Missing oil relief spring and plunger?!? Options

[Tdskip]

So after much delay I am digging into what’s going on with the oil pressure on the red Aka turbo car. This is the car with the larger displacement engine that has good cold oil pressure that then drops when hot.

Pulled the non-stock cover off and there wasn’t anything in the camber. No spring, no plunger. Oof.

[Tdskip]

Looks missing to me - do you see the plunger?

[ChrisFoley]

Without anything in that hole, the oil pressure would be terminally low at all times. There must be something else.

[Mblizzard]

Have to second Chris. Made that mistake once and no oil pressure!

[Mark Henry]

Almost looks like there's something up there, and that's not a stock relief cover.
No piston and spring it would always be bypassing the oil circuit straight back into the sump, about a 1/8" hole, did they block the relief to sump return?

[McMark]

Is this what you're referring to Mark? That dark protrusion is the only thing that looks odd to me. Everything else looks like a normal empty cavity, ready for the stock components.

Maybe a couple more pictures just like this but angled slightly differently. A few different angles may let us piece together what we're seeing.

Kind of looks like the threads are missing too, but that could just be the picture.

[Tdskip]

Hi guys-first of all hope everybody had a good long weekend, and for those in Canada or the rest the world we were thinking of you while we were being lazy bums (On an important holiday).

Nothing came out when I removed the bottom cover/plug. It was not running anything so something else Hass to be going on I guess.

I installed a plunger and new spring and the oil pressure jumped from 40-ish cold to 70-ish cold and I now have a bit under +\- 10 psi per 1,000 rpm with oil temp at 180.

I also learned that there are apparently two oil pressure relief springs? A second one near #1?

[Mark Henry]

Is this what you're referring to Mark? That dark protrusion is the only thing that looks odd to me. Everything else looks like a normal empty cavity, ready for the stock components.

Maybe a couple more pictures just like this but angled slightly differently. A few different angles may let us piece together what we're seeing.

Kind of looks like the threads are missing too, but that could just be the picture.

Yes that's what I was wondering about. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)
I'm surprised it had any oil pressure. The crazy shit PO's do always amazes me. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

[Tdskip]

There were threads for the bottom seal and those were in good shape but the rest of the bore was smooth.

Here’s a blown up version of that initial picture looking into the boar, it almost appears there are some sort of putty.

[Tdskip]

Good morning gentlemen.

Assuming that is some sort of JB Weld can I get to that part of the engine when I take it apart? Never disassembled one before so not sure about access....

Thanks

[ChrisFoley]

Here's a cutaway pic of the relief bore.

[McMark]

Here's my suspicion.

Plug 1: this gallery plug is usually pulled out and the hole drilled and tapped for a pipe plug. This prevents the plug from popping out unexpectedly, for a more secure solution.

Plug 2: this deeper plug is left alone because it's too deep to tap correctly. Fixing this can be a bitch. I accidentally did this on the first case I ever pulled plugs -- and I still have it because I haven't gotten around to fixing it.

So I suspect that someone pulled the deeper plug, realized they couldn't fix it, and used epoxy putty to block the hole. This would also keep the pressure piston from moving all the way upwards, and would also have a risk of the piston knocking the epoxy putty out of place. That could result in a complete loss of oil pressure if the blocks the port.

You either run this engine as a ticking bomb, or pull it and dig in. If I'm right, be ready for a bit of work. And if I'm right, I also have some ideas to fix it I can share.

[Tdskip]

So the goop isn’t letting it close which helps explain why I’ve got a warm oil pressure issue....

I will give you a ring if it’s OK and when I pull this thing apart.

Thank you to everyone for the coaching and ideas here.