Change the engine? Or what?

DT.11

Thanks.
I will get the oil checked out.
When I was in doing the gaskets, I didn’t take the chain off. I just marked it and held it in place with zip ties around the crank and the two cam sprockets. It didn’t move on the cam sprockets when I removed the tensioners. The tensioner glides we’re all good, with no marking on them at all, so I felt confident just to do the gaskets and put it all back together again. I pulled both VTC solenoids and they were completely clean, although I didn’t check their function.

I have no idea how long the gasket had failed, but it did not look like a recent event, so my guess is, a while (I found bits everywhere). So it could be the VTC and the phase angle that’s out of position because of overheating. I can check that, as I’ve decided to swap the engine after all. My main reason is the oil pressure, as that’s sitting about 7 or 8psi at warm idle and other than bits in the oil, I can’t find any reason yet. I’m dreading if it’s a rod bearing. I’ll remove the cover and check those phase angles and all the timing marks on this engine and take it from there.
As for that replacement engine, first job is those gallery gaskets before I fit it into the car.