No oil pressure after winter layup

ghce

Well-Known Member
Hi, went to start the car this morning after a long winter layup and have found that there is no oil pressure. I presume the best first plan of attack will be to take off the distributor and spin up the oil pump manually using an electric drill.

Does any one have a picture or dimensions of said needed long shaft to achieve this?

Don't really want to be disassembling the front cover to get to the oil pump and repack it with Vaseline etc, simple is best.

Graeme
 
Though on reflection packing the pump with petroleum jelly means I dont have to muck around re timing the ignition.

Whats the easiest?
 
Hi do you have a V8 ? may I ask whats happening to make you think it has low oil pressure
 
I'd mark where the dizzie sits and remove.
Resetting will be a doddle when putting it back.
Cut the handle off a cheap [outlet shop] long shaft screw driver.
Variable speed electric drill
Spin the pump until the pressure comes up-ask a friend to watch the gauge .
You will now have a tool for other things like stirring paint ,whipping hornets nests, mixing face cream etc.
Good luck
 
I'd mark where the dizzie sits and remove.
Resetting will be a doddle when putting it back.
Cut the handle off a cheap [outlet shop] long shaft screw driver.
Variable speed electric drill
Spin the pump until the pressure comes up-ask a friend to watch the gauge .
You will now have a tool for other things like stirring paint ,whipping hornets nests, mixing face cream etc.
Good luck

ingenuity is the mother of invention.....face cream and silver sand...great for cleaning hands :p
 
Why not remove the oil pressure switch and give the hole a good squirt with an oil can, refit the switch and leave it a couple of hours to drain back through the oil gallery.
Nick
 
Last time I had no oil pressure after long storage was on my sd1 EFI and that was due to a sticking pressure relieve valve.
 
Last time I had no oil pressure after long storage was on my sd1 EFI and that was due to a sticking pressure relieve valve.
had no oil pressure on my recently restored Morris minor, had to eventually remove the gearbox, found that the new oil pump shaft had sheered off
completely, the supplier sent a new one from the UK ...free, fitted it, and away she went, 65 lbs pressure.A 3 week exercise with postage and lots of huff and puff....such is life..:rolleyes:
Peter
 
See my thread from today. Incredibly easy. Just an air compressor and a helping hand. No need to remove anything.....
 
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Hi I hope to upgrade oil pump on my V8. A couple of questions though first.

Can It be done without removing timing cover.

Anyone advise best kit.

Is there a how to.

Thanks
 
IIRC some of the kits have a mills pin to locate the spacer plate that needs a hole drilling in the timing cover and I doubt whether you could do that with the cover fitted.
 
Hi I hope to upgrade oil pump on my V8. A couple of questions though first.

Can It be done without removing timing cover.

Anyone advise best kit.

Is there a how to.

Thanks

I went down that road -ie upgrading the oil pump. Ended up removing the timing cover for some reason.
It was suggested by someone on this forum "Do the timing chain" whilst you are in there. Got a bit slack after 47yrs.
Glad I did.
Not only better oil pressure but more kick ass from the new timing chain and gears [from reel steel ].
Just saying.
 
I went down that road -ie upgrading the oil pump. Ended up removing the timing cover for some reason.
It was suggested by someone on this forum "Do the timing chain" whilst you are in there. Got a bit slack after 47yrs.
Glad I did.
Not only better oil pressure but more kick ass from the new timing chain and gears [from reel steel ].
Just saying.
Hi I replaced camshaft, followers and timing chain last year and the difference was impressive. I just noticed after a couple of long drives oil light started to flicker on tickover. I have spoken to Real Steel already.
 
Hi I have a Real Steel upgrade to install. Was hoping to not have to remove timing cover as I did all that last year.
 
If I recall there is one bolt on the oil pump cover that is a real animal. Has a different head [why] and is tucked away from my big hands.
 
Finally got around to do something about the lack of oil pressure yesterday with NZ in a 4 week lock down with Corvid 19 and not a lot to do.

Decided the first method of attack would be to try pressurising the sump via compressor as had been suggested here, so I removed all the spark plugs, sealed off the oil filler bung and inserted compressor feed. Cranked over the engine and was greeted with shouts of indignation from my wife who was manning the compressor line in the engine bay that she was getting sprayed with green water!
It became quickly evident that the rear cylinder was pumping out water/anti freeze on crank ! Damn, obviously developed a blown head gasket as well as a deprimed pump.

To add insult to injury the oil pressure sensor ( light) which had worked perfectly the last 45 years had also chosen that moment to fail!

So next step is find a new sensor and make up a tool to spin the pump with the distributor out of the car, then move on to replacing the head gasket all the while praying that the rear breaks haven't rusted up or seized in the last 18 months of inactivity.
 
Crikey that sounds terrible. I hope it didn't cost you a new hairdo, I have heard that a perm and nail job is a costly business these days.
 
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