Removing an Amazon Oil Pan with
Engine in Vehicle [Findings
of a Baaaad Engine Build!]
Jul 2024 R. Kwas, changes on-going
[Comments added]
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Every once in a while, I hear of an owner performing a task which I have not done and documented myself, but which I think should be captured for the info and benefit of others...so when this gentleman developed oil pressure issues, and after other, less invasive possibilities were exhausted, eventually suspicions came around to the Oil Pump assembly itself. Normally this would involve extracting the engine from the car to allow access to the Oil Pump, but he decided to check the Oil Pump with engine in-place, and this is possible. While the author and others would suggest lifting the engine from the car, this owner preferred to leave the engine in-place, and "just remove the Oil Pan"...but we know this is not a simple thing as the suspension Cross-member is in the way...but it's not impossible! Removal of the Oil Pan with engine in vehicle can be done...it only requires some extra clearance, which is typically obtained by a combination of raising the engine, and lowering the Cross-member...
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Findings of a
Baaaad Engine Build!
Pressurized Oiling System
More bad findings
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Thread in VOC Forum - Bent Push Rod: https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=340345
Ondrej Mertlik pictures shown with his kind permission.
Girlfriend/Wife's view from above ("...that's nice!...what's the wood for...?")!
Engine mounts are loosened, Throttle linkage as well (or even, the entire
Intake Manifold with Carbs is removed and brought out of harm's way, as here), engine is lifted slightly (until Bellhousing
makes contact with body at transmission hump), then supported in position with a
sturdy, in-turn, well supported member.
Mechanic's view below...the Crossmember has been temporarily lowered about an
inch, on long bolts, which keep things in-place and aligned, but gives the clearance to Oil Pan/Sump
necessary to remove it around Oil Pump.
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Findings of a Baaaad Engine Build!
In the particular case above, once the Oil Pan/Sump was removed giving clear access to Oil Pump and Oil Supply Tube for inspection, the cause of low oil pressure became immediately clear: It was an out-of place Sealing Ring on the Oil Supply Tube! This was likely caused by improper assembly of the OST, which allowed the pressure to push it out of place...
A poorly installed Oil Supply Tube on a B18!. By not fully seating the tube with
its Seal in its pocket, where the assembly would easily be able to seal against
the oil under pressure coming from the Oil Pump, the Seal has been pushed out of
place until the hydraulic seal was broken and pressure leaked away instead of being able
to be built up and being sent to parts of the engine. Note the circumferential feature on the tube, intended to
hold the Sealing Ring in place...it is barely/not even into the seal pocket!
Properly installed, it would be way down in the pocket (about 1/4" estimated, from
memory), where it would hold the Seal, not allowing it to come out of place, and
not compromise the Pressurized Oiling System!
Part of my comments to proper installation of the Oil Supply Tube on the Bent Push Rod thread (Posting #54):
"it will take a
serious push to bottom the tube with Seal, in its proper position...and when
installing both ends of the tube at the same time when installing the Oil Pump
it takes a combination of alternate pushes and alignments until BOTH ends of the
tube are in their bottomed service position. When the previous installer did
this operation, he clearly did not recognize this and was shy about applying the
forces and alignment necessary..."
Ondrej's further findings: He also observed a close clearance between the OST and Main Bearing Bolt:
B18 Oil Supply Tube:
Clearance between OST and Main Cap Bolt is close, but when there is nothing
moving (or even flexing!)...a mil (0.001") is as good as a mile, as they say!
Note that with OST
correctly and fully seated, the circumferential feature of the OST, which
holds the seal in place, is well down in the Oil Pump pocket, and not even
easily visible!
...but the story doesn't end there, and with the correct installment of the OST! I will add more findings to this article as they develop. In the meantime, you can follow the entire "Bent Push Rod" thread/saga here: https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=340345
Once he correctly installed a new (B20) Oil Pump and associated OST, it seems that he still wasn't getting oil supplied to the cylinder head!! Studying the oil supply and distribution graphic from one of the factory manuals, it is clear that the oil supply to the Cylinder Head, is by way of Camshaft Bearing No.2.
I have added the Oil Pressure Sender,
as it is strangely omitted in the original factory drawing of the Pressurized Oil System.
Oil supply path to Cyl Head, can be seen in the graphic above, and in the picture below, where the center Cam Bearing is loosely placed on the center journal, to show the two-holes-connected-by-a-channel continuous oil-path implementation to supply the cylinder head. It would seem that in poor Ondrej's case, this bearing is not clocked correctly when it was installed in his engine block, so that the intended oil supply path to the Cyl Head in-fact ENDS there!! ...not so good!
...and this would seem to be the root-cause of the bent Push Rod: The Rocker was binding due to no lubrication, and the Push Rod was the weak-link which yielded when it was pushed up against the non-movable Rocker...what a mess!
Intermediate Conclusion: Bent Push Rod is the result of no oil supply at the Cyl Head! ...notice how nice and clean and dry it is up there...and this is after the engine has been running a while(!)...clearly there is something not right...normally, that area should be wet with engine oil, after it spills out from in between Rocker Arms on the mounting tube!
For an engine which has been run, this is waaaay too dry under the Valve Cover!
The engine builder is reportedly no longer among the living, so we don't speak ill of him, but he sure did leave poor Ondrej with a bag of troubles in this engine...!
This picture is not from the engine in question but a reference picture of Camshaft with Center Bearing.
Center Camshaft Bearing loosely in place showing oil path features.
...and after removing the Camshaft to examine and confirm clocking of the Center Bearing, he found this at the front Bearing...I suspect it is damage resulting from contact between Cam and Bearing from the lack of oil pressure:
Evidence of contact at the bearing surface, and displaced bearing babbitt
confirm this bearing was not supplied with oil, and made contact... Again: More Troubles!
If this is explained by low
oil pressure, one must ask: What do the Crankshaft Bearings look like...?
I am also trying to understand and explain why there are two holes in this bearing...and cannot yet...!?!
I have advised the owner of this engine to examine it further, presuming and trusting nothing was assembled correctly!
UNTIL THIS ENGINE IS BACK TOGETHER AND MAKING RELIABLE POWER IN THE CAR, WATCH THIS THREAD FOR FURTHER UPDATES
PLACEHOLDER for more findings...hopefully not more bad news!
PLACEHOLDER for disassembly of Rocker Arm Assembly...I believe that the original "Bent Push Rod" was the result of a very sluggish to move (jammed?) Rocker, and the Push Rod as the weakest link in the chain, yielded, so I fear for what he is going to find here upon disassembly...stay tuned!
Reference Information:
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External sources are attributed and shown with thanks! Otherwise, this article is Copyright © 2024. Ronald Kwas. The term Volvo is used as a reference. I have no affiliation with any of these companies other than to keep their products working for me, help other enthusiasts do the same, and also present my highly opinionated results of the use of their products here. The information presented comes from my own experience and carefully considered opinion, and can be used (or not!), or ridiculed and laughed at, or worshipped, at the readers discretion. As with any recipe, your results may vary, and you are, and will always be, in charge of your own knuckles, and future!
You are welcome to use the information here in good health, and for your own non-commercial purposes, but if you reprint or otherwise republish this article, you must give credit to the author or link back to the SwEm site as the source. If you don’t, you’re just a lazy, scum sucking plagiarist, and the Boston Globe or maybe Harvard wants you! As always, if you can supply corrections, or additional objective information or experience, I will always consider it, and consider working it into the next revision of this article...along with likely the unique metaphor and probably (likely) wise-a** comment, if I can possibly work it in!.
