Sudden loss of oil pressure... What could be the problem?

[Martin S.]

The turbo has been running great on the street for the last two seasons driving it to work (30km one way) every day but yesterday was different. When I drove a couple of minutes suddenly the oil pressure lite came on and the gauge went to zero. I coasted home and haven't had a chance to look at it yet. The Berg 26mm pump with full flow was off my previous 1776 and looked good so it was reused. What should I look for? I have separate sensors for the idiot lite and the gauge so I doubt it's the gauge/lite. Engine sounded normal, oil still on dipstick, and no leaks.

[MC Dyno Don]

 check the sump pick up as sometime they will vibrate loose or beccome detached allowing for only air to be sucked up ..??

[Fastbrit]

First thing, take the cover off the oil pump and pull out the gears – it's possible that either the gear is slipping on the shaft OR the drive tang has broken off the shaft. I had an oil pump seize one time, which promptly snapped the tang off...

[BeetleBug]

According to the internet (and when it is on the internet it got to be true right?) your problem is in your signature: AJ Sims EFI Turbo 2332.

[Martin S.]

Haha, all that's left of the AJ Sims kit are pieces of the header. Thanks for the ideas!

[Jim Ratto]

few years back I had a dual spring break. Pulled motor, fixed spring, but didn't common sense to make sure nothing went into sump. Piece of outer spring ended up in my pump on my way to Nicks, got a few blocks from my house and same thing... light came on and gauge went to zero. I coasted home and unscrewed filter and aksed my wife to crank starter (no power to ign) and nothing came out. Pulled pump and like KS said, tang had snapped off. Forty five minutes later I had a new 30mm plugged pump and 6.5 qt of fresh oil in the car and made it to Nicks.

[Martin S.]

It wouldn't take much to seize the pump, that makes sense. Thinking back to the day before I did see the oil lite stay on a second longer than usual after the engine fired so I'm thinking that the pump gear could have spun on the shaft. My engine has been making high oil pressure since built and that could stress out the pump. I've got normal oil relief springs and a regular Berg 26mm pump and engine clearances are set on the larger side (race style) so there is no reason for the high pressure that I can think of. I'll update when it gets on the hoist for a look-see. Hope Berg has more pumps in stock. Has anyone tried the relief valve Berg oil pump covers? I've heard they are good for wide temp swings like we get here in Canada. For now I'm driving my bone-stock original 71 Bus to work going from one of the fastest vehicles on the road to one of the slowest.  

Here's a vid of my engine's heads when first set up. Do you guys think my problem is too much lift, too close to coil bind, please tell me that again, hehe http://youtu.be/xX3iaHUI-SA

[ibg]

I use and like the berg pressure relief cover, keeps the pressure down to 80 PSI. A bit of rubbish can jam the ball and spring though.
Jay Cee also has a nice one that returns the excess to the sump.

[DKK Ted]

I also run the Berg cover, works well. I help Jack on some night's on his CNC's and have ran those he has, it's a very nice piece, was thinking of trying it and put a stock Berg cover on.

Ted

[Martin S.]

Trying to get the turbo back on the road and Berg is out of their GB233A 26mm plugged oil pump. Does anybody know of someone who has one in stock?

[DKK Ted]

Maybe try Pierside Parts, they carry Berg products, or there is AJ Sims, he sell's a spin off of the 26mm pump, I believe plugged also.

Ted

[Bruce]

Has anyone tried the relief valve Berg oil pump covers? I've heard they are good for wide temp swings like we get here in Canada.

A buddy of mine had one on his engine and it kept getting stuck in the bypass mode (= zero oil pressure).  After the third time, he threw it away.
If you size your pump right and don't use tar for oil, you don't need the pressure relief cover.  "Parts left out cost nothing and cause no service problems"

[Fastbrit]

Wise words...

[Martin S.]

I ordered a Berg pump from Pierside. They have a very impressive site with the shipping options I wanted (cheap). It should be interesting seeing what the problem is when it comes apart. The motor had the heavy bypass valve springs in it. Probably better to use the stock ones.

[Jim Ratto]

Has anyone tried the relief valve Berg oil pump covers? I've heard they are good for wide temp swings like we get here in Canada.

A buddy of mine had one on his engine and it kept getting stuck in the bypass mode (= zero oil pressure).  After the third time, he threw it away.
If you size your pump right and don't use tar for oil, you don't need the pressure relief cover.  "Parts left out cost nothing and cause no service problems"

had the same issue in 1992 w/ my Bus motor. After having to get past the rear crossmember (1970 Bus) to get to pump, @ 5:00am, in the dark, I had enough. I never use those bypass covers since. I just let the car warm up, like we should be doing anyway.

[Martin S.]

Got the new Berg pump from Pierside. (last one in Cali? ) Wow, quick delivery, great site and good service and communication. Crossing my fingers it's not a broken tang with pieces and hope it's a spun shaft. I'll find out over the next few days.

[Taylor]

Something I didn't see asked; is the berg pump in your motor Brosol or Schadek?  All of the berg pumps I have ever used were always Schadek but a few years ago they sent me a Brosol.  After only a couple thousand miles the pressed in shaft came loose.  I didnt notice a loss of oil pressure but during tear down I found it spinning in the body.

[Martin S.]

The gear on the Berg pump spun on the shaft because of a piece of aluminum stuck in the gears.
It could have been a piece of the ill-fated oil cooler that Steve made out of a mercedes air conditioner core. The cooler has now been removed.   

The oil cooler internal shot.

Oil cooler mounted on the car. Now we need a different idea for oil cooling.

[Bruce]

... Piece of outer spring ended up in my pump   ...

The gear on the Berg pump spun on the shaft because of a piece of aluminum stuck in the gears.

If you use the stock screen, this never happens.  Why do you guys take them out?

If you thought it might be a restriction, the genuine VW one is the finest mesh.  Brazilian is a little larger, then the unknown sourced ones larger still.

[Martin S.]

Good point! Steve said the same thing. Taking out the screen is a Berg idea and the cow magnet is supposed to substitute but doesn't work for aluminum.

[Martin S.]

The engine is ready to go! Old pump is now replaced and old oil cooler is now removed and bypassed. I'll wait for Spring to add a new external oil cooler, maybe the Porsche water/oil cooler with a small rad at the front. It needs some serious oil cooling with the under deck lid turbo. I asked Steve to look at the oil pressure relief valve springs and he blueprinted them to factory specs!
Here's the spring tester he used.