sr20 oil change causing noise/tapping

[bl3ujay07]

Please, someone help me, i am trying to find a definte answer to my problem.

So i recently swapped in my brothers s13 sr20det that has been sitting for about 5 months. The motor oil was not drained until it was swapped in. I Filled it up with 3.5 quart of 10w30 Royal Purple. Test drove it and it was fine.

Here is where the problem really came in. I checked the dipstick, which i am pretty sure is not a sr20 dipstick, and the oil level was over the "H" marking. I then drained some oil because my brother said that it IS the right dipstick. Took out maybe a half of a quart and it dropped inbetween the "L" and the "H" markings. Test drove it around the block and after letting it idle for a bit, started to hear a light chirping sound. Turned it off and pushed the car back into the garage.

Went to youtube and did some searching and found someone who had similar sound and said it went away after changing his bearing, but i talked with a guy who has the same sound too but said it could be bc of his oil pressure because he said his is reletively high.

Went back to the garage, did an oil change and made sure i put in 3.5 quart despite the dipstick. Started it up and the chirping turned into a light tapping. Thought it could be because the valves and rocker arms are not oiled enoguh so i took off the valve covers and what do you know, one of the rocker arms and the came shaft was not really well oiled, barely. I don't know if you are suppose to see a lot of oil after taking off the vavle cover, but there wasnt really any. I then poured some oil over the valve springs, cam shaft, and the rocker arms. Just to make sure, i redrained the oil and added same amount of oil.

Ok, so after redraining oil, you guessed it! it went from a light tapping to a reletively loud and continous tapping sound from inside the motor!!!!

The oil pan is dented a little in some places and is leaking a bit, but that was not a prblem when my brother had it. CAN ANYONE HELP ME OUT HERE??? IS IT BECAUSE OF MY OIL PRESSURE (do not have gauge so dont know pressure) OR IS IT JUST THAT TIME FOR MY MOTOR???

Because of the car, my parents wont cosign a new loan for me to return to college. Please someone help me out here. Got no money, so i want to know what is REALLY wrong with it before i take it to Phill at Speed of Sound in Sacramento, CA. He is the only one i know in the norcal area that really knows rwd cars.

Thanks

[Mikey88]

the crap oil that was in there for so long probably sludged up and wat not but idk...i would recommend using a thicker viscosity oil...i ran my motor with 20w50 for the first 3000 and went with 10w30 mb1 after and no problems here but idk id try to get the pressures checked tho...

[zaquanh]

how loud was the tapping some people new to sr 's will mistake injectors pulsing very loud for sumthin else

i would run a thicker oil tho

or like seafoam to clean it out a lil bit

[Sileighty_85]

Your Oil Pump Die'd


Squeaky noise is the Cam Shafts, Tapping Noise is the HLA's you have no Oil Pressure so you need to pull the engine and install a new oil pump

The Nismo Shop : West Covina Nissan : Nissan OEM Oil Pumps (http://www.thenismoshop.com/ikorb.php?func=catalog&category_id=391&product_id=284)

Is your oil pan Dented in the big rectangular spot? If so You need to pound it out, that where the Oil pick up
sits

Do not use Royal Purple in High milage SR's you will end up spining a bearing
I've seen a lot of threads about ppl changing to RP and soon after spining rod bearings

[sillyvia13]

did you dent your oil pan!?
you may have blocked pick up!?
dunno... gl tho!

[djcobra]

I'm having a similar problem, but i have a new oil pump installed along with timing chain etc... I do however have aggressive cams HKS step 2 with upgraded valve springs, retainers etc...

I think the lifters have taking a shit and either need to be replaced or re-bleed. I'll be changing my rocker arms and lifters hopefully this weekend.

my symptons are: on cold start ups, engine sounds smooth but after driving for 5 min i get a tap/knock type sound under the valve cover only on IDLE. goes away when you rev it (not rod knock). I also changed the oil yesterday and noticed the tap/knock sound reduced by quite a bit. Maybe try using thicker oil i personally use 10W-30 Mobil1.

Steve.

[zaquanh]

did you dent your oil pan!?
you may have blocked pick up!?
dunno... gl tho!

true you did say the old oil has ben siting , so add gunked oil to blockage of oil pickup due to dented pan

[bl3ujay07]

First, thanks to everyone who gave suggestions/info/answers.

After reading all posts, what i did was drain all the old/new royal purple oil. I then replaced it with 20w50 penzoil because that was all they had in that weight.

Result: First start, i noticed the tapping/ticking did not sound as loud as before, so i let it idle for about one or two minutes. Turned it off and then started it again, but still ticking/tapping.

Is there any way to check to see if the Oil Pump is woking properly? The dents in the oil pan does not seem like it is dented enough to effect the oil pickup. Its only dented near the drain plug.

Any other suggestions/info gratly appreciated.

Thanks

[Sileighty_85]

a ghetto way of checking the Oil pump you can loosen the turbo oil feed bolt and

crank it (DO NOT START IT)

crank it over and see if oil pumps out.

If not look into replacing the Oil pump

[burnsauto]

ps. put in 4 quarts next time.

DO NOT PUT IN THE BARE MINIMUM OF OIL.

SR's are highly dependent on oil, more than other engines..putting in 3.5 is just asking for a problem. many people run 4 quarts with no problems.

[bl3ujay07]

Will definetly check oil pressure that way.

3.5 is the minimum?? If only i knew, i most definetly would put 4. Still got my half qaurt so it will definetly will go in.

Thanks a lot

[aNskY]

no / low oil pressure will also not engage your timing chain tensioner which will also cause a tapping / knocking under the vc

[WILDACEX187]

Your Oil Pump Die'd



Do not use Royal Purple in High milage SR's you will end up spining a bearing
I've seen a lot of threads about ppl changing to RP and soon after spining rod bearings

my sr has about 95k miles and i run 10w30 RP with no problems. i doubt a oil brand will make an engine spin a bearing

[smelly240]

I have seen 3 sr's spin bearings using royal purple - within 4 months of them switching... it could be coincidence but i dont use it myself - i stick with either pennzoil platinum or mobil1 - amsoil when i have time to go pick it up.

[tunersedge]

i am having a similar problem, and need a definitive answer as to what the cause may be...

When i startup my sr20 for about 3 seconds i dont have any oil pressure at all. I also have my oil filter relocated with a block adapter...could my oil pump be dying or could it be just the filter not letting pressure build before it opens?

[aNskY]

filters dont open and close. they filter.

[tunersedge]

filters dont open and close. they filter.

I know the filters dont actually open and close, but some filters(if not most?) have pressure relief valves that open in case of clogging. This is done to prevent starvation...

Is their perhaps a similar valve that allows the engine to build up oil pressure prior to filtration?

sorry if that sounds totally noob, i guess ive never taken the time to dissect a filter and see whats inside.

if its not the filter, what is the cause of a 3-4 second delay in oil pressure at startup....

[SHIFT_*grind*]

ps. put in 4 quarts next time.

DO NOT PUT IN THE BARE MINIMUM OF OIL.

SR's are highly dependent on oil, more than other engines..putting in 3.5 is just asking for a problem. many people run 4 quarts with no problems.

Four? Really? I know they're really finicky about oil, but from reading a lot of tech posts, what I've gathered is that it goes both ways. Too little is bad, but too much is bad as well. I usually put in 3 1/4, which is what the FSM calls for.

I have an aftermarket catch can now though, so since the oil isn't going to make it into my intake maybe I'll start using a little extra...

[WILDACEX187]

i have heard of oil pressure issues with oil filter relocators

[fliprayzin240sx]

BANG OUT THE FUCKING PAN TO BEGIN WITH. Dont take a risk, if it looks dented, fix the fucking thing. But in all honesty, it sounds like its too late. Loud tapping noise on the bottom end usually means the rod bearings are shot. Drop the oil pan and see what you find in the bottom of it. If it has copper colored chunks in it, you need a rebuild, another bottom end or a whole engine.

[SoguRacing]

dun dun dun...