Midget 1500 oil pan

[Morris]

My Midget has a Spitfire engine (NO KIDDING /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/crazy.gif ). Seriously, it literally has a Spitfire engine, with a Spitfire oil pan and pump. I would like to put a Midget pump and pan on there and hopefully end a horrible low oil pressure situation that occurs when I slam on the brakes.

Does anyone have a Midget oil pan they would like to sell me? The difference in the two pans as far as I can see is the Spitfire is a "split level" pan where the Midget pan is not.

 

[tony barnhill]

PM me - I have one

 

[Thor]

I also have a spitfire 1500 in my midget. I've never had a problem with loosing significant oil pressure when braking hard. What is the pressure go to?

I saw that both the midget and spitfire oil pan required you to place baffles in them but that is for competition and it sounded rarely would you need to in regular road usage. For either one? Not only that but they both look exactly alike from what I can tell in the catalogs.

This makes me wonder if something else is up with your engine. Does your engine have a straight or angled oil pickup? Mine has the angled. I think that is the difference between the midget and spitfire. The spitfire came with either an angled or straight oil pickup sump, while the midget only came with an angled one. Could the sump itself be faulty or its screen clogged somewhat?

Anyways maybe someone else has some more ideas of what might cause this. Let us know the amount the pressure drops ok. Do you also get it when cornering hard? The more details the better.



Good luck.

 

[Morris]

What happens is that when I brake hard, my oil light comes on. However, the drop in pressure does not register on my oil gauge.

According to the pictures in the Moss online catalog, the Midget has a different pan, and a straight oil pick-up.

Is this correct?

 

[Hap Waldrop]

Put you a baffle on the front side of the pump, it would have to be very elaborate, it could be just a piece of flat bar or angle sitting on the front side of the pump, making the oil work harder to make it to the fornt of the pan.

 

[Thor]

You have both an oil light plus an oil pressure gauge on your midget? From what I recall towards the end of production they did replace the oil gauge with an idiot light. Did you add the pressure gauge?

I think I would trust the gauge more then the light as far as telling me what may be happening. Since you don't see any drop on the oil gauge but the light comes on have you thought about a faulty light? Maybe there is a loose connection and when you brake hard it shorts or something.

Anyways I'd look into something like that before spending a lot of time and effort in switching oil pans, etc. Like I said I have a Spitfire motor with its oil pan and have never seen a significant drop on oil pressure when braking. Please let us know what you discover. Good luck

 

[aeronca65t]

Morris:

1500 Midget pump pick up is straight down (and pretty short). The oil pump pickup for the 1500 Spitfire is angled and somewhat longer.
The 1500 Midget has a more shallow, boxy oilpan. If you put a shorter Midget pickup in a Midget with a 1500 Spitfire oilpan, the pick up will not go down far enough and you will have problems.
I recall I did this about 10 years ago by mistake. I couldn't turn or brake even at normal levels (or oil pressure would drop to nothing).
I can't recall if the Midget oilpan will fit the Spitfire, but I am pretty sure that a standard 1500 Spitfire pan will fit a Midget with no mods (as you guys have found out).
The 1500 Spitfire pan is a better design, but it sits low when put in a Midget, so you have to watch those speed bumps! Be sure to use the correct dip stick too...if you're not sure, put in 3.8 qts to fill and look at dip stick.
And be sure that you don't have the short (1500 Midget) "pickup pipe" (with the screen) screwed into a 1500 Spitfire pump.

 

[sparkydave]

FYI, I also have the angled pickup on my stock engine. I also had a problem with dropping oil pressure when I braked hard, and found out I have the "wrong" oil pickup. Interesting that I'm not the only one with a Spitfire engine. I found if I keep the oil near the full mark it doesn't seem to be as much of an issue. Usually if I see the gauge dip down that's my reminder to top up the oil. I replaced the pan once since mine was dented, but I think I must have gotten another Spitfire pan, because it was identical to the old one.