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Flickering oil light


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Hey guys!! I want to send a thanks in advance for any advice or direction to look as I don't get on here a lot.

In a short story here's where I stand. I bought my 2005 Subaru Legacy gt limited about a month ago with some rough engine noise but the price was right. So I decided from there to try a Subaru rebuild. First time for everything.

 

I replaced the crank with a good used one that was balance checked.

Put new connecting rods in

New pistons and rings.

New bearings in for crank and rods.

New gaskets and o'rings etc.

Also put a new vf42 turbo in.

 

As the build went on things were great.

Assembly was a breeze. Turned it over with no spark to pump oil. Then fired it and ran great. All it has done is sit idling for a while, with zero miles.

 

Decided to take her for a spin and that's where I have issues now. I took it for a 3 mile run twice. First run was great, plenty of power and strong. Wasn't beating on it at all, was driving very cautious but you could tell it was strong. The second run, I had given it some gas to accelerate and it cut out like I took my foot off the gas, and then I noticed the flickering oil light. Luckily I was pulling into the driveway at that point.

 

I'm not sure where to look.

I had changed my oil and filter right away. So now with 6 miles on it it has two oil changes. I see lots of look here n look there but I'm not throwing any codes, which is another concern.

 

Any help or suggestions greatly appreciated.

 

 

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What oil are you using for break in? Any reason why you chose to rebuild instead of just purchasing a brand new oem shortblock?

 

 

 

I used quacker state oil in the recommended viscosity. I did the rebuild because of the cost. Single income family and life costs a lot, if I could have went new, I would have.

 

 

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Did you plastigauge the bearings ?

 

vf42 or vf52? either way your going to need a tune for a vf52, is there a vf42 ?

 

You might want to put a direct reading oil pressure gauge on the oil pressure sending unit, you can T it in.

305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD).  CHECK your oil, these cars use it.

 

Engine Build - Click Here

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Have you checked the oil pickup tube???

 

Yes, some of these cars came with oil pick up tubes that were known to crack. Seems late 05 to mid 06 build dates, had them.

305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD).  CHECK your oil, these cars use it.

 

Engine Build - Click Here

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I replaced the oils pick up tube, with another stock one. The bearings were plasti gauged as well when it was being built. The car was in limp mode, not sure why but after taking it out if limp mode it ran better but still was only at 700 rpm which idk is good or not. The oil light barely flickered tho. Not exactly sure what to think on this one.

 

 

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The oil light only comes on when the engine is low on oil... Im gonna wish you luck on this with a fresh rebuild

 

 

 

I know I'm asking for some advice, but it doesn't come on when it's low on oil only. Seeing how it comes on only 2.5 psi of oil, that leaves a few options open. Thanks for the luck, by the sounds of this, I'll be needing some.

 

 

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The red oil light comes on when the oil pressure is too low.

 

If you replaced the oil pickup tube then I would check that it was correctly mounted and seated so that there isn't any leak or damage in the seating. Also check the tube for manufacturing defects.

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Did you remove the filter screens in the turbo oil feed line and cam oil lines? A turbo won't last long with a lack of oil and may explain your lack of power.

 

Jay

 

 

 

Yes, I removed all of them. The screens were 50/50 imo but they were all taken out. I pulled off my turbo to make sure it was ok, seeing how I just purchased the new center as a unit.

 

 

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The red oil light comes on when the oil pressure is too low.

 

If you replaced the oil pickup tube then I would check that it was correctly mounted and seated so that there isn't any leak or damage in the seating. Also check the tube for manufacturing defects.

 

 

 

Do you think I can get away with using my borescope? Pull the oil plug and wander up there looking, instead of lifting the motor up, and removing the oil pan? I have a pretty good borescope.

 

 

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Also, I believe I still have my stock oil pressure switch from my 07 LGT. It's yours for shipping costs if you want to do any troubleshooting.

 

 

 

Yeah, I'll take it off your hands. You have any pics and lists of hardware for the pressure Gage's. ? I think that's a great idea and is a shame Subaru didn't do that already on these

 

 

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Do you think I can get away with using my borescope? Pull the oil plug and wander up there looking, instead of lifting the motor up, and removing the oil pan? I have a pretty good borescope.

 

 

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It won't be able to check the sealing between the pickup tube and the block.

 

It's hard work only to get to that.

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It won't be able to check the sealing between the pickup tube and the block.

 

It's hard work only to get to that.

 

 

 

I agree, but there was a new o'ring put on the tube, and it was oiled n fit, not dry fit, so it should be ok right? Sounds like a dumb thing to ask but if for some reason I missed something with the o'ring id like to be aware of it for next time.

 

 

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Even an oiled O-ring may get jammed incorrectly.

 

Better safe than sorry and it only takes a small leak that takes in air to cause problems. Or if the O-ring was incorrect. Also check that the pickup tube isn't damaged or oval at the seating.

 

The devil is in the details.

 

It can of course be the oil pump, pressure valve or pressure sensor that's bad but better check things you have been messing with first.

 

Be careful too, I Hicksta'd an oil pump once.

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Even an oiled O-ring may get jammed incorrectly.

 

Better safe than sorry and it only takes a small leak that takes in air to cause problems. Or if the O-ring was incorrect. Also check that the pickup tube isn't damaged or oval at the seating.

 

The devil is in the details.

 

It can of course be the oil pump, pressure valve or pressure sensor that's bad but better check things you have been messing with first.

 

Be careful too, I Hicksta'd an oil pump once.

 

 

 

I'm waiting on a couple parts at the moment. The oil pick up the pump and switch will be replaced just because I don't want to go thru this again. I'd like to plumb in an actual pressure gauge. Any thing you've done there?...and what do you mean by hicksta'd an oil pump

 

 

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I broke the oil pump when I removed it. It was on an EA81 engine though, and the only thing wrong with it before was a bad O-ring, but I ended up with a new pump instead. See this thread too for HICKSTA'd: http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/did-you-hicksta-today-233375.html

 

It's usually not a problem to add an actual pressure gauge, just get the right adapter. Some gauge sensors have one connector for the gauge and one for the lamp so you don't need to have a T connector. Then it's just some wiring left.

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Change your oil pressure sending unit.

 

If it were me, I would be doing this first. It's a very easy repair to do and just might be the problem. You could've damaged the sender during the rebuild. (Also hoping that this is indeed your issue, as it's just a small hiccup!)

MTBwrench's Stage 3 5EAT #racewagon 266awhp/255awtq @17.5psi, Tuned By Graham of Boosted Performance

 

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If it were me, I would be doing this first. It's a very easy repair to do and just might be the problem. You could've damaged the sender during the rebuild. (Also hoping that this is indeed your issue, as it's just a small hiccup!)

 

 

 

I have a new one and one on the way, from a member here. Just in case I guess. and will be doing that this weekend. I'm not going to jump into the hardest first. I'll definitely exhaust all simpler options

 

 

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OK, as of today I was able to spend a few minutes on the car. I got an oil pressure test kit and tested the pressure. At first starting the car I was at like 40_40+ psi but as the car warmed up, the pressure dropped to 10 psi and I could tell it was going to continue to decline so I shut the car off.

My question to you that have went thru it, does this sound like a pick up tube or the oil pump

 

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