Very strange hesitation... can you help?

crjackson

Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2015
Posts
602
Reaction score
301
Location
Midgard
You would think. And I know Fords especially during those years was habitual in having codes on the computer but not throwing the check engine light on. So I checked yesterday at AutoZone and there was no codes on the computer either. But hey we’re driving!

I’m really glad you got this resolved. I would have never even considered low oil.
 

07 Boss

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2009
Posts
3,831
Reaction score
968
Location
Sin City
And how low do you have to be to go before the vct starts acting up?
 

Dino Dino Bambino

I have a red car
Joined
Aug 11, 2014
Posts
3,880
Reaction score
1,751
Location
Cyprus
I don't know the exact number but I expect it would have to be less than 20psi. The timing chain tensioners and cam phasers are oil pressure fed so the first symptoms of low oil pressure are timing chain rattle and phaser knock. Left unchecked, the sloppy chains can eventually wear out or break the plastic on the chain guides, and wear a groove in the front timing cover, leaving plastic debris and aluminum particles in the oil pan. Not good.
 

BlueChappy

Junior Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2020
Posts
37
Reaction score
7
I’ll tell you what, I wasn’t due for an oil change for another 1500 miles. I would’ve never checked it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Midlife Crises

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2019
Posts
1,836
Reaction score
1,253
I would be ashamed to admit I didn’t check the oil level on everything I own regularly.
 

07 Boss

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2009
Posts
3,831
Reaction score
968
Location
Sin City
I would be ashamed to admit I didn’t check the oil level on everything I own regularly.


I'm old school. I check tires even though we have TPS. I pull plugs and inspect them at least twice a year. Drives me crazy that I gotta put my car in the air to check tranny fluid.
 

BlueChappy

Junior Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2020
Posts
37
Reaction score
7
I would be ashamed to admit I didn’t check the oil level on everything I own regularly.

Don’t forget that I had just done my oil about a month prior. Everything is easy when it’s hindsight


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

BlueChappy

Junior Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2020
Posts
37
Reaction score
7
And how low do you have to be to go before the vct starts acting up?

i will tell you that when I changed the oil, I had about three and a half quarts in it. Not good. When I changed it, the drain want tightened.
 

Dino Dino Bambino

I have a red car
Joined
Aug 11, 2014
Posts
3,880
Reaction score
1,751
Location
Cyprus
To me that's pretty scary, because if the oil pressure gets low enough to affect VCT operation, that means bearing damage is possible too.

It depends. Priority oiling is to the rod & main bearings but if the oil pressure is low enough to affect VCT operation, components at the top end of the engine (e.g. cam journals, cam followers) could show severe wear.
 

mpm_1

forum member
Joined
Jun 18, 2013
Posts
166
Reaction score
73
Location
Columbus, IN
i will tell you that when I changed the oil, I had about three and a half quarts in it. Not good. When I changed it, the drain want tightened.

BlueChappy just to confirm in your post there did you mean "was" tightened? For your sake I was hoping you meant "wasn't" tightened and therefore allowing a slow leak. Scary you went through that much oil since last oil change. Any exterior signs of a leak or smokey looking exhaust?

I'm thinking your loss of oil pressure is coming from uncovering the business end of the oil pick up suction tube in the pan, allowing for entrained air. That will definitely intermittently kill your oil pressure. Also goes along with your corner turning observation (low oil pan level plus sloshing the oil to one side in a turn uncovering the end of the tube.) Just being "low" on oil level isn't enough to cause a drop in oil pressure as long as the suction tube inlet is seeing full feed. You'd have pressure but be cycling through the available oil faster, so shorter oil life and higher oil temp (yes higher temp can cause lower pressure but I don't think that's your problem here.)

Sorry for your troubles....
 

BlueChappy

Junior Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2020
Posts
37
Reaction score
7
BlueChappy just to confirm in your post there did you mean "was" tightened? For your sake I was hoping you meant "wasn't" tightened and therefore allowing a slow leak. Scary you went through that much oil since last oil change. Any exterior signs of a leak or smokey looking exhaust?

I meant it WASN’T tightened. Sorry about that. There wasn’t any smoke and I park 90% of the time on gravel, so I didn’t notice an oil spot.
 

Support us!

Support Us - Become A Supporting Member Today!

Click Here For Details

Sponsor Links

Banner image
Back
Top