Looking for some feedback on oil fill volume when running a cooler and lines. I have the TEL cooler and -8 aeroquip lines. I looked in the service manual for the 90 TEL and iirc it called for 5.5 quarts. I will have to recheck that to be sure.

I am asking because last time I built my engine, all was fine until I drove the car hard the first time, using boost and pushing it (enjoying the power of the upgrades done). Then rod bearing one spun. I believe it was starvation, because if you have experience with this, any air pumped through starves that number one first and fast.

So I guess I am looking for experience with what fill I should use. Or do I fill to TEL level, run everything to get the system filled, then top up to dipstick mark? Has anyone noticed significant drainback from the system into the pan?

Thanks.

I have a TEL cooler with factory lines and it's full right at 5.5 quarts.

I'm skeptical that air stuck in the cooler caused your issue. It would be pretty freak to have an air pocket large enough to cause bearing damage release right as you were beating the sh*t out of the car IMO. Running it for any period of time prior to that should have absolutely purged the system of air if there were any in it.

How did you initially prime the engine? I am a firm believer in pumping ALL 5.5 quarts of oil into the car through the OFH after a rebuild before the first start. This method allows you to confirm everything is properly primed and oiled when you see oil coming from the lifters in the head. This would also prime the oil cooler if installed. Some people just pull the MPI fuse and crank the motor until the dummy light goes out. I'd never trust that method, especially on a fresh set of bearings. I'm sure it has worked for some, but I wouldn't recommend it.


Quoting GSTwithPSI:
I also primed the engine using the T00ners method, which worked great. It's super easy, and primed the system all the way up to the head.




All the oil you see in the picture was pumped in through the bottom. I didn't add any oil up top, and you can see the result. The HLAs are nice and oiled.

Fill it, run it, shut it off and wait a few minutes to check the dipstick. That is what i did when I made a new oil pan and installed a large cooler. That is how I figured out it takes 8.5qts for my setup.

I prime all of my engine with the oil pump sprocket and an impact/drill/air ratchet.

No, it was definitely not a priming issue. I know how and always do that.

Brett, I was not saying it was air in the cooler, I think the oil pan pickup sucked air. But you bring up something to think on further: why would the supply fail with all the oil in the cooler and lines in the pipeline so to speak. I have a pressure gauge mounted in the engine compartment (which of course I can't see when in the car...) so I my need to temporarily mount that somewhere visible when I get this back together.

The ofh prime method works great. But pulling the fuse works fine as well as long as you used sufficient assembly lube.

You could have had a flawless oil delivery, but had an oil return issue. Oil could be stuck in the head. I've heard that some people will make a pass and check the oil right away and won't see anything on the dipstick.

Ryan, thanks. Ways to check this or make changes?

I decided to go larger on my turbo oil drain in case it may contribute. I had a -8 and increased it to a 10 for the next time around.

You can pull the VC and look at the oil drains. Make sure they aren't plugged. In stock form they are bad. Only way to fix is to port out the drain channels.

Jafro has a video on youtube discussing this.

Personally I roasted bearings due to my turbo feed on the head sprung a leak I didn't catch and it leaked enough oil quickly which let out 2qts. I ran it hard to redline and as it came to idle the idiot light came on and I realized there was no pressure. Super sucky day.

May have or may not have been your problem, but either way it's a 4G63 issue.

I guess I could have supplied more info initially.

Block was completely gone through, bored, cleaned, full BSE, even ground clean of casting flash and painted internally. Head is built with evo 8 hardware and the oil return passages cleaned of flash too. OFH ported for pressure relief.

I will watch the jafro video for better understanding of what you are suggesting.

Thanks.