New owner

[Dave Meredith]

Hello everyone

I've just bought a 350i wedge. My wife thinks I'm having a mid-life crisis!
If having a mid-life crisis is this much fun I reccommend everyone has one!

I've got a question about oil pressure that I hope you can help me with.

When I bought the car there was some confusion about what the oil pressure
gauge was measuring. It was either lbs/sq in or bar. Anyway, to cut a long story
short the gauge graduations go in steps of one up to 5 so I think it's bar. According
to the gauge I reckon my pressure is between 20 and 25 lb/sq in. I was expecting
it to be a little higher than this so is this an OK reading? It doesn't climb much
higher even when the engine is revved.
The car has done 94,000 miles and does not leak any oil. There is no blue smoke out the back
and the plugs and oil look fine. There's no emulsion around the filler on the rocker cover.
The engine revs smoothly although tickover is around 1000rpm.
If the last oil change was done without priming the oil pump might this explain the lower reading?

Anyway, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that everything is ok

thanks

Dave Meredith

[Trickie Dickie]

Hi Dave and let me be the 1st to welcome you to Wedgedom

My wife claimed I was having a mid life crisis when I started
riding a motorbike again which she wouldn't even go on.
They were big BMWs then even a Goldwing.
Then I got the wedge 2 years ago and got rid of my bikes.
The wedge is the most fun you can have with your clothes on
but still she complains, as in her words "it is noisy and rough"
Do I care? - No I love it

I am not technically minded on here at all, but
if its a quick help I know that the PSI is suppoesed to be 28 at 2000 rpm

Cheers

Richard

[leorest]

If the scale is single digit figures then the units are most likely to be bar. Rover V8s are legendary for low oil pressure they're all about flow rate not pressure. If it's not making strange noises or emissions then just drive it like you stole it (I'm assuming you haven't stolen it )
Oh and by the way WELCOME
Leo

Edit to add. Just looked in the Rover 3500 Haynes book of laughs. "Oil pressure (hot at 2400 rpm)…… 35lbf/in2 (2.5kgf/cm2)"

I still stand by my previous comment though.
Leo

Edited by leorest on Tuesday 5th September 16:57

[alex290568]

Hi Dave

I bought my 350i earlier this year (43000 miles with full history). I had a similar problem. At 2000rpm the oil pressure was just under 25psi (2bar) when warm. However at tickover (550rpm) the gauge barely moved although no smoke or unusual engine noise was evident. Not being mechanically minded I posted a similar question to yours and was advised to first change the oil and filter, no evident effect! (see posting friday 21st july) Then a mechanic advised that the crank shaft bearings required replacing and once again I sought advice from this site. (see posting friday 21st July)!
After trying all the cheaper solutions and seeking a second mechanics opinion I still ended up removing the engine replacing the crank shaft bearings, oil pump gears and having the crank re-ground. The upshot of this was that I spent a few quid and its like having a new engine. I hope one of the cheaper solutions works for you but I have my big end bearings and they are worn down to the copper or brass or whatever it is that they are not supposed to wear down to! Hey ho
Welcome to BBW ownership!

[honourablepickle]

hi dave and welcome
if you have 25psi of oil preasure hot be grateful
on a 90 k motor that's pretty good !
if you want to get acurate readings get a garage with a calibrated guage to test it for you

[Dave Meredith]

Thanks for the help chaps!

Would you expect the oil pressure to rise as you rev the engine? Mine doesn't.
It wouldn't be the oil pressure relief valve stuck open a bit would it?

Anyway I'm unlikely to drive it fast. I might just open the garage door, start her
up, listen for a minute or so then shut the door and cycle to work!

Thanks again.

Dave

[number 7]

Dave Meredith said:

Thanks for the help chaps!

Would you expect the oil pressure to rise as you rev the engine? Mine doesn't.
It wouldn't be the oil pressure relief valve stuck open a bit would it?

Anyway I'm unlikely to drive it fast. I might just open the garage door, start her
up, listen for a minute or so then shut the door and cycle to work!

Thanks again.

Dave

If the pressure relief valve was stuck open, you wouldn't get any presure at all. You should definitely see a rise in pressure from idle to 3K'ish revs. Unless you know what oil is already in the engine, defintely worth changing it - use a good quality 15W 50 or similar - it's too big a subject for now, but avoid thin oils in this engine. It might also be worth replacing the oil pump gears and cover - they do wear / get scored over time, and while you're down there, replace the pressure relief valve and spring. All that should make a noticeable difference.

7.

[gsx600]

Having had a few oil problems recently, yours doesn't sound to bad for the milage.

Normally on my cold engine (20k) when you start it up the oil pressure takes a few seconds to be fully primed and gets up to @45 psi.

Once warm then my pressure is between 30 - 40 psi and if you floor it
a you get a big grin
b the oil pressure does move up slightly

As for pressure relief valves, if stuck you get very little or no pressure, and you can start to hear things you shouldn't do, and if the low oil pressure warning lights up and stays up switch off and cry

Saying that although it's a pi%%er to get to and change the relief valve it's doable at home and as long as you've not caned it the V8 seems to recover well, well it did for me

The other thing that can happen is after really scr%%ing the ba%%s of it and then letting it idle, you may see the oil light flicker as it drops below 8psi As long as this goes back out quickly you should be ok, but check the oil level as soon as the engine is cold.

Another good thing I've found on th V8 is too use a decent oil like Valvaline VR1 10/50 ? as it is nice and thick for the ancient old Rover lump, don't try the Mobil hype for the TVR as it is flow you need and not pressure on this old steam engine

All of above in my own opionion after several years with a Wedge - and only one blown engine (not to do with oil I hasten to add)

So as per previous thread
drive it like you stole it

[thegriff]

Welcome to fun wedge owners ship Dave.I agree with what the last to replies said about oil grade and relief spring.Happy tinkering