Legal Bill
Jedi Knight
Offline
Hi guys. I hope you can give me some advice on this problem. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
ENGINE FACTS
Engine rebuilt by a reputable machine shop with Austin Healey experience
Engine was built and then sat awaiting completion of the rest of the car for 5 or more years.
Replaced components included the rod and main bearings, pistons, rings, oil pump, cam bearings, rocker shaft and rocker bushings. Ask if you want to know about any other components.
Oil is Castrol GTX 20/50.
The engine was started about a year ago. The engine now has about 80 miles on it.
The car went for it's first drive this past fall. The engine had good oil pressure for the first 20 miles, (50+ hot at speed and about 25 at idle)
Then the car was flat bedded to a shop that did some finishing work for me. The only engine work was checking the ignition timing and adjusting the carbs. The gentleman doing the work is well known Healey and antique car repairer and restorer.
While at the shop, the mechanic reported the low oil pressure, but then thought everything was fine.
I just drove it home (about 40 miles) and it had 40 lbs hot at running speed and about 5 lbs at idle.
I let the car cool down for a while and restarted it. It took several seconds to register any oil pressure, but then it did and showed about 20 lbs at idle at about 150 degrees engine temp.
The oil pressure gauge was rebuilt by Nissonger and installed about two year ago before taking the car for a test drive.
POSSIBLE PROBLEMS
Gauge malfunction
Oil pump malfunction
Blocked oil filter (from something in the engine???)
Stuck oil pressure relief valve (but why??)
Bad rocker shaft and bushings? (they are new!!)
What else could it be?
I have not yet started the investigation. I thought I'd ask here first and find out if there is something else I should look at and what is the right order of investigation.
I don't think I have a spare gauge. If I did, I would start with that to see if another gauge gives the same readings. Then I would remove and replace the filter and look at the oil pressure relief valve to see if it has stuck open for some reason. I would change the oil and restart the engine. If I still had the problem, I would remove the valve cover and look for excessive oil squirting from the rockers (should I start with that even though all that stuff is supposed to be new?). If all was well there, I'd drop the pan and pull the oil pump.
Your thoughts and comments will be most appreciated.
Thanks.
Bill
PS, the car ran great on the 40 mile drive home.
ENGINE FACTS
Engine rebuilt by a reputable machine shop with Austin Healey experience
Engine was built and then sat awaiting completion of the rest of the car for 5 or more years.
Replaced components included the rod and main bearings, pistons, rings, oil pump, cam bearings, rocker shaft and rocker bushings. Ask if you want to know about any other components.
Oil is Castrol GTX 20/50.
The engine was started about a year ago. The engine now has about 80 miles on it.
The car went for it's first drive this past fall. The engine had good oil pressure for the first 20 miles, (50+ hot at speed and about 25 at idle)
Then the car was flat bedded to a shop that did some finishing work for me. The only engine work was checking the ignition timing and adjusting the carbs. The gentleman doing the work is well known Healey and antique car repairer and restorer.
While at the shop, the mechanic reported the low oil pressure, but then thought everything was fine.
I just drove it home (about 40 miles) and it had 40 lbs hot at running speed and about 5 lbs at idle.
I let the car cool down for a while and restarted it. It took several seconds to register any oil pressure, but then it did and showed about 20 lbs at idle at about 150 degrees engine temp.
The oil pressure gauge was rebuilt by Nissonger and installed about two year ago before taking the car for a test drive.
POSSIBLE PROBLEMS
Gauge malfunction
Oil pump malfunction
Blocked oil filter (from something in the engine???)
Stuck oil pressure relief valve (but why??)
Bad rocker shaft and bushings? (they are new!!)
What else could it be?
I have not yet started the investigation. I thought I'd ask here first and find out if there is something else I should look at and what is the right order of investigation.
I don't think I have a spare gauge. If I did, I would start with that to see if another gauge gives the same readings. Then I would remove and replace the filter and look at the oil pressure relief valve to see if it has stuck open for some reason. I would change the oil and restart the engine. If I still had the problem, I would remove the valve cover and look for excessive oil squirting from the rockers (should I start with that even though all that stuff is supposed to be new?). If all was well there, I'd drop the pan and pull the oil pump.
Your thoughts and comments will be most appreciated.
Thanks.
Bill
PS, the car ran great on the 40 mile drive home.