Wedge TR8 Oil Pressure

[PATR8]

Just out of courisity, what type of oil pressure do you guys run in your 8's and what type of oil (grade) do you use?

 

[RonMacPherson]

Dunno what they run, can tell you LR, who use the updated version of that engine, wants 15 at idle and 40 at speed.

 

[swift6]

Thats about right for a standard set up. They are not high pressure engines.

 

[tr8todd]

20/50 Castrol seems to be the most common choice. If you go weeks without driving your car, then an oil additive should be used. The additive will cling to the metal and help prevent engine wear at start up. Someone makes kits for the oil pumps. I think it is Kenny Bell. You can get a steel wear plate that installs against the timing cover. Over time the steel gears wear grooves into the aluminum timing cover which drops the pressure thru the motor. There is also a kit that has a larger set of gears and a larger pump housing. This kit will give greater flow. Worn timing covers are getting to be a problem. Timing covers are getting hard to find. The ones from the Rovers have a different cover with a different style water pump. That pump sits too high to be used in a TR8 or MGB V8 conversion. The Buick V6, 215, and 300 covers will bolt on, but they are lacking the bosses for the alternator and power steering pump.

 

[PATR8]

Well it loooks like my 8 is perfectly average, 15 at an idle, 40 will driving and I even use 20-50 Castrol. I thought i had a valve knocking but I foud my fuel pump (after market) had rattled itself lose and during acceleration it sounded like a valve knocking...

 

[RSMTR8]

20/50 for sure. I use synthetic since I store my car for a few months in the winter. This keeps the oil from "bonding" to any engine parts a causing problems. Otherwise if you drive your car all year around 20/50 non synthetic is fine!


Rod

 

[Mickey Richaud]

Don't know the oil pressure, but it squirts, so must be OK. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif

As for oil, I started with Castrol 20W50, but switched to Rotella 15/40, due to the earlier discussion about zinc additives. May go back to the Castrol, though - it was always good to me...

 

[Cheapsnake]

The Rover 3.5 runs oil pressure so low it's scary, at least it scared me. On a recently rebuilt engine I'm getting about 15 at idle and maybe 30 at throttle with 10w40. It would probably go up a bit with 20w50. A good source of info on these engines is v8buick.com and I ran the same question on their board a year ago and the consensus was that, while this may be on the low side for these engines, it's still within range. So with your numbers I wouldn't worry.

Todd brought up the idea of the worn wear plate, which I'd never heard of before but I'm keeping it in mind if my OP drops too much.

Tom