SRX 400 oil problems

[Nybor107]

Hi there,

Wondering if anyone else has had problems with the oil system of their SRX or XT? Mines a SRX 400 year 1990, and doesn't seem to be getting oil to the top end which is causing damage! I've taken the oil pump out and checked it over, all looks find no dents or scuffs, I've checked the oil lines and blown them all through, no debris in them or blockages of any kind, I've checked the no return valve ball bearing on the outer case and that seems to function fine I've also checked the oil gauze and that was clear....So I've run out of ideas as to why I can't get the system to bleed when it's all back together. Any ideas?

Any suggestions would be much appreciated?! Ta

[SRXpatriate]

Hi Nybor,

It can be difficult to build up enough oil pressure to bleed the oil system after a complete engine reassembly.

Did you fill the oil pump with oil?

Manually add oil to cylinder head through valve cover before trying to bleed the oil system. I'd say half litre max.

Then try and pressurize the oil tank using a foot pump and an adaptor of some sort, you could modify a wine cork to take a bit of pipe and attach foot pump to same   This should help a lot in bleeding the system/building up initial oil pressure.

The oil filter bleed screw should produce a steady flow of oil with considerable pressure. The oil pump was modified over the years and in my experience oil pressure in later engines like your 1990 model is considerably higher than in early engines.

Good luck!

[Steve Lake]

with the engine running at tickover, do you get a good flow of oil from the bleed screw hole on top of the filter housing?
can you see oil returning to the tank when the engine is running? (torch looking into filler hole)
when you say 'top end', do you mean the cylinder head / camshaft / valve train area ?
or cylinder walls?
if my memory serves me correctly oil to the cylinder head passes up (and down) through galleries in the cylinder wall, which pass through the the head gasket, and the gasket can be the cause of problems although it's a sizeable hole which doubles as a locating pin, but from there it passes through the hollow camshaft via grooves in the bearing and holes in the camshaft, and then exits down the cam chain tunnel. so any blockages in grooves/holes can cause real problems.
if it's the cylinder walls that arn't getting oil then you'll have pickup usually in the area of the cam chain tensioner, and this will almost certainly be due to the oli pump failing to provide enough pressure. this pump is a weak point in an otherwise bullet proof engine. If i'm doing a rebuild i ALWAYS change the pump... it really is false economy not to... ok it's a £hundred a pop, but a lot cheaper than another piston/rings/honing jobbie.