Suzuki G13A motor - weird noise from oil pump

[Bammo]

I recently purchased a 1985 Suzuki Sierra (Samurai) with the G13A 1.3l motor. The oil in it was unspeakable - still liquid but lumpy and clearly very, very old. Oil filter was marked "2002". New plugs, points, filters, oil and cooling system and the engine is starting fine and seems to be running OK but is making a high pitched whine which I think is coming from the oil pump cavitating?

I plan on dropping the sump this weekend and taking a look at the pickup tube screen but was reluctant to take the oil pump itself off unless I had to. Anyone got any thoughts on whether its likely that the old oil has just blocked the system up a bit or should I really replace it at the same time?

For those interested you can listen the noise it makes on startup here:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/evcs6nwo381p1kz/G13a whine.mp3?dl=0

cheers

 

[Lyman]

That sounds awful. Sounds like something has let loose. Have you had the timing belt cover off? I am thinking maybe the idler bearing? Such a high pitch noise makes me think some kind of bearing or bushing.

 

[andyd]

I'm hooked, please post a follow up. Can you get parts for this? Welcome to the monkey house.

 

[Bammo]

Parts are surprisingly cheap even here in oz for these Andy - they were a very popular car in their time and lots of specialty suppliers selling after market replacement parts sourced from India.

Timing cover has been removed/replaced along with the timing belt and waterpump. Timing cover was cracked and wearing on the belt so clever me thought I had found the noise and that it would be an easy fix!

Previous owner reported it was overheating and I assumed that was the radiator as it was well stuffed and the thermostat had been bypassed. It might have been the oil at the root of the problem - though oddly it drives fine and seems to have plenty of power, though obviously I'm not driving it until I fix the issue.

 

[Silk]

We called them an SJ413. Is there a short delay before the noise sets in on start up? With a blocked pickup it takes a couple of seconds before the whine comes in. I've seen blocked pickups on Suzuki's, but not that model.

 

[Bammo]

Originally Posted By: Silk
We called them an SJ413. Is there a short delay before the noise sets in on start up? With a blocked pickup it takes a couple of seconds before the whine comes in. I've seen blocked pickups on Suzuki's, but not that model.


If you listen to the audio recording in the first post then yes, can you hear a momentary delay before the noise starts.

Fun fact - this car is not actually labelled a Suzuki. It wears a General Motors Holden badge as a "Drover" - was an experiment in co-branding GM did with Suzuki. The only parts made by GM are the name badge on the front, the decal on the back and the supplementary compliance plate! Everything else is straight up SJ413.

 

[Silk]

No speakers on the work computer, that's why I had to ask. I worked on a lot of SJ410's and SJ413's in the '80's and '90's, popular on an Island I was on at the time. Holden only badged the Swift as the Barina here, otherwise Suzuki was pretty much left alone.

 

[Bammo]

So I dropped the sump today and was greeted with this lovely sight!

Bit of a bugger to clean it out but managed that and now just waiting for the new gasket to set before refilling the oil and trying again....

 

[Bammo]

Put it all back together and ran the motor for about 20 minutes today. Noise is completely gone and oil pressure seems good, motor is running well and pulling like a bus full of catholic school boys!