I finally got the car to start (i think for the first time in a few years) it sounded sweet but coughs at idle occasionally which is a bit of a worry, more critical for now though is that the oil warning light doesn’t go out, the oil pressure gauge doesn’t register either but i can see that its connected up although there are a lot of air bubbles in pipe.
I tried running the car with the sensor removed and there was no sign of any oil coming out (should there be some?).
I also removed the pressure release valve which looked to be in remarkably good condition after sitting in fresh oil for a few years, the spring measures 7cm but i cant find any reference to the spring length in the Haynes.
When i took the rocker cover off there was a little slither of oil around it but with it running and the cover off, there wasn’t any oil that i could see being chucked around.
Does this suggest a pump failure? Is it even worth changing the filter (looks like its ‘new’).
Hi, yes there should be oil coming out of the pressure gauge pipe..
I don’t think running the engine is advisable until you sort this! You were right at stripping out the pressure relief valve, but if it’s free, there’s not much more you can do really. You can back-fill the pump with oil in an attempt to prime it, but it shouldn’t really need this.
If you run out of ideas and suspect the pump, you may find that it’s drive (off the camshaft) has sheared which has happened to me in the past- but this is quite rare.
I think that the method for priming the pump is as follows:
Remove the pipe from where it enters the block ( the pipe from the filter )…don’t lose the copper washer.
Pour some oil down there…with the car in gear, roll it backwards. ( or is that turn the engine backwards?..mmmm)
Replace pipe and give it a go.
Is this a new build by the way…or just an engine that was sitting for some time. If just sitting, you’d think there would be pressure unless indeed the pump is done for.
I believe the engine has had a rebuild in previous years. Ive just acquired it inside a part built kit car, i know the car hasn’t been on the road yet so i think it was rebuilt and then the prev. owners gave up on the other aspects of the build. Which would explain why its got clean oil in it. Perhaps the previous previous owner fell apart after finding that the oil pump was playing up… possible!
The good news is that i know someone who’s got an old metro floating around so I can use the engine from that if needs be, but i think its only a 1l. Would much rather keep my 1275.
I’m new to this really, i’m a very amateur car DIYer. I have previously done an engine change on a Frontera though so hopefully the metro engine would be a bit more straight forward than that!!
I’ll definitely try back filling it first just in case
FYI the spring length should be 72.63mm (2.859 in) i had low pressure and when i messured the spring it was 64.25. £1.20 for new spring and valve and it cured my proplem. i was getting oil at bottem of engine put hardly any at the rockers. glad you got sorted.
