?
Do you thing there might be a problem with the oil getting back down to the bottom end and that might be why it had low pressure at the bottom and a blown out valve cover gasket at the top?
Please help in any way you can. Even if I don't keep the car very long, I still need it for a little while and a new motor isn't really that great of an idea for me right now. I'm also not to hip about pushing the problem nto somebody else if I can help it.
Thanks,
Phlint
if its not your sensor, it might simply be the oil pump. if you arent getting pressure with reg oil, thicker oil might overstress the problem.
How big of a bitch is it to change oil pumps?
What are my "BOLT IN" engine swap options - so that I know one if I see one?
I also had concerns about the thicker oil overworking the system, but thought I better ask anyways.
Thanks man,
Phlint
oil pump, not extremely hard, but with 2.2's, you use this RTV silicon type sealer.. i believe teh 2.4 has an actual physical gasket for the oil pan. not sure of your wrench skills, so for some with a casual tool kit, it can be pretty hard, but if you;ve done a few things, might just be medium
easiest choice, swap in another of what you have. plug and play.
harder choice, newer different engine. will require all the wiring and harnesses from it and possibly the transmission, and computer.
hardest choice, engine that never came in a j-body and its all custom.
as for the oil, sometimes it can help, but sometimes it can hurt. for example if the impellers on the pump are worn a bit or a seal somewhere is bad, it might can help. but if you have a clog or a block somewhere, it can hurt.
but it honestly just may be a faulty oil pressure sender. that i would check first, and def way before disassembly.
Thanks guys. I'm not very optimistic, but I'll try that first.
I also just cam back from checking on it in the parking lot and there seems to be some oil under it beneath where the bottom puleys are and it looks kinda wet under there, so I also think it might be a bad front seal or something like that leaking. Wouldn't that also make the oil pressure low since the seal would leak more as it got hotter - especially with the oil being thinner?
I know the easy motor swap choice would be another of what I have - which is a 1997 2.2L. What I meant by that is what all 2.2L GM motors would be bolt ins and what year ranges do I have to play with?
Thanks again.
Phlint
I'm sure. It doesn;t seem to be an oil level issue so much as a oil pressure issue.
Phlint micheegun wrote:Thanks guys. I'm not very optimistic, but I'll try that first.
I also just cam back from checking on it in the parking lot and there seems to be some oil under it beneath where the bottom puleys are and it looks kinda wet under there, so I also think it might be a bad front seal or something like that leaking. Wouldn't that also make the oil pressure low since the seal would leak more as it got hotter - especially with the oil being thinner?
I know the easy motor swap choice would be another of what I have - which is a 1997 2.2L. What I meant by that is what all 2.2L GM motors would be bolt ins and what year ranges do I have to play with?
Thanks again.
Phlint
oil pressure is usually with the pump and in the oil passages. the crank case can vent and might have some input to that.
almost any 2.2 will bolt in, but the years for your car in particular are 95-97
So let's say that I really do have a low oil pressure problem. Is that really a problem or am I still cool as long as I have enough oil in there?
it can be a problem over time...
naturally it would mean the pump is goin out, or something is clogged, maybe even the pickup strainer deal on the pump.
basically think of oil like blood, if you have lower than normal blood pressure, sooner or later something will pass out.
Well last night I changed the out the 5W30 oil with 100 miles on it for straight 30 weight so it wouldn't be so thin when it got hot, I insalled a brand new oil pressure sensor/switch, I installed a new SUNPRO oil pressure gauge on one of the other oil ports, and I replaced the crank nose seal in the front cover. Things weren't as bad as yesterday, but having that mechanical gauge let me know that things still arent that good either.
I'll prolly just shop for a newer motor rather than continue spending good money and time putting bandaids on this one. But then again a new oil pump is only like 50 bux and a few hours.
What would you guys do?
Phlint micheegun wrote:Well last night I changed the out the 5W30 oil with 100 miles on it for straight 30 weight so it wouldn't be so thin when it got hot,
What would you guys do?
the guage was good, but 5w30 is used cause when cold the viscosity is like 5 weight, then when it heats up the viscosity bumps up to 30 weight. so you dont have any hard starts and stuff.
keep your eye on the guage. if its the one where you run a hose into your engine bay, if that ever pops off, thats however many PSI of oil that will leak or more so spray inside the car.
The guy at the parts store was aying that the oil wors the opposite as what you are saying - it starts off thicker - at 30 then thins out as it gets hottter to the 5. He recommended the straight 30 so that it wouldn't thin out as bad as it warmed up.
About the gauge, I know man - and I'm a little nervous about it too. That'd be all I need - to have an oil bath on my way to work or a big meeting, wreck my clothes and interior, etc.
Anybody ever do all new bearings with the block still in the car - and just do them all from below? I was thinking that it might be doable once I get the pan off, to do the pump. I doubt i will go that far, but it did make me think about it since worn bearings seem to be the common culprit and they'll be right friggin there!
to do bearings you have to remove the crank. The crank is bolted to the flywheel(or flexplate) which is bolted to the clutch or torue converter which is then bolted to the trans. Just pull the motor. Send it out to get dipped and honed. Put new rings, bearings, seals and gaskets in. Put motor back in and problem solved. It would take less time to do it out of the car then to do it in the car. It took me 5-6 hours to pull the motor out of my 95 and that was takeing my time.
Jeremy
Yea - you're right - it was just a thought.
If I pulled this motor, I would ideally want to have a replacement one ready to just pop back in so I didn't have to wait weeks to get it running again.
Are there any tips and or trix to taking one out the top. I read the thread about going out the bottom - but don't have a lift or a friend.
