The V8 Owners Forum -

no oil pressure at all, used priming tool but its picking up nothing, checked the relief valve and its free, packed the oil pump with vaseline nothing, so i changed the oil filter housing and packed the pump again and nothing could it be as simple as a knackered oil pick up gasket.i have an sd1 sump and im using the pick up pipe with the bracket that bolts to the mains sd1? i also have the pickup pipe without a bracket. im completely stumped

Which way are you turning the pump?

Did you use a gasket between the pick up pipe and the block?

im turning the pump clockwise, it has a gasket but it wasnt a new one but it looked ok could this be my problem?

If there's a gap between the pipe and block then the pump could just suck air up hence no pressure.

How fast is the drill turning?

ive tried turning slow and fast but nothing

Can you fit your primer shaft to an electric drill?? It can take a surprisingly long time to prime the engine by hand,

ive been using an air drill with variable speed im using 15/40 oil should the pump still pick this up ok?

If the oil pickup inst 100% intact and drawing in air, chances are it will be incredibly difficult to make it lift oil.

Do you have doubts about the gasket ?

Can you feel resistance against the drill ??

The guage may not be reading, could it be a guage issue, or are you sure it isnt creating any pressure.
Again you should be able to feel the difference once oil is being pumped.

15/40 is the wrong oil Its too thin for the rover. Needs to be 20/50. But I would still think you would get resistance in the drill though.

ppyvabw wrote:15/40 is the wrong oil Its too thin for the rover. Needs to be 20/50. But I would still think you would get resistance in the drill though.

There would be negligable difference between the 2.

I respectfully disagree. The rover is supposed to run on 20/50

ppyvabw wrote:I respectfully disagree. The rover is supposed to run on 20/50

That it may. But for the purposes of priming the oil pump. It will make no difference.

And even all 20/50 oils are very different. Some are good....some not so good. So to generalise with simple numbers is taking a very blind approach. I can buy some 20/50 oil at a local motor factors for say £6 per gallon. It will not be the same as a proper oil at say £25 per gallon.

I ran my last RV8 on Motul 15/50 with no problems. I have also use Mobil 1's 15/50, again with no problems.

Even if he was priming with a 0 weight oil, it should still prime without difficulty.

Grade of oil will make a difference in a hot engine but cold the rover should easily pump 10/40 and prime. 15/50 should in theory be fine as its the 50 part that is the hot temp rating. 15/50 should in theory be slightly thinner on a cold start but the same when the engine is hot. I have only ever seen 15/50 as a synthetic oil so it might well be the only way to blend an oil with those characteristics. You pays your money you makes your choice I guess.

As to this problem I would guess you have an air leak somewhere, even if your relief valve was open you should still feel resistance although nothing like as much. I would also recommend you change the oil for something thicker for when you get it going.

I actually read an article, that was saying a 40 weight oil remains thicker at high temperature than a 50 weight.

It was pretty much dispelling the notion that a higher number means better performance at high temperature. There was facts etc to back it up.

Its also the reason I opted for a 5/40 in my current engine, as opposed to say a 10/60 or the 15/50 I had been using.

Even taking a look at say Millers reccomendations for different applications, it would seem to back it up.

Would like to read that article if you still have a link.
10/40 is well known for causing low oil pressure in the older rover engines, the newer serp fronted ones of course have a pump that works fine with it. American engine oil recommendations are all over the place depending on what state they were made for. Northern states can get extremely cold in the winter but warm in the summer where southern states bake in the summer and very rarely drop bellow 10c in mid winter. To say you must only use x oil for y engine is of course wrong as it has everything to do with the temperature its working in. Most people only ever talk about the hot working conditions where the cold conditions are just as important. Manufacturers are currently specifying oil for emissions and fuel consumption so they are very thin. Most Fords in the UK are using 5/30 these days which comes out the can like water. Not that thin oil is a bad thing as it isn't so long as it has a high enough sheer strength but it needs the correct pump and clearances in the engine to work properly. Obviously as you said earlier Stevie not all oil is equal. A good 10/40 might well be better than a supermarket 20/50 but I would think on same brand the figures would pan out.