Quote:
Originally Posted by kraven  Symptoms: Oil light comes on at idle when warm and will go off if you nudge the engine speed up a bit.
Top end occasionally seems to run dry at highway speeds (a lifter/pushrod/arm starts clacking) and will shut up if I sit and idle for a minute or two. Last night, I actually lost a cylinder going down the road and then the clattering started again and the cylinder came online again.
When all this happens, the idiot light is off.
Is this a lifter collapsing? Is the oil pump crapping out? Do I need to pull the timing cover and install the high pressure/high volume parts?
WTF? 
Oh, this is an NA motor, btw. |
I've had this happen to me with three 3.8 V6's. All were at the advance stage of usage. Forget how many miles....it's how one beats the engine. (By the way your oil pressure switch is toast or the connection is off. All of my 3.8's suffered from this but the oil light always came on after a stop or at idle after it warmed up).
Oil pressure is low when hot, high when cold. At times you can get away with Heavier oil, (20-50), and a bigger oil filter. This might help. Installing a booster plate along with some longer gears and a total oil pump rebuild should be last.
Do this in steps. Start with the bigger oil filter and heavier oil. One problem you may encounter after this attempt is that after a nice long drive, at a stop or traffic light oil light may come on. (Problem is still there).
If this happens then it's time to go with a booster plate, longer gears and a total rebuild of the oil pump.
If the problem continues after all this the signs are obvious. It's time to rebuild the engine.
