Still no oil pressure

CastleMGBV8 · Post by **CastleMGBV8** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 9:59 am

Adam,

Just another thought, have you had the bearing caps off to check for damage? and it's also worth checking that the supplied shells are not oversize if the journals have been ground, happened to me when I rebuilt a Bristol engine many years ago, half the mains shells were the correct +20 and the rest were standard although the box stated +20

Have you had the rocker covers off when cranking the engine to see if any oil is being fed to the rocker gear?

Just clutching at straws here as you have a bit of a mystery.

Kevin.

adamnreeves · Post by **adamnreeves** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 1:28 pm

I havent had the bearing caps off no. I tried but has the caps are cross bolted I have bolts going through the side of the block and I do not have enough room to remove them without removing things like engine mounts and I do not have an engine crane. the shells will be the correct size as this is a brand new short engine still on the pallet and bagged from MCT. I did take one of the rocker covers off but after the problem so only turning on starter motor, didn't see any oil. I will repeat this test once I re-install the oil stainer to see if that was the issue.

CastleMGBV8 wrote:Adam,

Just another thought, have you had the bearing caps off to check for damage? and it's also worth checking that the supplied shells are not oversize if the journals have been ground, happened to me when I rebuilt a Bristol engine many years ago, half the mains shells were the correct +20 and the rest were standard although the box stated +20

Have you had the rocker covers off when cranking the engine to see if any oil is being fed to the rocker gear?

Just clutching at straws here as you have a bit of a mystery.

Kevin.

Post by **Coops** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 2:14 pm

have you tried changing the filter?
i think the rv8 filter has a non return valve (maybe wrong)

CastleMGBV8 · Post by **CastleMGBV8** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 2:21 pm

Adam,

Well as a new bottom end it cant really have the bearing problem as I suggested.

Strange that Bryan, V8alligator had the same or similar problem, have you spoken to the suppliers of the engine and had any feed back, would they replace it?

Kevin.

adamnreeves · Post by **adamnreeves** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 2:48 pm

Yep changed the filter. I have found the cause this afternoon. Oil strainer could not have been sealed to block. This is just shear bad luck which is typical. All my engine bolts are either ARP or standard Rover ones. A lesson for you all, well me at least, do not assume that the standard rover bolts are correct. I took some measurements today. The depth of the strainer bolt hole on the outside side of the block is 23mm, the other one I presume because the bearing cap is in the vicinity is only 11mm. Now the depth of the oil stainer flange is 6mm and the washer is 2mm, so if I had a bolt length exceeding 19mm then this would bottom out. The ends of the bolts are pressed but the one I installed in the smaller hole was not completely straight and measured 19.75mm overall! This would explain how it came loose when I know I had torqued it up.

Post by **Coops** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 2:59 pm

glad your now sorted mate

adamnreeves · Post by **adamnreeves** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 3:13 pm

Well all keep you're appendages crossed that no permanent damage has occurred.

thev8kid wrote:glad your now sorted mate

CastleMGBV8 · Post by **CastleMGBV8** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 4:03 pm

Adam,

So you now have oil pressure?

If so, a lesson learnt for all of us.

Well done for your persistence with the oil strainer pick up connection to the block as I wouldn't have considered that as a potential fault unless obviously loose.

Kevin.

mgbv8 · Post by **mgbv8** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 7:39 pm

Thats one to go in the memory bank eh??

adamnreeves · Post by **adamnreeves** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 9:52 pm

Havent tested yet, had to be somewhere at 17:00. Just got back. I'll continue tomorrow.

CastleMGBV8 wrote:Adam,

So you now have oil pressure?

If so, a lesson learnt for all of us.

Well done for your persistence with the oil strainer pick up connection to the block as I wouldn't have considered that as a potential fault unless obviously loose.

Kevin.

adamnreeves · Post by **adamnreeves** » Sun Jun 14, 2009 12:47 pm

I cannot believe it, still no oil flows

I left a rocker cover off and cranked engine over on starter motor with no plugs in. No oil appearing. I also took off the hose between the remote filter head and oil cooler and no oil flowing there either.

My starter motor cranks engine over at 300rpm and I tried three times about 10 seconds a go and 20seconds for the last attempt. I am assuming I should get oil flowing at this speed with a crank driven oil pump.

Previously I had also done these checks:
1. removed timing cover and internal pump, check tolerances. Pump is new anyway.
2. Removed pressure relief valve and checked tolerances.
3. Replaced oil filter
4. I have actually replaced hoses as well, only because I was there and I did not like the rubber ones and wanted braided.
5. When I removed the sump I did with oil in so that I could check accuracy of dip stick. Actually I was fed up with throwing money away with replacing oil. I've spend £60 on cheap oil so far. Have some millers which luckily I did not put in, this cost £60 as well so £120 in oil over the last couple of weeks!
6. Measured strainer position to bottom of sump, 10mm
7. checked oil cooler not blocked.
8. Whilst sump and timing cover was off I blew air through the oil way from stainer to front of block exit to prove not blocked. I did likewise with the timing cover. I also blew air through strainer when cover was back on and could hear air in the timing cover. When I say air it was from my mouth not a compressor.
9. I have checked that the inner rotor of the oil pump is positive located on woodruff key.

The engine is brand new and all the bits. The timing cover is an intermediate one and as such is the only item that is not new but I installed a new oil pump and the pressure relieve plunger and spring. The oil pump cover is scored a little bit. I see that RPi have a new intermediate timing cover for sale on Ebay but not cheap enough just to try unless it is necessary. Replacing this is the only thing I can think of.

Other than I am completely out of ideas.

ged · Post by **ged** » Sun Jun 14, 2009 3:42 pm

Hi Adam,

Sorry to here about your problem.

You say you have a remote take-off to the oil cooler. The original out-flow ran from the bottom of the pump through the oil-cooler & returned through the side of the front cover. Have you plugged these off? My thoughts are, is it possible that the problem may lay with the remote set up? I'm thinking if you remove the lower bung & crank the engine you must get oil. It may be worth a try.

Ged

adamnreeves · Post by **adamnreeves** » Sun Jun 14, 2009 4:06 pm

Ged,

Thanks for the reply. I know what you mean about original oil cooler. The cover had the blanking plugs in place when I bought it. I had turned the engine over by hand prior to installing the remote setup to see if any oil came out of the original filter head but I guess it would not be quick enough so I didnt see oil. I noted that I heard gurgling noises though.

I will remove the bottom blanking plug if I can remove it, might have a chassis cross member in the way, reason for sandwich plate install probably

The remote filter and cooler is a Westfield kit for the Rover V8 install. Although I have replaced the hoses with braided ones now.

ged wrote:Hi Adam,

Sorry to here about your problem.

You say you have a remote take-off to the oil cooler. The original out-flow ran from the bottom of the pump through the oil-cooler & returned through the side of the front cover. Have you plugged these off? My thoughts are, is it possible that the problem may lay with the remote set up? I'm thinking if you remove the lower bung & crank the engine you must get oil. It may be worth a try.

Ged

ChrisJC · Post by **ChrisJC** » Sun Jun 14, 2009 6:12 pm

Is it worth doing a sanity check on your oil plumbing.
I.e. make sure that the port on the front cover that oil should come out of is the one you think it should be etc etc, the blocked ports can be blocked with no ill effects etc. etc.

I can double check it as I have three spare front covers here......

Chris.

ged · Post by **ged** » Sun Jun 14, 2009 7:02 pm

Hi Adam,

I had a look on your website, when you fired it up in May you had approx 3bar pressure at fast idle. So can you tell me what happened between then & no oil pressure?

Ged.