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Oil Pressure Failure - place your bets...


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This morning, I popped out in the TR first thing...everything fine - I know this because I ALWAYS wait for the oil pressure to come up when the engine's cold before doing anything else. 5 minute nip round the block, back home as normal.

 

Half an hour later, start up, pull away, glance at the oil pressure guage....ZERO. Switch off, roll backwards to driveway and push back in.

 

I haven't started the investigation yet, other than to say it's NOT the guage - I connected a spare and also there's no oil coming out of the pressure guage pipe if I quickly spin the engine on the starter. Engine was running ok before I switched off (not NOTICABLY noisy...in the short time it ran).

 

So....Pump failure? Major engine disaster? Pick-up come loose?

 

Waddaya reckon? I'll be spending the weekend investigating...........DAMN!

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Could be even simpler: sump drive shaft too short and has disengaged from pump.

There were some rogue drive shafts that were approx 1/4" short knocking about a few years back and only the very tip would reach the pump.

Try an uprated/ hardened drive shaft from Cambridge MS for extra peace of mind

Cheers

Adey

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Pump drive sheared its pin.

Stuart.

 

 

Stuart

 

As mine's in bits right now till its new crankshaft is fitted can you tell me which bit of the pump drive fails, so I can check mine. Where's the pin? I'm looking at the books and they show a woodruff key at the top.

 

Ash

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Normally it's the notched bottom end that engages with the pump rotor.

Cheers

Adey

PS - if you slightly peen the woodruff key slot in the shaft, it saves you having to fish around in the sump for the woodruff key when it falls off (ask me how I know this...)

:)

 

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Normally it's the notched bottom end that engages with the pump rotor.

Cheers

Adey

PS - if you slightly peen the woodruff key slot in the shaft, it saves you having to fish around in the sump for the woodruff key when it falls off (ask me how I know this...)

:)

 

 

The tongue you see when you take the pump off or inside the pump?

 

Ash

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That's a tiny bit worse than mine, but it would still rotate the oil pump. On mine the top of pump rotor is a bit worn too, so I'm replacing the shaft and leaving the pump. My oil pressure was fine but the crank broke.

Edited by Ashley James
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Tim,

There is a pin that goes across the top of the drive that keeps the drive shaft down. Is yours there? Without it the shaft can lift out of the pump even if the end float is correct on the drive.

http://www.mossmotors.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=36459

Number 32 on the moss diagram.

 

 

Paul

Edited by Lord Flashart
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Tim,

There is a pin that goes across the top of the drive that keeps the drive shaft down. Is yours there? Without it the shaft can lift out of the pump even if the end float is correct on the drive.

http://www.mossmotor...teIndexID=36459

Number 32 on the moss diagram.

 

 

Paul

 

 

AHA! Interesting, I do not have this (well, not any more, anyway :blink: ). This would, presumably, allow the driveshaft to "climb out" of engagement with the oil pump shaft, as suggested by Neil. Maybe it's all coming together...

 

Now - what about that f-ed up bush?

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Tim, if the pin is missing, I'd lay money on that being the problem. I've never replaced the bush, but I'd be temped to clean it up a little and reassemble with a new pin and check the end float as per the manual. I'm sure the more experienced will advise on that though. If the bush is easy to change, just fit an new one, they are not expensive.

 

I'd defiantly flush the system through thoroughly as the bits of pin went somewhere and you don't want that in the oil system.

 

Paul

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God news is that I've removed and stripped the oil pump. All looks good in terms of clearances and shaft. So, I have a few items to order while the car sits up on axle stands. Damn.

 

Thanks all.

 

Tim,

What does the bottom of your drive gear look like? It should be flat.

I have a NOS drive gear bush if you want me to do a measure and draw so you can get it made locally. I just checked Moss and they are almost UK £ 50.00 each.

It is a lump of bronze with a hole and a shoulder. An hours work on the lathe and then a cross slot with two hacksaw blades in the saw frame. (best solution if you do not have access to a milling machine) Most 6cyl cars have these made from cast iron, so there's another option.

Cheers

Peter W

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Hi Peter,

 

Drive gear looks ok - beautiful, in fact! The only real damage on the bush is the cross-slot, but I'm planning to replace regardless.

 

Unfortunately, as the TR is (currently) my daily driver, I have already gone ahead and ordered all parts - they should be here tomorrow. Hopefully, replacing and refitting will cure the problem and I'll be back on the road by the weekend.

 

However, thanks for the kind offer of measurements!

 

I'll provide an update in due course.

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Once again, thanks to all the forum input and my genius friends on here.

 

Paul's call on the pin in the drive was the key ('scuse the pun) - I'm sure that's what caused the initial problem. And Tim the Cheese was right in recommending replacing the bush...when i drove it out I found that it was TRASHED!!!!

 

Anyway, all back together today (thanks to Moss UK for their next-day service on parts to Canada) and pressure is up and engine sounds happy. Front suspension rebuild next...

 

I'm mostly glad that this didn;t happen on my 1200km trip to NY state or in the middle of nowhere in Northern Ontario (or on a rally). Maybe it's karma because I drive it a lot... :D

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