Power/oil issues

[eg_project]

Ok, so I finally got my turbo kit on my new motor and was getting it tuned, problem was the power dropped off like crazy after 5250rpms, and this was at 14psi. We found out that VTEC wasn't engaging, but it had voltage, etc. Later we had oil pressure issues, and on my way home the oil light came on and I scared myself shitless. I have no clue yet if a bearing ate it or not, but I was wondering what could be the cause of such oiling issues. I had no issues on the motor till it was turbo'd. I had the ENDYN pump and whatnot to try and improve the oil pressure to prevent this. Any ideas what might be causing this oiling issue?

Ohh, here is a dyno sheet.
http://preview.nbazar.photosite.com/~photos/tn/5762405_1024.ts1162375374950.jpg

Any clues other than VTEC not kicking in that would cause this?

[Slow96GSR]

Did the turbo kit include the proper oil pressure drop line to make it so you weren't putting the 40-60 psi of oil thru it? That might be your drop in oil psi. I'm not a turbo guy but all the manuals and articles I have read say 10-15 psi of oil to thru the turbo. Just a thought. VTEC won't engage until there is sufficient oil pressure, rpm, and speed.

[Pang]

Low on oil?

[STIBungy]

You mean oil restrictor.

Did the turbo kit include the proper oil pressure drop line to make it so you weren't putting the 40-60 psi of oil thru it? That might be your drop in oil psi. I'm not a turbo guy but all the manuals and articles I have read say 10-15 psi of oil to thru the turbo. Just a thought. VTEC won't engage until there is sufficient oil pressure, rpm, and speed.

[Slow96GSR]

Ya that thing. Sorry this early I can't think of specific names!!

[eg_project]

Did the turbo kit include the proper oil pressure drop line to make it so you weren't putting the 40-60 psi of oil thru it? That might be your drop in oil psi. I'm not a turbo guy but all the manuals and articles I have read say 10-15 psi of oil to thru the turbo. Just a thought. VTEC won't engage until there is sufficient oil pressure, rpm, and speed.

The weird thing is the ECU was trying to engage VTEC, so it thought there was enough pressure, which means my oil pressure sensor for VTEC must be busted, just not throwing a code. Now I just have to hope a bearing didn't eat the dust.

Also, no I didn't have any type of restrictor, but this whole thing is really weird, it was fine on the dyno for ~2hrs and a bit afterwards.

[eg_project]

Low on oil?

I checked the oil over and over and over and over and... you get the point. I even added about an extra half quart.

[ComputerJLT]

don't worry; mommy will buy you a new one

[daBoosted93]

well, yes and no...

[eg_project]

JLT, get the dildo out of your ass.

well, yes and no...
learn fucking english.

[sirtef9]

good luck with the car,,, hope I dont run into that issue ever..

[eg_project]

yeah, it isn't fun

[ComputerJLT]

JLT, get the dildo out of your ass.


learn fucking english.

pot call kettle what?

[FrankDMS]

what motor is it? Check your feed line for the turbo does have a restrictor and make sure you have proper presure at the sending unit. You can pick up a oil presure tester at Napa. I would test presure at the turbo, head and sending unit you will find the problem to stand out. If in doubt buy a new pump as well.

[eg_project]

lol, pump is as new as the motor. I didn't have a restrictor, but will be putting one in and I have a guage in line with the turbo feed line, but I have a new guage now, so I will have pressure in line with the turbo and at the back of the block in car while driving. I will get rid of the in line once I get issues completely sorted.

[chrisbarnett01]

You only made 168 whp with 14 psi?

[ComputerJLT]

You only made 168 whp with 14 psi?

lol yes

[HONDA GHANDI]

So you got an Endyn upgrade pump to get better pressure but never considered a gauge to tell you what your oil pressure actually was? FWIW the VTEC pressure switch will set as low as 7-10 psi which is hardly enough to engage the VTEC but just enough to engage the switch.

[daBoosted93]

it also didnt help that he put one of his main bearings in backwards... didnt line up the oil hole on the bearing with the one on the block, but he also had his crank polished, and they took a bunch of material off so he had to use the biggest oe main bearings that honda makes. thats obviously not the main reason for vtec not kicking in, but will make a difference.

[ComputerJLT]

So you got an Endyn upgrade pump to get better pressure but never considered a gauge to tell you what your oil pressure actually was? FWIW the VTEC pressure switch will set as low as 7-10 psi which is hardly enough to engage the VTEC but just enough to engage the switch.

the switches i've seen won't be switched at anything lower than about 25psi.
I had that problem on one of my old motors; not enough oil pressure when the oil was about 300f to kick on vtak. I even used a multimeter to whatch when the switched kicked over and had the vtp switch on a T with the oil pressure gauge.

[eg_project]

So you got an Endyn upgrade pump to get better pressure but never considered a gauge to tell you what your oil pressure actually was? FWIW the VTEC pressure switch will set as low as 7-10 psi which is hardly enough to engage the VTEC but just enough to engage the switch.

I'm not dmb, I did have a guage, and it kept pressure, but had issues of turning off occasionaly, and nice enough, it turned off around the same time the light came on. I had seen (prior to turboing) above 70 psi, it maxed out the guage when it was cold and would idle at like 20 or 30. Way higher than an average D-series.

[eg_project]

it also didnt help that he put one of his main bearings in backwards... didnt line up the oil hole on the bearing with the one on the block, but he also had his crank polished, and they took a bunch of material off so he had to use the biggest oe main bearings that honda makes. thats obviously not the main reason for vtec not kicking in, but will make a difference.

Not too much, there is still plenty of oil in the crank itself flowing around. Also, it was the bearing with the least damage of all of them. This wouldn't make a damn bit of difference for VTEC kicking in.

[HONDA GHANDI]

Were you measuring oil pressure at the head? It is last in line and the VTEC sol does not get the same pressure flow as the back of the block. I have taken them out and measured them on a bench with a rig I built and most of them will pop at a steady rate 10 psi.

On the oil pressure issue on the motor, how did the bearings get put in backwards? I didnt think that was possible with the alignment tabs on them. Also what did the bearing clearances measure out to? Anything over .020 would start oil pressure drops at the mains which might starve the rod bearings.

[HONDA GHANDI]

I'm not dmb, I did have a guage, and it kept pressure, but had issues of turning off occasionaly, and nice enough, it turned off around the same time the light came on. I had seen (prior to turboing) above 70 psi, it maxed out the guage when it was cold and would idle at like 20 or 30. Way higher than an average D-series.


I didnt say you were dumb, I asked why you didnt have a gauge. You made no mention of having a gauge at all in the first post. Just trying to help out.

[eg_project]

Were you measuring oil pressure at the head? It is last in line and the VTEC sol does not get the same pressure flow as the back of the block. I have taken them out and measured them on a bench with a rig I built and most of them will pop at a steady rate 10 psi.

On the oil pressure issue on the motor, how did the bearings get put in backwards? I didnt think that was possible with the alignment tabs on them. Also what did the bearing clearances measure out to? Anything over .020 would start oil pressure drops at the mains which might starve the rod bearings.

I was mesuring oil pressure in line with the turbo, from the back of the block.

I must have goofed, the bearings can go in either way, there are notches for the alignment tabs on both sides of the main journals.

My clearances were within spec, but I did bave like all black, blue and browns. The only thing is the rod bearings were just fine, only the main bearings were fucked.

[ComputerJLT]

Not too much, there is still plenty of oil in the crank itself flowing around. Also, it was the bearing with the least damage of all of them. This wouldn't make a damn bit of difference for VTEC kicking in.

yea it would. you'd get more pressure according to the gauge but the resistance from the misaligned bearing would keep the other journals in the crank from getting the correct oil pressure.

VTak didnt kick in because your motor was dying from low oil pressure for whatever reason. there is a reason that vtp switch exists.
And the dog shit power on top was probably from the massive amounts of friction in your motor that came from metal-metal contact

[boostedEG]

my vtec still tried to work when i once had around 10 psi of oil pressure (due to low oil level, due to a leaking oil line fitting)

[boostedEG]

are oil restricors a good thing? i hear all sorts of shit on the internet saying you need them or your turbo seals will blow, etc. etc. etc. but i have never known anyone who actually uses them, including the several people i know making 500+ HP.

[FrankDMS]

are oil restricors a good thing? i hear all sorts of shit on the internet saying you need them or your turbo seals will blow, etc. etc. etc. but i have never known anyone who actually uses them, including the several people i know making 500+ HP.
depends on the turbo.. i have had experience with both. my TEC turbo on my dsm is happy without any restrictor.... but slo-mo's civic needed one and he stoped at 180 hp on a baby t3. It depends on the relative oil presure in the normal operating range of the motor, would be what i have seen.....now im curious and i will ask a friend who builds turbos for a living.

[eg_project]

It depends on the oil pressure to the turbo. The seals only can take so much pressure, but if your return line works perfectly and can put the oil back in the pan before it builds too much pressure in the turbo, you are fine. If the feed line provides more pressure/flow than the return line can handle, then you will start to build pressure inside the turbo and it will push on the seals and eventually blow them. I had this sort of thing happen with my return line, it got a kind in it and once I started to build too much oild pressure, it would start blowing smoke out the exhaust because of oil being pushed past the seals.

This really should be much of a problem if you hold good oil pressure, but it is nice on D-series and the like because they start out with low oil pressure, and you want to keep the oil pressure where it is needed, the engine, not the turbo. I have heard turbos can live on something like 5psi or so, but the motor needs way more.

(excuse spelling, I seem to be having issues typing)