oil pressure

[cerdad]

what is the cold start oil pressure ,im looking to buy a cerbera, any tips as to what to look for, im after a 4.5

[SXS]

cerdad said:

what is the cold start oil pressure ,im looking to buy a cerbera, any tips as to what to look for, im after a 4.5

cant determine a good one based on this bruv. shitty sensor doesnt wake up on some until a bit warmer and misreads half the time on most cars.

• check for major rust on wishbones and linkage
• check if shocks are not leaking
• check if ALL the electrics are working
• check the oil level of the car, if level is low then it aint been looked after right
• check gears, clutch shouldnt be too soft and shouldnt be too hard, gears should snap in smoothly and tightly
• check if engine idles erratically
• leave car running for a while on idle, and check for any leaks under car, oil etc
• check ALL service records, properly!
• contact last servicer and find out more info on the car (sometimes owners skip things, going cheap charlie at their leisure - costs you cos you'll have to get the work done)
• drive car! a must! should thrust you forward, and seem to get faster and faster as speed picks up
• check for tyre wear and tear - look underneath to be sure
• check if steering is smooth, if its too hard to steer then seal/shaft etc problems
• drive car with lights on, air con on, stereo on full, and make sure the alternator is charging properly
• check if there are any leaks at the radiator, look very closely after a heated run
• check if there are any very strong fuel smells
• check if the intake runner hoses are air tight
• check if the brakes work properly, attempt to break a little harder at national speed limit
• swing the car into a roundabout and check for any rumbling or clanking noises
• check cigarette lighter works properly (this is more for me though, being a smoker)
• check if there are leaks in the car, drive it in the rain for a bit (shouldnt be too hard with current weather)
• check the fluid levels, all should be near top (again a test to see if car is looked after properly)
• check to see if wipers work properly
• check that all steering wheel functions work properly

Its a VERY simple car, just check all mechanical things.
Also get underneath car if you can and remove service panel, simple job, and look around for any sump damage and also check headers properly - see if there are any cracks forming etc., also check side of block, look for anything that looks out of place..

If the owner lets you, rev the car to max rpm once warmed up, and hold for 10 seconds or so, if anything goes a miss, you aint bought it, so its not your fault.

Apart from that, thats pretty much it.
With cerberas, you either buy a good one = been looked after and isnt in need of lots of remedial work, or a poor one = been looked after cheaply and lots of work needed to bring car up to reliable pristine mechanical condition.

Good luck!

Oh, and try and get a lightweight version, a bit more on cost, but tend to be built a lot better and also look more updated so you wont need to throw loadsa money at new wheels and light upgrades and stuff. In the long run, you save money if you spend a bit extra on the initial purchase, trust me, its called reality.

Thats all I can write for now.

[jonbarrett]

My oil pressure sits in the centre of the dial as soon as I start the engine.

[jbvipercerb]

Cold mines 70/75psi, hot down to about 40ish psi, tickover at 950rpm.
Alot of the oil pressure problems are down to the pressure relief valve spring going weak, there easy to change, behind a cap on the side of the engine, but getting one may be a bit harder!

[cerdad]

thanks for that info, ive printed it off to take with me ,are the engines ment to sound like spanner sdropping in a bucket as i have only heard a couple and they all seem to sound like it

[esso]

SXS said:

cerdad said:

what is the cold start oil pressure ,im looking to buy a cerbera, any tips as to what to look for, im after a 4.5

cant determine a good one based on this bruv. shitty sensor doesnt wake up on some until a bit warmer and misreads half the time on most cars.

• check for major rust on wishbones and linkage
• check if shocks are not leaking
• check if ALL the electrics are working
• check the oil level of the car, if level is low then it aint been looked after right
• check gears, clutch shouldnt be too soft and shouldnt be too hard, gears should snap in smoothly and tightly
• check if engine idles erratically
• leave car running for a while on idle, and check for any leaks under car, oil etc
• check ALL service records, properly!
• contact last servicer and find out more info on the car (sometimes owners skip things, going cheap charlie at their leisure - costs you cos you'll have to get the work done)
• drive car! a must! should thrust you forward, and seem to get faster and faster as speed picks up
• check for tyre wear and tear - look underneath to be sure
• check if steering is smooth, if its too hard to steer then seal/shaft etc problems
• drive car with lights on, air con on, stereo on full, and make sure the alternator is charging properly
• check if there are any leaks at the radiator, look very closely after a heated run
• check if there are any very strong fuel smells
• check if the intake runner hoses are air tight
• check if the brakes work properly, attempt to break a little harder at national speed limit
• swing the car into a roundabout and check for any rumbling or clanking noises
• check cigarette lighter works properly (this is more for me though, being a smoker)
• check if there are leaks in the car, drive it in the rain for a bit (shouldnt be too hard with current weather)
• check the fluid levels, all should be near top (again a test to see if car is looked after properly)
• check to see if wipers work properly
• check that all steering wheel functions work properly

Its a VERY simple car, just check all mechanical things.
Also get underneath car if you can and remove service panel, simple job, and look around for any sump damage and also check headers properly - see if there are any cracks forming etc., also check side of block, look for anything that looks out of place..

If the owner lets you, rev the car to max rpm once warmed up, and hold for 10 seconds or so, if anything goes a miss, you aint bought it, so its not your fault.

Apart from that, thats pretty much it.
With cerberas, you either buy a good one = been looked after and isnt in need of lots of remedial work, or a poor one = been looked after cheaply and lots of work needed to bring car up to reliable pristine mechanical condition.

Good luck!

Oh, and try and get a lightweight version, a bit more on cost, but tend to be built a lot better and also look more updated so you wont need to throw loadsa money at new wheels and light upgrades and stuff. In the long run, you save money if you spend a bit extra on the initial purchase, trust me, its called reality.

Thats all I can write for now.

Great checklist,reckon you have it spot on,cus i have had to sort most of the stuff on your list on my Cerb in the 2years ive had it!