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External Oil Filter not circulating/Oil P. Light on and off with RPM


DatsSully

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I recently "finished" swapping an L20b and a 5 speed trans in my 710. I want to drive it around but I can't get the oil pressure light to go off. I put an external oil filter kit on it because the regular WIX filter wouldn't fit on the block and the block came with half of an external oil filter set up. So I got the external adapter and I have it mounted and hooked up correctly but the light will only go off at around 2k rpm and then back on at idle. It doesn't seem like any oil is actually running through the hoses because none will drain out when I disconnect and point downward. I can't find any information to help me relating to external oil filters.

 

Some more information about the motor:

Said to be an old SCCA spec motor - bored 40 over/custom cam I believe

Oil pump was converted to 280zx pump if I remember correctly 

Oil filter mounted horizontally on strut tower

Weber 32/36

Everything else is off of my old L18(Intake/Exhaust manifolds, thermostat housing, Alternator, etc)

It runs fine but the manifolds smoke a bit either from the oil pressure, residual spilt oil, new gasket, or something.

 

I might try putting my other oil pump off my L18 on but I'll need my garage for that which I don't have at the moment. I'm novice at this, did everything by myself by the book over the course of a couple years when I had time and has been a great learning experience I just need it to all work right. I can get pics of anything on request and any help is appreciated.

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There's oil in the filter and I tried priming both hoses, it just drains into the block. I'm not sure but maybe I mounted the filter too high up and the oil can't reach it until the higher RPMs. Here's a couple pics(Don't mind the fact it looks like a disaster because I know :) , the loose wires are for my CB radio)

 

IMG_20170523_194123_zpsvykyiiy0.jpg

 

IMG_20170523_194129_zpselrkaqky.jpg

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Do you know what PSI the oil pressure switch turns off at? There are some that keep the light on until 50psi, which could be what's on there with it being a former race engine. If you ran it for a while with no oil pressure I think the motor would have told you by now. Also, are you sure the oil lines on the filter block are plumbed correctly?

 

Maybe get a somewhat quality oil pressure gauge and see what it says.

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Get a power drill and spin the gear clockwise until you've got oil coming out of the hose. If you do, you're fine. If not, there may be an issue with your pump or not enough oil perhaps?

Noy a good way to do that, the oil pump pumps by spinning counter clockwise and you have to drop the pump and put it back in is use the method.  Better to pull the spark plugs and spin the motor with the starter using a remoter starter switch.  If your "in and out" hoses are correct might take a couple of minutes, assuming that you primed the OP.

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Probably the only reason the light is going off is the pressure release valve... there is a ball valve where the oil filter goes.... at a certain pressure it opens bypassing the filter to maintain oil flow if the filter became clogged.... the oil pressure sensor light is after the filter/valve

So personally I think your pump is fine but sounds line a block on the adaptor..

Can you remove the adaptor?

Maybe something is blocking the line or it has to be positioned a certain way...

But that's my opinion...

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Get that thing off of there. Get rid of it.There is no excuse for not finding the correct oil filter for this engine. Even less excuse for having a remote filter set up. If the light is to be believed, you risk throwing a rod through the side of the engine. Is it worth that??????????

 

 

What hoses are those?? Look like heater hoses... not made for 50-65 PSI oil pressure @ 280F..

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Probably because it was available and free. This is not the best or even a fair reason for using something. Agree with Daniel, the best application is a stock one. Nissan engineers spent a lot of time making the L series so good these external after market parts are never needed. The remote filter is usually in conjunction with running an oil cooler. The stock engine does not need either.

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The stock oil pressure sender triggers the dash light at 5-8 PSI. My L20B dash light will turn off just from cranking the engine over with the starter. You could try another sender. Or connect an oil pressure gauge.

 

Low oil pressure could be the oil pump relief spring broken. Pump discharges most of the oil back to the pump inlet. Swap pump.

 

If running a cam spray bar this might drop the pressure some. Maybe not a zx pump. KA24E from 240zx and KA24E and DE from the D21 Hardbody are high volume pumps. I have these on all my L engines. 

 

If filter or pipes were blocked the relief by-pass valve in the block would open. Being a 'race' engine this may have been removed and the hole plugged.

 

If oil pan modified maybe the oil pickup tube is blocked or not enough oil in it.

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connect an oil pressure gauge.

Would be a safe idea... last thing you wanna be doing is idling with no oil pressure ...

 

How is the quality of wix filters?.... any chance they are shitty like fram....

I used a fram when I first started my engine after I broke it in i switched to a bosch.... big difference... my idle oil pressure increased dramatically just by using a better quality filter....

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The check valve in your remote oil filter adapter is forcing the bypass valve in the block to bypass all of your oil, so no filtration, and consistently low oil pressure. You could also have a second pressure drop from the pressure relief valve in your oil pump, but that's not likely unless you messed with that too?  Of all the things you could have spent $100 on, why that???  Ohm out your plug wires.  I bet they're over 7000 Ohms each and are causing a drivability issue, in combination with resistor spark plugs.  

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Get that thing off of there. Get rid of it.There is no excuse for not finding the correct oil filter for this engine. Even less excuse for having a remote filter set up. If the light is to be believed, you risk throwing a rod through the side of the engine. Is it worth that??????????

 

 

What hoses are those?? Look like heater hoses... not made for 50-65 PSI oil pressure @ 280F..

 

Probably because it was available and free. This is not the best or even a fair reason for using something. Agree with Daniel, the best application is a stock one. Nissan engineers spent a lot of time making the L series so good these external after market parts are never needed. The remote filter is usually in conjunction with running an oil cooler. The stock engine does not need either.

 

The stock oil pressure sender triggers the dash light at 5-8 PSI. My L20B dash light will turn off just from cranking the engine over with the starter. You could try another sender. Or connect an oil pressure gauge.

 

Low oil pressure could be the oil pump relief spring broken. Pump discharges most of the oil back to the pump inlet. Swap pump.

 

If running a cam spray bar this might drop the pressure some. Maybe not a zx pump. KA24E from 240zx and KA24E and DE from the D21 Hardbody are high volume pumps. I have these on all my L engines. 

 

If filter or pipes were blocked the relief by-pass valve in the block would open. Being a 'race' engine this may have been removed and the hole plugged.

 

If oil pan modified maybe the oil pickup tube is blocked or not enough oil in it.

 

I have the correct oil filter the engine leans a little too far so it hits the motor mount and won't twist on. The stuff was free and pretty temporary, the car has been sitting in my garage for years while I worked on it little by little when I had the time between work and college, and I just wanted it to run and move. There's a lot of things I still have to fix to make it road legal(The exhaust is hacked up and held together by pipe connectors and beer cans), the oil pan is stock with the L18 oil pickup tube, I had the whole thing apart at one point and swapped everything I could to stock components. I swapped the tubes and the light goes off at a lower RPM but will be dim occasionally. Is there a thinner oil filter than the WIX 51515 that will work because that would solve the issue completely.

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Im pretty sure these motors use the same big filter as a Ford truck. 1A, PH8A, etc.

 

The 4651 I'm pretty sure is the same thread pitch as the 1A at about half the height.

 

 

Again, all the rest of us use the big filter too. What isn't right about yours that you can not fit it in there?

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I had a similar problem with my oil filter, won't get into that but what I found was...

Stock is a S8A. . 4.5 inches long

A bosch 3402 will work and is 3.75 long..

Also bosch 3321 is 3.25 inches long

Also stp s7328 is 3.25 inches.

And I won't even mention the fram....

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