VZ Alloytec starving for oil!! Check engine oil warning comes on and off!!

[seano87]

Hi there, a few weeks ago I had my vz wagon in the panel beaters getting the front bumper sprayed. When I drove it home from the shop the check engine oil warning appeared and the engine started sounding like a diesel truck. Luckily I wasnt far from home so I nursed it home and began some research. I soon found out about the alloytec sludge problem and assumed that my oil pickup was blocked with sludge. I undertook the massive job of removing the sump and I found that my suspicions were correct, the bottom of the sump had an inch of thick sludge the consistency of grease in it. The oil pickup was completely blocked with sludge/ carbon. I will post some pics to show how bad it was. I cleaned them both up spotless and put everything back together carefully and neatly. The moment of truth was here, I started the engine and it was perfect! no noise at all! until..... after about ten minutes at idle the noise returned!! and so did the check engine oil warning!!! ARRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!! all that work and it was'nt even the problem?? Can anyone tell me any ideas of what the problem could be?? Any help will be much appreciated! Im tearing my hair out!!

[impulsive]

You will prbably find the system has been clogged, get some oil flush, and do it all again??

[seano87]

as stated in my original post the system was clogged, I ran a number of flushes thru it and even the 5o/5o oil kerosene mix thru it before I removed the sump to try and clear the blockage. Then as a last resort I removed the sump to find It was clogged at the pick up and I cleaned it out prefectly. So there is no more blockage in the pickup but the noise still continues and the check engine oil light still comes on, so obviously for some reason oil is not getting circulated to the top of the engine?? I just cant work out why??

[seano87]

Here are the pictures I took of what My sump and oil pick up looked like before and after. It was a mess.

[impulsive]

perhaps the lift pump is now buggered?

[seano87]

Do you mean the oil pump?

[imoore]

Good job cleaning out the sump n pickup, dont think they are causing it anymore. have you checked the oil filter to see if its blocked? if not i would be putting an oil pressure gauge on it should be around 200kpa @ idle

[seano87]

Thanks imoore. Ive replaced the oil filter twice now since it started happening. once when it first happened after I did an engine flush, and the second time after I had pulled it apart and put it back together and put new oil in it. After it ran for ten minutes and started making the noise again I checked the filter and all it had in it was fine particles of dirt nothing major. so basically if the oil pressure is below 2ookpa @ idle it means oil pump is shagged?

[rambunctious]

I,m along for the ride on this one but can someone tell me, is this a problem with the alloytec engine, what is causing the oil to turn to sludge?

edit I've just googled it and all I can find is the alloytec turns sludgy if not serviced regularly.
I renew oil and filter every 10000, is this enough, it's a daily driver done 98,000ks ex Govt.

[88GreenVN]

I've been told the Alloytec sludge issue can be lack of oil changes. But it looks like the 15,000kms between changes is simply far too long.

I'm back to 5,000km oil changes from now on. I hope to avoid this.

To the OP - how many kms on the engine? (mine is 125,000 and hope not too sludgy yet)

[impulsive]

Do you mean the oil pump?

yeah, the oil lift pump.. it could be stuffed

[RiCeY]

Just so you know, that sludge is quite carcinogenic....

If you cleaned the pickup out completely the issue may be with the pump as stated above.

[seano87]

ok well when I bought the car it had 12o,ooo on it and I have serviced it every 5ooo since then without fail oil and filter. but it seems the damage was done before I bought it. Its now just clocked 160,000. So yes to anyone else out there with an alloytec make sure you dont leave it more than 5000k before you change oil and filter. And make sure you buy the correct oil it has to be full synthectic about 10w30 or 5w30. it seems that this may be the problem from the previous owner.

[RiCeY]

Full synth isnt neccessary.

Regular changes are all thats needed to prevent sludging.

[seano87]

either way, you dont wanna end up with the problem that ive got. from memory the oil pump on these is an engine out job?

[88GreenVN]

either way, you dont wanna end up with the problem that ive got.

I've seen a 70,000km Alloytec engine that was stuffed from the same issue - never had an oil change and just clogged up. It went to the scrap metal place as the damage was masive.

[seano87]

Ok guys what's your opinion I've been thinking and, do you think it's possible that while the sludge was in my engine some of it has blocked up the oil pump? Maybe fully or even partially and this is causing the low oil pressure? Is it possible that an engine flush may clear this?? I might try the liquimoly engine detox and see?

[impulsive]

I think it could be a cause to your issue, sounds reasonable, but remembering that this cludge could get blocked elsewhere in your motor aswell, especially thinned out with flushes etc, perhaps this requires more then a backyard attempt?

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

50/50 oil and kero......hmmmm.....wouldn't have done the engine any favours at all.

[seano87]

The 50/50 oil kero mix was drastic I know, it was a last resort before pulling the sump off it was only in the engine for 5 minutes but you should have seen how much crap it cleaned out. I wouldn recommend it obviously, I only did it out of desperation. And as for this being a backyard attempt that's not really the case as I have cert 3 in automotive and worked 2 yrs as apprentice mechanic at Mercedes Benz. So I know my way around an engine not bad, it's just these alloytec I don't really have much experience with . But I am a quick learner and willing to give anything a go, especially if it's going to save me a couple grand strip down bill at my local Holden dealership.

[RiCeY]

oil pump removal at a guess because Ive only done V8s is timing cover off and sump off then should be able to get it off easily.

[imoore]

It could be the oil pump having a problem like stuck pressure relief valve. By the looks of how bad the sump was has me thinkin how bad the head are. i change an engine in one that has 130000, was serviced every 20-40000 kms. in the end it seized. we removed the rocker covers and the heads were full of sludge. So there could be many vital parts that are being starved of oil. like lifters, cams, vvt actuators ect. The galleries to the mains and big ends are usually fairly large, so it sounds as if the problem is in heads n chains. to just a thought to pull rocker covers off and have a look. They not hard, much easier then sump..

[seano87]

yea I think it will have to ba an investigate as I go job. the car has been very low on power lately also if this makes any difference to your theories. I'll start by taking the rocker covers off and having a squiz in there to see if there is any damage or remaining sludge. If not then I will assume it is the pump and go about removing and replacing it.

[ahhhhh]

Hi there, a few weeks ago I had my vz wagon in the panel beaters getting the front bumper sprayed. When I drove it home from the shop the check engine oil warning appeared and the engine started sounding like a diesel truck. Luckily I wasnt far from home so I nursed it home and began some research. I soon found out about the alloytec sludge problem and assumed that my oil pickup was blocked with sludge. I undertook the massive job of removing the sump and I found that my suspicions were correct, the bottom of the sump had an inch of thick sludge the consistency of grease in it. The oil pickup was completely blocked with sludge/ carbon. I will post some pics to show how bad it was. I cleaned them both up spotless and put everything back together carefully and neatly. The moment of truth was here, I started the engine and it was perfect! no noise at all! until..... after about ten minutes at idle the noise returned!! and so did the check engine oil warning!!! ARRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!! all that work and it was'nt even the problem?? Can anyone tell me any ideas of what the problem could be?? Any help will be much appreciated! Im tearing my hair out!!

i cured the problem in mine i just added a liter extra of oil problem fixed

[88GreenVN]

i cured the problem in mine i just added a liter extra of oil problem fixed

But for how long will it be fixed LOL


LOL even more - first post LOL