I quit--need a reputable LC repair shop in Tucson area

[Beowulf]

Boo,

I must be dense, but it wasn't clear to me whether or not you have had a mechanical gauge put on the oil pressure.
Answer: Yes or No

If Yes: What were the results?
If No: Why not?

That's all for now.

-B-

 

[landtank]

I've been troubleshooting electro-mechanical systems for 20 years. I've definately formulated strategies that work for me and help me get to the solution the fastest I can. However they mighty not work for everyone. Different minds think differently. Just pointing out a differnt approach as that Yukon statement sounded a little desparate.

Good-luck, let us know how it's going.

 

[boo]

Ans: No. Why? It was a gamble. $40 for a sending unit or $50 for a press check+fixes. Removing the oil pan $5 for RTV. Checking clearances; cost of feeler gage. Looking back I should have had the pressure checked and figured out what's going on. As it was, I had 2 cars out--one needed CV joints and wheel bearings replaced and the other has oil press and PS issues. Really a matter of $$$ as we are trying to save money for a house payment. I do appreciate everyone's patience and respect the experince offered in this forum. At the time desparate was the case. Now that I have one set of wheels working I've bought a little time.

Boo

 

[Beowulf]

Hind sight is always 20/20 and it seems like we're trying to be arm chair quarterbacks for you. (I'm on a metaphor roll today...)

You know what's best for you so just let us know if there's anything else in the way of advice that you need.



-B-

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Boo-I have a spare sending unit somewhere in the junkpile that I call the garage. It works fine. Would you like to install it, and hook your guage up and see if it works? If you have already purchased a new sender than obviosly not needed. Let me know if you want me to send it to you. It takes 10 minutes or less to swap them out. I do believe that risking a $7000 motor over a $50 pressure check is poor economy.

 

[boo]

Agreed on the poor economy part, which is the reason it has been parked for the past 2 weeks. I do plan to check on the oil press job, although I've got a good feeling what the results will be.

Thanks for the offer for the sending unit--I appreciate it, however, I've got an extra now also .

I'll let everyone know how it goes.

Boo

 

[landtank]

Boo, If you haven't bought the pressure guage then I have an idea how you cah troubleshoot the electrical circuit cheaply. By placing a resistor between ground and the wire to the sending unit you basically imitate a constant oil pressure. If the guage then drops over time as you have seen then the issue is in the electronics. If it is stable then it is in the mechanics. I just thought of this driving home from NY. I'll need to determine the value of the resistor for you but that won't be hard. A trip to radio shack and 10 minutes should do the trick.

 

[IdahoDoug]

Boo,

Before I send a burly guy in a suit to strangle you, would you freakin' have a mechanical pressure unit put on it to tell you if you even have a pressure problem? What you're doing is examining all parts of the system to see what the problem is, instead of confirming/denying whether you actually have an oil pressure problem. This is a 15 minute deal for any local mechanic - 13 minutes if you can point to the oil pressure sender for him.

DougM

 

[boo]

It's in the plans--the parents are here this weekend (I'm off to the desert shortly), and then it's on.

Hey landtank--good idea. I figure I'll just use a var resistor (I have some from when I was getting my electronics degree).

Boo

 

[boo]

Well guys, I'm back--with some pretty incredible news. The power steering--working. The oil pressure--high as ever. Knocking when in gear (at idle)--gone. I checked the oil pump relief valve and everything looked good. I unscrewed the brass plug on the first oil pan, no obstructions. I attempted to get to the oil pump--couldn't get the screws off. So, while I was putting it back together, I screwed up putting on the drive pulley and damaged the seal (key squirreled loose). Well, that was the real "I quit"--the contract mechanic could have at it. He couldn't get to it for a week and a half. So there it sat on the lift, waiting to be put back together. Today--we got the word, "I put the new seal on, and the pressure is fine--50psi cool and 25psi at operating temperature. I got in to drive it and the gage is now riding on the 2nd line from the top (probably attributed to the Delco 15-40 I put in it). When I drove off--the power steering worked, and there was no rattle at idle. Wow. The only thing I can think of is that I was able to get the drive pulley bold off with very little effort--just using the engine's resistance (the last seal was put on about 2 years ago). I have no idea how this would have affected anything, but I do know that oil and power steering pumps are driven off of the drive shaft via gear. Amazing. Anyway, that how the story ended of my 96' Cruiser nearly driving me insane, but in the end only costing me $120.

Boo

 

[landtank]

Glad to hear it. Sometimes the hardest problems to solve are the ones we install.