1990 quad4 oil pres low

[TheGrayGHOST]

i own a '90 ga w/2.3 quad4. it has 204k mi on it. the problem is the oil pressure. when i start it the pres is between 40-65/70psi and it feels rough, also if i dont warm it up for a while or rev it up multiple times it acts like its going to die when i put it in gear and give it gas. sometimes if i revit to 4000-4500rpm it acts like its going to die. also has a slight odor in the exaust. when the engine is warmed up and driven a little while the oil pres drops to 20/30psi @2500-3k rpm, and just above the red at idle but it idles smooth and no odor. if i dont shift the tranny it feels very sluggish and wont downshift @ hwy speeds but if i shift for it the engine rocks like it was new. the tranny was rebuilt about 2 yrs ago. what might be wrong? ive been told the main bearings need to be replaced.? PLEASE HELP.

p.s. the car is my baby it was my fathers from the showroom untill april 06 now its finally all mine.

p.p.s this car has been spoild for 16 years so its picky.


<1990 ga 2.3 quad4 sedan, metallic gray
engine mods:heads have been milled
appearance mods: ultra white headlights[hi & low], a LE BRA bra, yokohama yk420 p205 60 r14 rubber
audio: kenwood kdc 132[cheepo] cd player head unit, optimus 3-way 60wt 6x9s

[4kQuad]

The oil pressure is high when the motor is first started. That is how every car I have seen works. After a little driving the oil heats up and thins and the pressure drops. But if the pump is working right, I have not seen one reach the red line.

There is a small screen that the pumps sucks the oil up through, with as many miles as the motor has seen....the screen could be getting clogged. But I wouldn't tear the motor apart yet if its not reaching the red and as you get going from a light/sign/what ever the pressure climbs back up some.

The hard to stay started..how old are the plugs, bad plugs make for bad starts. The order you speak of at start....does it smell like rotten eggs. The cat has a lot of miles and it and may be getting clogged. So it takes longer for it to heat up and work as it should and remove the smell at hotter temps.

Check the fluid level for the trany. What you say sounds like a trany a little low on fluid.

[4kQuad]

You can check your plugs by starting the motor, leave the car in park and e-brake set. Get out and walk around to the exhaust pipe. Put your hand in the exhaust stream coming out of the pipe.

Each time a plug fires it creates a puff of wind you can feel coming out the pipe. Yes its hot so be carful, but if you use your head you should be fine. Leave your hand in the stream feeling the wind puff. The puff should always feel the same, like a drummer in there beating away. If the drummer misses a beat that is a plug miss. No wind, no fire. You will begin to hear the motor miss as you fell the wind puff miss.

When you change out the plugs also buy some anti-seaze for the threads of the new plugs. If the anto-seaze is not used the plugs like to become one with the head. They come out dam hard or break off.

Please use this thread to reply, it will allow others to read/see whats up and give there ideas as well. That in a way is the beauty of this place. Lots of ideas from many people. It can make for a lot to wade through, but the price is right.

Your plugs live under the thing that says QUAD 4 in it. Remove the 4 bolts, the top will pull straight up off. be careful of the wire connector. Don't by fancy plugs Quads EAT fancy plugs in less than a month. AC Delco work best and they are cheep.

[TheGrayGHOST]

the threads are almost completely gone will anti-seize do anything? and what about the rattle on drvs side and the struts?







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[4kQuad]

Plug threads...search on heli-coil my spelling my be wrong.
I never had to play with the struts on my GA, so not much help.

Maybe others will chime in.