1998 DT466E not building oil pressure after front timing cover replacement

[TThrelfall]

I have been working on a 1998 International truck with the DT 466E engine and having nothing but problems.

The truck was running perfectly fine and broke the tensioner off of the aluminum front cover, no big deal I’ve replaced my share of timing covers. Bought a new cover, front structure gasket set and front main seal put it all back together and life is good. Truck fired right up, I pulled it outside for a wash and let it sit for a few days started it up here and there all good. One day the (within a week of the repair) the truck ran for about 3 seconds and died, and I noticed the engine oil pressure didn’t rise. It fired on the oil in the HPOP reservoir until that was dry and never replenished. I pulled the truck back apart after determining low pressure oil supply was the problem and found the gyrator oil pump got hot and was scored, possibility I did not put the inner and the outer ring in the direction they came apart. Replaced the oil pump with a new from IH and truck fired right up, let it run an hour and went home. The next morning same thing, wouldn’t build engine oil pressure, took everything back apart, double checked the pump, dropped the oil pan to check the pick up and and gasket, no visible cracks installed a new gasket, removed front cover again to see if I had pinched the o ring style gasket which all looked good and put it back together hoping for the best. Started right up that afternoon, wouldn’t start in the morning, now I’m puzzled so I over fill the oil until it’s at the gyrator pump and start it up let it sit and no start in the morning, that rules out cracked pickup tube I could’ve missed I think.

Now I’m back to square one, ready to try another oil pump off a good running engine just to test but I’m am looking for any ideas or anyone that’s come across this problem. I have replaced the following parts with all OEM parts: timing cover and gasket set, oil psi regulator between the timing covers and the whole gyrator oil pump with new crank seal and speedi sleeve on the balancer. The truck with start and run perfect when I put it back together and the oil pump lubed heavy with assembly lube, have great oil pressure for the whole time it’s running and shut it off and come in the next day to a no start due to lack of engine oil pressure.

 

[mekanik]

Did you replace just the outer half of the front cover or both inner and outer?
When you get it running again let it warm up to operating temperature then shut it off and let it sit for a few hours. There is a temperature sensor in the reservoir for the HPOP on the back of the cover.
If you remove the sensor enough oil should come out of the reservoir to make a big mess. I would guess 1/2 to 3/4 of a litre. If there is no oil then the reservoir is letting the pump drain back. For some reason the engineers at international thought it would be okay to supply the HPOP and injectors with unfiltered oil.
I have seen a couple times where a DT466E with an air compressor would develop a similar hard starting problem as a result of a internal leak possibly an internal crack in the rear front cover. Both times the rear support bracket for the compressor was loose or missing.
Both trucks were near the end of their service life and the owner decided to replace them so I never got to see what the actual leak was.

#14 in the attachment.

 

[TThrelfall]

Did you replace just the outer half of the front cover or both inner and outer?
When you get it running again let it warm up to operating temperature then shut it off and let it sit for a few hours. There is a temperature sensor in the reservoir for the HPOP on the back of the cover.
If you remove the sensor enough oil should come out of the reservoir to make a big mess. I would guess 1/2 to 3/4 of a litre. If there is no oil then the reservoir is letting the pump drain back. For some reason the engineers at international thought it would be okay to supply the HPOP and injectors with unfiltered oil.
I have seen a couple times where a DT466E with an air compressor would develop a similar hard starting problem as a result of a internal leak possibly an internal crack in the rear front cover. Both times the rear support bracket for the compressor was loose or missing.
Both trucks were near the end of their service life and the owner decided to replace them so I never got to see what the actual leak was.

I only replaced the front section of the timing cover and it does hold oil in the reservoir. The truck will run for about 4 seconds until that reservoir is empty and the low pressure pump does not replenish it. Also the oil is filtered before it fills that reservoir

 

[mekanik]

It should run long enough to fill the oil filter after an oil change. More than 3 seconds.
I would definitely pull the sensor after sitting and see what comes out.
You could be right about the HPOP oil being filtered the one I had apart was an 05 DT466e which is a very similar engine. I still suspect there is a leak allowing the lube pump to drain back and loose prime.

 

[TThrelfall]

Yes the regular pump isn’t building oil pressure. It does build pressure the first time I start it but not the next day

 

[TThrelfall]

It should run long enough to fill the oil filter after an oil change. More than 3 seconds.
I would definitely pull the sensor after sitting and see what comes out.
You could be right about the HPOP oil being filtered the one I had apart was an 05 DT466e which is a very similar engine. I still suspect there is a leak allowing the lube pump to drain back and loose prime.

It appears the new front cover was machined wrong from brand new. If I put a straight edge across from where the oil pump is mounted I have almost 1/8” of space where as the old cover is perfectly flat

 

[mekanik]

Looks like you found the problem. A lot of frustration over this.
Years ago quality control was replaced with warranty. That was not a good thing.