Thread: Chain oiler pin!!!!! Tekkie special right here.

Wait...
What?!?!

It's time for a rebuild???
:'(

No, I said it's a rebuildable situation, meaning that he doesn't require a new motor. IMO, if you dig into the motor that far, and you don't bother to check bearings and oter critical parts, you're doing it all wrong anyway.

What I'm saying is that I have the mechanical tick at low load partial throttle only under 3k rpm, does that mean I have a bad bearing in the engine if chain oiler pin is missing?

I'll order the DET pan from JGY this Friday and I'll tear the pan off soon (the flange on mine leaks a little from catching it on the install).

I guess what I'm trying to say is should I stop shoveling money into this car since the engine could possibly require a rebuild?

I thought it was maybe a bad hydraulic lifter...

For everyone coming into this game late... This is mainly an issue with DE and DET engines with the VE oil pump. The only two instances of this happening I've ever heard about are from Ashton and Cliff, both who had upgraded to the VE oil pump. The thinking is that the much higher pressure of the pump overcame the friction of the pressed-in pin on their engines. If you don't have a VE pump on an older engine you're not likely to have this problem.

Thanks for clearing that up!
In that case I'm convinced I have a bad lifter.

Bleed your lifters.

Secondly, it's not just higher pressure from the VE pump. High oil temperatures add to the equation. Remember, VE motors and GTiR motors have the same pin as well. Why more VE/GTiR owners haven't had the issue is beyond me.

Lastly - Lifter noise will be present only at idle (99.9% of the time). When load is applied, oil pressure is increased, and the lifters are working as designed even though there may be some air pockets in them.

I'm convinced the clearance on those blocks for the press fit are tighter. How else do you explain it?

Abnormal heat? I mean, the pin was fine, until a full year into driving the beast. It came out when driving in pretty warm/humid temperatures from the convention back to NJ. Outside temps were roughly 80 degrees, and I was averaging around 90mph with a B14 non-LSD trans. That equals around 4300rpm constant engine speeds, and for more than just a couple hours at a time. I only stopped for fuel until I got to VA, and rested the car for maybe an hour before heading the rest of the way up to NJ.

Remember, when I drained the oil, it literally came out like bottled water. COMPLETELY broken down, which means excessive heat.

I just wonder. No one's taken a long trip with a VE before? Obviously we don't hear about stuff that happens to the drivers over in Japan, but you'd think one regular VE would pop up with this problem. Maybe one of the turbo VE's?

So far you two are the only ones and you had non-VE engines with VE oil pumps. I haven't driven mine enough to make a 3rd example. I'm still wide open to new theories though, for sure. I just don't know if anyone with a normal setup should have any reason to worry.

Ben stop guessing.

I had VE pump on DE block with NO issues! I put ~ 20k miles on before selling the car. I know the guy who got it destroyed the motor but had no oiler issue.