Blocked oil filter ?

[dobbslc]

This is an odd one I've had on my son's newly bought 2012 Fiat 500.
It's also in the "Mini or Fiat 500" thread but I thought it would be of some interest in general to some of you.
Once warm there's a quite loud whining noise coming from the oil pump area, YouTube link.

Now this car had not been serviced for a very long time by the look of it so I thought it was the pump that's knackered!
But I did an oil and filter change anyway not holding out much hope but it seems to have fixed it!

A pretty amazing difference I thought!
I'm not sure on this but my theory is that the filter must have been blocked causing the bypass valve to operate thus making the noise?
What does the forum hive mind think?

 

[Guineafowl]

Did you save the old filter? I usually cut them open and have a look for bits.

Can’t see the type of filter, but could the old one have been installed cocked, or with a folded O-ring, leading to bypass/air getting in?

 

[Hotstuff]

I’ve had a similar experience with my E46 M3. She had sat for a few weeks and went for a run one morning and she wasn’t happy; she was making a rattling sound from the top end and it sounded terminal.

After stripping the Vanos assemblies, expecting the cam sprocket bolts to have backed out or broken Exhaust cam dogs that drive the Vanos oil pump but I could not find a problem.

The noise stopped after changing the oil so I assumed that it was something to do with the hydraulic cam chain tensioner. She’s been fine ever since.

Hopefully the oil change and getting the Fiat back into service will do her the power of good. I hope it brings him many smiles over many miles.

 

[dobbslc]

Did you save the old filter? I usually cut them open and have a look for bits.

Can’t see the type of filter, but could the old one have been installed cocked, or with a folded O-ring, leading to bypass/air getting in?

It's a metal canister type filter. I might fish it out of the bin and stick it in my bandsaw...

 

[dobbslc]

Could be the bearings for the oil pump, I still hear it but less loud

The pump now only makes normal mechanical noises now, maybe it's the timing belt you can hear whir?

 

[Guineafowl]

It's a metal canister type filter. I might fish it out of the bin and stick it in my bandsaw...

Or do the farmer’s trick (with diesel filters):
- Remove filter
- Blow through middle hole and get covered in diesel.
- Say ‘nothing wrong with that’.
- Refit filter.

 

[minimutly]

The oil pump on my old Sherpa started making noises going up a steep hill. Pulled the dipstick - nothing!
So I carefully filled it, phew, engine saved. My fault, I had been used to the Astra van, never used a drop..

 

[keithski122]

Had a whistling sound from a customers car which was caused by the gauze filter in the sump tarred up.

 

[dobbslc]

Hopefully it's not that! I did an oil pressure test and got 1.6 bar at idle and 4.5 bar at higher speeds so I think the actual pump etc is all ok.

 

[minimutly]

Hopefully it's not that! I did an oil pressure test and got 1.6 bar at idle and 4.5 bar at higher speeds so I think the actual pump etc is all ok.

Doesn’t mean the strainer is not semi blocked though - on a modern engine in good health an absolute flood of oil goes past the relief valve. It would need to reduce by this amount before any pressure reduction was seen

 

[m_c]

It could have been the bypass valve, but often new oil will simply lubricate things better and quieten things down.

If it has suffered from lack of servicing, I'd run it for a 1000 miles, then give it another oil and filter change.

 

[armalites]

I'd be doing another oil change in a couple of hundred miles if you suspect the filter was blocked because if it was bypassing then likely the new filter has picked up a load of dirt.

 

[dobbslc]

More trouble!
"Dad there was a message on the dash about coolant"
I check the coolant, none in the expansion bottle
We found that a plastic pipe on the thermostat housing had cracked, it literally fell off when I touched it.
We can only get another with the same plastic pipe today so that's what's going back on.

 

[dobbslc]

Turns out the new thermostat housing does have a metal pipe so it's now fitted and no more leaks, however I've found an oil leak just above the thermostat that might be the recently fitted rocker cover gasket or the cam position sensor O ring .
Then after putting everything back together it was only running on two or three cylinders three or four electrical connectors have to be removed to reach the stat so I checked these and all seems well.
When I started work I noticed the post cat O2 sensor plug was full of coolant so cleaned it with some brake cleaner, this was still wet when the car was started so maybe the cause of the rough running as it seemed to work ok once it dried out from the engine heat. Italian cars!

 

[Hotstuff]

The post cat lambda sensor does not have any input into the engine running.
It’s purpose is to indicate that the cat is functioning correctly.

 

[dobbslc]

The post cat lambda sensor does not have any input into the engine running.
It’s purpose is to indicate that the cat is functioning correctly.

This is what I thought ^
I've started another thread on it if you're into misbehaving Fiat's