replaced hg, low oil pressure

[jevanof]

I just replace the headgaskets on my 98 STS and now the oil light it on, the DIC says low oil pressure, stop engine. you can hear the lifters make noise to, its not getting presure.

Any ideas,
Oh yea, I put 16 quarts of oil in the engine and ran it for a min and that did not work.

[zonie77]

When we let the engine sit for about two months we got a lot of lifter clatter for a long time. Limited flow to the lifters so it takes awhile to refill them.

We didn't have a pressure problem. Did you overfill to try to prime the pump?

Is the harmonic balancer on tight enough? I think it calls for 250 ft/lb. It drives the oil pump.

[JC316]

Yeah, make SURE that the harmonic balancer bolt is torqued. It drives the oil pump and might be causing this issue.

[Harry Yarnell]

If I recall, there's no keyway for the HB and the oil pump; just a tight fit. Shaky design, if you ask me...

[tateos]

Joe - I e-mailed you earlier - I just got your e-mail today. Anyway, AJ is correct, of course

Richard Moore

[tateos]

Oops - I e-mailed you about the brace.

Low oil pressure - yeah - what JC316 said. I also had noisy lifters for a few minutes after I first started the engine, but no low oil pressure warning, so I think you do have a problem. You torque the balance bolt to 37 ft lbs and then 120 degrees - one 1/3rd turn - one spoke.

Does that help?

[jevanof]

Richard, after reading up on this the problem was the balance bolt I am good now, thanks

[tateos]

So the job was an unqualified success Joe?

[jevanof]

well yes and no, I got the oil pressure working, had an issue with the fuel pump ended up being a loose ground wire.

Now I have an ABS Issue, Ok, I took the car for a ride and the ABS and traction controll came one, the car ran like crap, when I go over 2K RPM's the guages go nuts and the car stals, I turned around and drove it home and kept it under 2K and it was fine,

Also when I start the car the the abs and traction control light do not go on until I get going down the road.

I dont trust my local Cadillac Dealer, they are know to fix things that are not broke and charge people, so I called a local mechanic that used to work for that dealer and he seems to think somthing is not conected or grouned.

[tateos]

yES - A BAD CONNECTION OR gROUND

[jevanof]

yea, finding it is the hard part

[RickyHenry]

Originally Posted by zonie77

When we let the engine sit for about two months we got a lot of lifter clatter for a long time. Limited flow to the lifters so it takes awhile to refill them.

We didn't have a pressure problem. Did you overfill to try to prime the pump?

Is the harmonic balancer on tight enough? I think it calls for 250 ft/lb. It drives the oil pump.

is 250 ft/lb the same as 37lb + 120 degree turn?

[tateos]

I don't think so. It was REALLY REALLY HARD to break loose, but it was easy to tighten when installing. So easy in fact, I re-loosened the bolt and followed the procedure again, but I had done it correctly the first time. I didn't measure the torque, obviously, but it did not seem much over 100 ft lbs, if I had to guess. I think the cam bolts are 90 and it seemed a bit tighter than that. Maybe I just don't know my own strength?

[jevanof]

well I had a bad morning, Driving home and the car started acting like it was out of gas and then died, I figured out the fuel pump is not coming on, I think its a ground issue.

Any ideas

[tateos]

Geez, Joe - that's too bad you are having these problems. I was afraid I was going to have a lot of these kind of problems, because of all the wires that were disconnected and or unplugged. Remember, I disconnected even more than you, because I took the block out of the cradle to change the oilpan gasket and rear main seal. I think you just did the HGs, right? Anyway, my car has gone well over 1,000 miles and has been trouble free so far; no suggestions, but good luck to you.