RV8 Oil pressure guage and low pressure light fault
Discussion
After hours of cursing I finally got my v8 running today. I have just fitted a new oil pressure guage and wired in the low oil pressure light, but.....the guage isnt working and my low oil pressure light wont go out??
I only ran it for about 30 seconds or so, as I would hate to damage it as I know these pre serp units are renowned for the oil pumps inability to prime properly.
It has a remote filter so i primed the pump by pouring oil down the 'in' pipe until it filled to the top and filled the oil filter up to the brim before I screwed it on.
How long should it take for the light to go out and the guage to register? I havnt rulled out a pants guage, but that said it is brand new? The engine had excellent oil press when it was in the donor though??
P.S.by the way the oil pressure sender is the type that is on the front of the remote filter head, not on the take off plate!
cheers
Two options
Prime with the dizzy out.
Remove the pump and pack with Vaseline.
My choice would be dizzy out. Just mark the base where it meets the timing cover and mark where the rotor arm is pointing. Putting it back to the same position is then easy. Don't go thinking you can use a cordless drill for this as the load to drive the pump will be way more than most can handle. You also want to have a good grip on the drill or it will get whipped out of your hand (ask me how I know).
Steve
Prime with the dizzy out.
Remove the pump and pack with Vaseline.
My choice would be dizzy out. Just mark the base where it meets the timing cover and mark where the rotor arm is pointing. Putting it back to the same position is then easy. Don't go thinking you can use a cordless drill for this as the load to drive the pump will be way more than most can handle. You also want to have a good grip on the drill or it will get whipped out of your hand (ask me how I know).
Steve
What you've done is fine. Bear in mind that you need to feed the oil into the supply side (i.e. the pump outlet). This is round the outside of the oil filter head (outlet to the engine is in the middle).
Make sure you have connect the remote filter head the right way round so that the flow through it is the same direction as if it had been screwed directly onto the oil filter head. That matters because some filtrs are directional, and also some have a non-return valve which would prevent oil flow if connected back to front.
The approach I use is actually to T a separate connection into the hose, connect an external pump to this and pump half a liter or so of oil in using a pump powered by an electric drill. This ensures the pump is primed and also brings the engine up to pressure, so all the bearings should be wet and your gauge and warning lights should show you have pressure. It's reassuring to be able to do this before you start the engine after a rebuild so you don't have to worry about running the engine dry.
Make sure you have connect the remote filter head the right way round so that the flow through it is the same direction as if it had been screwed directly onto the oil filter head. That matters because some filtrs are directional, and also some have a non-return valve which would prevent oil flow if connected back to front.
The approach I use is actually to T a separate connection into the hose, connect an external pump to this and pump half a liter or so of oil in using a pump powered by an electric drill. This ensures the pump is primed and also brings the engine up to pressure, so all the bearings should be wet and your gauge and warning lights should show you have pressure. It's reassuring to be able to do this before you start the engine after a rebuild so you don't have to worry about running the engine dry.
Hi guys cheers for the help. The external pump seems like a good idea, but I must admit that oil pumps and systems arent my forte (you may have guessed) and i'd have no idea where to get one.
Looks like i'll be taking the dizzy out, again, lol. One day I might actually get to drive the beast, i'll let you know hoe it goes.
Looks like i'll be taking the dizzy out, again, lol. One day I might actually get to drive the beast, i'll let you know hoe it goes.
Right made a lovely priming tool this morning and got work. I've spun it up with the rocker covers off but cant see any oil oozing out yet. I'm probably just impatient 
Sorry to keep asking qu's but I just dont want to break anything, but which way should it spin??
I've tried clockwise so far. I'm using a big mains electric drill (not cordlesss), but do I need to run it quite fast or is it just to get the torque? I'm running it at a relatively low speed at the mo,
ta !
Sorry to keep asking qu's but I just dont want to break anything, but which way should it spin??
I've tried clockwise so far. I'm using a big mains electric drill (not cordlesss), but do I need to run it quite fast or is it just to get the torque? I'm running it at a relatively low speed at the mo,
ta !
but still no oil ooozing??? I'm stuck?Steve_D said:
You were right first time......clockwise.
When you started to spin it up was it fairly free for a bit then start resisting the drill? If so then it has primed and you should see pressure on your new gauge.
Try running the drill a little faster.
Steve
lol cheers for that steve i figured that out after an hour or so of dispair. There is a tiny bit of resistance but not the ' you need to have 2 hands firmly on the drill' sort of pressure I have read about, and I cant see any oil at the rockers.When you started to spin it up was it fairly free for a bit then start resisting the drill? If so then it has primed and you should see pressure on your new gauge.
Try running the drill a little faster.
Steve
I have been spinning ( clockwise) all afternoon now. I have taken off the remote filter hoses and pushed oil down them both with a squeezy bottle 'n spun some more but i'm still not seeing oil???
GreenV8S said:
If there's any way for air to get into the pickup, it won't prime. I'm afraid it's time to get the sump off and make sure the pickup is securely fitted, and no cracks in it.
Krikey I really dont want to do that, its in an mgb and tight doesnt really come close to expaining what its like down there. I saw the engine run in the donor an oil press was very good so i see no reason why the pickup should be any differnt to then, so i think its probably something I have done, it usually is!
I did fit the remote oil filter system myself. Its Mocal type where you have to re-use the pressure switch and big spring thingy (getting technical now
) and nut with copper washer from the old oil pump cover.Anyway drained the sump (managing to get oil everywhere, nice) so I could check the oil pump internals, removed take off plate and gears look ok. I then compared my new mocal plate to the origonal I still have.
Should the long spring thingy have a chrome looking sleeve around it. There is one in the old plate but it didnt come out on removal so I assumed it was part of the old pump, could this be my undoing??? cheers .... again
Not clear what is happening around the oil pump now. Are you saying you swapped the original cover plate / filter head with a Mocal one that has fittings to connect to hoses instead of a filter head? If so and if it won't prime then you'd have to wonder whether that is installed properly. It would only need a missing gasket or something not sealing properly to cause an air leak, and you'd stand no chance of priming it. By looking at the cover, can you work out beyond any doubt which hose connects to the pump and which one connects to the oil gallery that supplies the engine? If so, I'd suggest disconnecting the 'pump' hose, get the end up as high as you can and fill it full of oil. Does the oil p!ss out anywhere? If so, there's your problem. Otherwise, use your new oil pump priming tool to turn the drive shaft backwards (anti-clockwise as seen from the top) a couple of turns. You should see the oil being drawn into the pump. Then turn it the other way and you should get a face full of oil - and the oil should carry on spraying out as long as you keep spinning it.
yea thats correct, its a take off plate that goes on instead of the origonal oil pump cover with outlets for rubber hoses that go up to the remote filter head.
When you buy the mocal take off plate they dont supply some of the internals so you have to re use some of the bits from the origonal oil pump cover, abit lame i know as it certainly aint cheap!
ok i'll give it a whirl with the hoses off later, maybe wear some gooooogles
When you buy the mocal take off plate they dont supply some of the internals so you have to re use some of the bits from the origonal oil pump cover, abit lame i know as it certainly aint cheap!
ok i'll give it a whirl with the hoses off later, maybe wear some gooooogles
dirtyboy said:
Should the long spring thingy have a chrome looking sleeve around it. There is one in the old plate but it didnt come out on removal so I assumed it was part of the old pump, could this be my undoing??? cheers .... again
That sounds like the pressure relief valve and yes it should be fitted - without it - fresh air.And yes, they do get stuck in the bore, which is another common problem with rova pumps.
You will know when you are pumping oil as your electric drill will slow right down to almost a stall and you will need to hang onto it and within a minute you will see it oozing out the rockers. And when you switch the drill off the back pressure will force the pump round the other way slightly. (i.e. it will feel springy)
and just fitted the spring.
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