Oil supply

[shogun]

do they sell the pump only, ive just seen it in a kit, but just remember more area = less pressure id rise the pressure first and then try a high flow pump

[Petros]

I would not mess with the oil galleys unless you know for sure you have a starvation propblem, which is not likely (the Toyota engineers are pretty sharp). I have never heard of anyone altering or enlarging the oil galley on any race engine, I doubt you should need to as well. Most of the wear occurs on start-up before there is oil pressure, making the galleys larger would make it take longer to pressurize the system.

As you pointed out from the pump it goes to the filter and from there to a galley the runs the full length of the block just above where the filter is located (if you look in the filter center hole with a flash light you can see it). This galley can be accessed from a threaded plug on the front of the block (usually pretty tough to remove, you will likely have to heat it with a torch). The main bearing (and rod bearing) supply is drilled from the mains to this lengthwise galley. Of course the con rods are supplied through diagonal drilling through the crank. The head is supplied by a separate boaring near the front of the block by the front right head bolt (If I remember correctly), you can see this on the head gasket where one of the head bolt holes is oblong. The head has a diagonal drilling up to a galley that also runs the full length of the head just below the cam (also accessed with a treaded plug on the front of the head), of course you can see the cam supply ports in the jounals. The first rocker shaft tower (IIRC) has a drilling that goes up into the rocker shaft, from there to each of of the rockers where it leaks out on top to lub the top of the valve stem. The cam and lifter faces are lubed from little jets just below each rocker arm coming from this full length head galley. If you alter any one of these you risk altering the balance of pressure at each of these componets, this is not a good idea.

This is what I would do: Remove all of the plugs and get yourself some long round plastic brushes and clean out each of the galleys (available from good supply stores like NAPA, get several sizes-they look like small diameter bottle brushes). Use lots of clean solvent and keep plunging the brushes in and out with solvent until the bushes come out clean (when pressed into a clean white paper towel). Often bits of metal shavings, sludge and other debries get lodged in these galleys, even from the factory, you must make sure all of these are cleaned out. If the inside of the bores are rough machined you might consider using a wood dowel wraped with about 180 grit sand paper (tape or glue it on) and polish the inside of the boars. Where you can you also might try radiousing the INSIDE of where the cross drilling meets to improve the flow around the corners. Most of these locations you will not reach. You can also polish the inside of hte diagonal drillings on the crank shaft and put a small radious on each end of the bores (not too much because you will reduce the wear surface on the journals) Repeat the cleaning process. ON the head, temp block the cam lub ports and on the gasket face (with rubber plugs), fill the galley with solvent and either with compressed air, or with a tube and your breath, pressurize the galley and observe the flow out of the little jets that lub the cam/lifter faces. They should all spray the same amount of fluid from each of the eight jets. If not try to clean it out with a small wire or other tool. IF the jet is undersized as compared with the rest use a tiny drill by hand to match the sizes of the others (do not over size any of these jets). Do a final cleaning, and then blow out all of the gallies with compressed air if possible (the carb cleaner spray cans can be used for a final "pressure" cleaning). Use new plugs in the galley ends with lots of loc-tite on the threads. Now you have done everything you need to do on the block and head.

To incerase the flow capacity you need to focus on the pump; Internally check all of the oil pump parts for clearance and wear. If near or over the outter range, especially at the rotor tips, or if there is deep scouring of the housing, replacing the pump. If there is light scouring this can be cleaned up by hand turning the rotor in the housing with a coating of polishing compound. Also the pump housing and cover can be lightly sanded with 300 grit paper on very flat surface (I use a peice of polished granite counter top I got left over from a construction site) to narrow the side clearance down to the very minimum. Any scouring or gaps in the oil pump will allow leaking past the rotor, losing both pressure and volumn. Disassemble the pressure releif valve and clean it, also inspect both the ball and the seat for pits or damage. The seat can be carfully resurfaced with the right sized drill bit (by hand). If the ball is pitted or rusty replace it. Measure the spring and try to permanatly stretch it about 1/8 to 1/4 in. to get a higher releif pressure. You can also shim it with washers but you could risk coiling binding it if there in not enough length in the bore. I like using the washers but just make sure the ball will lift all the way off of it's seat. You can also radious and polish the passages inside of the pump housing on both the inlet and the outlet. Do not mess or alter any of the areas where the rotor runs. clean it well, assemble the back plate with loc-tite on the screws, then lube the assembly with clean motor oil, and wrap it in plastic until you are ready to assemble your engine.

Of course when you assemble your engine you must have all the proper clearances on your bearings and cam shaft jounrnals.

I did this and I get about 40-50 psi run pressure, and it peaks at about 75 psi at high rpm. Even the idle pressure is well over 20 psi with 10w-30 oil. This is about double what I was getting before I rebuilt the engine. This should be more than enough oil supply for any small engine.

Good luck with it.

Peter

[gatemaster]

Here's a link for the complete toga pump.

http://www.importperformanceparts.net/

[Typrus]

They sell it as a full unit. They also option it as a part of an upgrade for a rebuild kit. Thats the route I'm taking.

I'll be bringing the block and head into class at FRCC within the week to have my instructors advise me on it. Again, one of them is an ex-Toyota and Subaru tech who serviced the Terc from when it came out to after the last ones warranty period expired. Another is an ex-NASCAR performance machinist. We'll see what they say.

We also might do a baby blue-print of the block. If she's going to till 8k+, she better damned well be true...


Did you guys know there are oil squirters in these? In the form of a little jet built into the con rods. Interesting. Haven't seen that on an I-4 before... Just performance stuff. Not a piston-squirter I'd imagine. Probably just a cylinder wall luber. Or something to that effect.