Spot the Oil leak

[islander]

Thanks to another great weekend of weather, I spent plenty of time under the wedge rather than in it, still it now stops thanks to new brake fluid.

However, I think I have now spotted the source of the oil leak underneath. The bible states that is oil covers the front of the engine suspect the Oil Pressure relief valve. My leak appears to be coming from the oil pump cover (or the thing that is where the oil filter is on a normal rover V8).

Is this still likely to be the valve and if so which bit exactly is the valve and how do you replace it?

Photo available if anybody can tell me how to get into the message. It looks nothing like the picture in Rimmers Catalogue!!

[islander]

Attempt at photo embed!!

[350matt]

The cover is a quite likely leak point, mainly due to the fact theres only 1 rubber seal involved, the pump side uses a carboard type gasket, available from RT racing. Replace this ressamble witha bit of Silastic and it should be OK. Bear in mind you'll have to fill the remote filter oil pipes with an oil can to get the oil pump to prime when it all goes back together.

Matt

[islander]

Is it just undo the nut in the centre to take the cover off and replace the gasket then? I have to complete an oil and filter change anyway so I guess this would be the ideal time to change the gasket.

[wedg1e]

islander said:

Is it just undo the nut in the centre to take the cover off and replace the gasket then? I have to complete an oil and filter change anyway so I guess this would be the ideal time to change the gasket.

Yes!

[19560]

Don't forget to clean the pressure relief valve spring and plunger while you're in there. You are also supposed to pack it with vascelene, necessary on some cars but not on others, I don't know why the difference.

[wedg1e]

19560 said:

Don't forget to clean the pressure relief valve spring and plunger while you're in there. You are also supposed to pack it with vascelene, necessary on some cars but not on others, I don't know why the difference.

My guess is it depends on how much wear/ scoring you have on the pump rotors & housing. If you had a good seal, you might get enough vacuum to pull the oil up from the sump. Knowing how much it cost for a crank grind, though, I'd go with the £1.20 jar of Vaseline... ;-)

[islander]

Bibe suggests pre-filling pump with oil through filter pipes to prime the pump. Is the vasaline still required if you do this?

[danny hoffman]

Best option is to prime the pump via the distributor drive and an electric drill. RPI sell a tool for a £15 or you could make one yourself.

Danny

[islander]

islander said:

Attempt at photo embed!!

New bits are on the way from Richard T,(top bloke very helpul and informative), just been out to degrease the whole area in readyness for next weekend, (also a good reason to take the car out in the sun to warm the engine up).

On completion of this I noticed a threaded hole just out of sight behind the anti roll bar in this picture but just above and slightly to the right of the top oil filter feed.

What is this hole? Looking at the way the oil has covered the area, it is the likley cause of the oil leak. As it has a thread in it I would guess something should be screwed in it. Is this the location of the pressure relief valve?

I could take another picture if it would help.

[shpub]

islander said:

Bibe suggests pre-filling pump with oil through filter pipes to prime the pump. Is the vasaline still required if you do this?

No.