Oil Pressure Fluctuating :S

Slatter · Post by **Slatter** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 8:41 pm

Right after getting the engine running the otherday it took it for a drive. When i fist started it the oil pressure was just over 40 psi. After driving it about for a while it dropped low to about 12... its a rover so sometimes they do go low dont they ?? ... then it picked back up to 20 .... and then rose a bit more.. i turned it off and let it cool. When i restarted it its started at about 30 psi.

So what could be causing all this fluctuation ??

1) Thge gauge is shot??

2) Engine problems ( its going well though )

3) Leads were round wrong way for a while

and its running a JE injection system, could all the fuel that wasnt burt have gone and mixed with the oil in the sump ... the oil is smelling fuely, Hence the oil will be thinner. Will thin petrolly oill mean less oil pressure ????

Ive got a headache now will loads more problems ive had with it today lol

Any help appreciated

Thanks Slatter

Post by **Coops** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 9:00 pm

sticking relief valve?
what grade oil you using? and has it an oil cooler and stat??

Post by **katanaman** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 9:10 pm

Could be iffy relief valve but for starters you need to change your oil if its contaminated with fuel. It will have thinned the oil which will cause problems but also broken it down as petrol is a solvent. Petrol is a bad lubricant as well.

Post by **Coops** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 9:12 pm

ooooooooops i never read the petrol in the oil bit

JC. · Post by **JC.** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 9:49 pm

Pointless speculating on what it might be when there is a known problem that is linked.

Get that oil changed ASAP. Infact, it would be worth just getting some cheap mineral oil to flush it with.
Dump the old stuff, get the cheap stuff in, run the engine for 20 mins, dump out the cheap oil and put some decent stuff in with a new filter.

Duckhams 20/50 is good stuff. Its green which has to be impressive!

Jokes aside you may find doing the above will solve the problem. Fingers crossed for you there's no real damage.

Slatter · Post by **Slatter** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 10:23 pm

Ahh the petrol in the oil is no real problem, as many people with JE ecu's will know, they like to put a lot more fuel into the engine to get the power out the engine!

I change the oil after every meeting or about 50 miles of racing anyway !!

Lewis · Post by **Lewis** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 11:00 pm

Well that's a poor solution if I ever heard of one, an engine's not just a bonfire, it won't make more power by just pouring fuel into it!

Going to avoid those methinks!

Post by **katanaman** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 11:56 pm

Slatter wrote:Ahh the petrol in the oil is no real problem, as many people with JE ecu's will know, they like to put a lot more fuel into the engine to get the power out the engine!

I change the oil after every meeting or about 50 miles of racing anyway !!

Ok M8 good luck to you, hope you get it sorted.

ian.stewart · Post by **ian.stewart** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 11:59 pm

The thinned oil is a contribution to the pressure problem,
you say the engine runs rich at WOT you will be losing power top end not only that the engine will suffer premature wear due to bore wash and the afore mentioned fuel in the oil..
If the fueling is endemic to this ECU, I would br looking for a way to lessen the top end fueling, possibly by changing to a more modern type of ECUI like the Emerald system, but there are many to choose from.
http://www.jenvey.co.uk/ look under Management

Slatter · Post by **Slatter** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 8:57 am

Ian, Ive been planning on putting an emerald system on it, Just havnt had enough time at moment. After the Racing this weekend im going to be buying one !!

Just off to buy more oil and filter