lack oil pressure - dead engine? Please help

[ZaX]

Few days ago I was crusing in my ae86 on a highway.
5th gear, 140kmph, around 5000rpm.
I noticed that my oil pressure gauge was near the low sign. I started to slow down. As I slowed down, the oil pressure was falling lower and lower, until it stayed on 1/4 od the gauge, check engine light goes on.
As I stoped i heard strange mechanical noise from the engine. Also engine would not idle, just dies. It took 30 sec for me to slow down.
So I check the oil level, it's ok, enough coolant, no overheating, but dead engine.

I looked bit in to the radiator, looks like clear coolant, no oil, so headgasket looks OK.

Called the towing truck and towed AE86. I didin't want to drive it.

So, I asume
a) spun bearing on crankshaft
b) oil pump

What should I do/check first?
Can I remove the oil sump from the engine without taking the engine out?

[KristianAE86]

man thats sad to hear.

yess you can take of the sump without rasing the engine.

You can even change bearings - but it´s a hell of a job.

when my first engine went dead is had started to sound a lillte knackering noice from the rod-bearings.

even after i took the bearings out - they seemed "ALMOST" ok.

minimal damage had caused a noice like a bulldozer on asfalt doing som drifting

i would change the bottom end - but only if you can to 100% see that the head has NOT taken any damage - Specially the camshaftbearings.

mine were totally destroyed


BTW - you do not know for how long you had been driving with LOW oilpreassure then ???
Kris .

[Knudsen]

Zax, its not a problem atall changing the conrod bearings without taking the engine out. You need to remove the gearbox-brackets between engine and gearbox (one on each side of the engine) to get the oilpan down. It took me approx. 1½ hour to get it ready for new bearings.
The crankshaft bearings cannot be changed without pulling the engine out of the bay...
But i would guess, that your oilpump has died and that had caused the lack of oilpressure.

[PetzK]

Low oil pressure and knocking noises - my guess would be bearings. But the check engine light and engine dying is a bit weird- is that normal with dead bearings?

[ZaX]

Sorry to dig this sad old topic, but to inform everyone: I had 2 spun bearings on big ends.

Hope this information will not be useufull to anybody else.

[Mux213]

Hahah, Zax dude, it took you half a year for that huh

Go give the white comet a new engine!