Wondering if you guys want to help me out with my badass swap! I will post more vids as a reward. Well I probably will anyway, but here goes. I have 2 issues with the car, one is major.

The minor one is this, The clutch when fully out, has a steady, loud, constant squeak, chirp, or chatter, but its a steady tone. If I have to pull the motor for the next problem, what could it be to fix it? I have read that I can ajust the clutch pedal somehow and tighten the cable, by tricking the auto ajuster. Is that the right way to fix, or access the issue?

Next, the big boy,

I have been reading for over an hour what could be the issue with my car. I just put a 5.4 together, its internally stock. I just got it going this weekend. I only have like 10 miles so far on it. So, I had an issue with the oil pressure gauge dropping to nothing. I noticed it when I heard a faint knock as I am am being a baby as I shake it down. Look down, no oil pressure. Freaked out, shut it off, went for a walk. Came back 5 minutes later, started it, no issues at all. Parked it.

Tuner told me biggest reason for a fluctuation is a issue with the sensor. So I figured the faint knock was in my head.

Idled it to warm the next day it was fine. Took it 2 miles to the store, it was fine. Home, fine. Today I put tags on it, filled it with gas, and set off. I got about 5 miles before I heard it again, looked, and behold no oil pressure. But then the needle shot up to normal, and all was good, no more noise.

Turned around to come home and it fell again. I heard the knock, just as fast, it came back, and the motor was quiet as a mouse. So I stopped halfway home at burger king, as I pulled in, the gauge fell, and the motor was knocking audibly. I shut it off, let it cool, drove it home 1 mile no more issues with oil pressure..

I have not done damage to the motor. Just to be clear, it is quiet as a mouse under all conditions. I am not going to drive it again till I figure out what the issue is. I was told it was the sensor, but I have tactile feedback from the engine that it may actually be losing pressure.

I just build a monster, I don't want to drive around scared. I am going to change the oil pump. Period.

I am here to ask a few questions about it if you guys could help me out. It is a 1998 gt. It has a 5.4 pi winsor in it, with a 4.6 romeo oil pan on it =).

1) can I change the pump out and the pick up tube without pulling the motor?
2) best way to remove or move oil pan? I have a engine hoist.
3) what can i do about my clutch?

Vids so far,

first start

first idle after tune a while later

Thanks guys!

 

First, if your clutch has the auto-adjuster, are you adjusting it right? Lift the pedal up and then slowly press the pedal down a few times. If you hear clicking, it's adjusting. Also, did you replace the bearing and if so, was it anything other than OEM Ford (or Sachs who makes it for them)?

Now, the oil pressure can be a few things.

-Did you prime the system? Could be a trapped air pocket in the pump or lines/passages. However, the system should have been purged of air by now with all the times you ran it.
-When you built the engine, did you give the block/heads a good cleaning? Perhaps a passage has crud in it that will occasional dislodge as the pressure builds (makes sense given that pressure will be higher driving than while at idle). Also a possibility, though this to me wouldn't be an intermittent issue, did you forget to put all the plugs back in, especially those on the head? An oil drip/leak would be indicative of this (and may be causing your chirping on your throwout bearing). Though if this plugs weren't fully tighten, it could potentially cause the issue.

As for pulling the pan, the best way would be to jack up the car, have the engine supported, and drop the k-member. Not difficult or time consuming, but it'll net you so much room.

 

1) I have not actually tried to use the auto ajuster as intended. I did not know it was ever necessary and I thought that it just worked on its own. Ive never lifted the pedal back. I will try that tonight.

2) It was a Sachs OEM replacement new from Rockauto.com

3) I primed the engine by pulling the coil power to kill spark, and turning it over for 30 seconds. My friend stood with a flashlight looking into the valve cover until he saw fresh oil. The car was on level ground in my garage, I plugged the coils in, and it started right up. Is that not a good way to do it?
This is the actual video of the 2nd prime before I started it,

4) When I took the engine apart, it had a broken cam gear, and bent valves. I replaced ALL valve stem seals, and the bent valves, I cleaned everything with copous amounts of dawn soap, I used a air compressor to dry everything, and since it was a year long build everything was super dry when I put it together again. When you say did I put plugs back in, I dont understand, like sparkplugs? Or freeze plugs?

5) There are NO leaks on the motor anywhere, and perfect oil level.


6) Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!