Morris Minor Owners Club

Just put the engine back together with new crankshaft and bearings, but i have the engine turning over on the key with the coil disconnected, my oil pressure gauge does not move and the oil pressure warning light stays on. Im not sure where to start in terms of finding why there is no pressure?

please help!
Picky

Are you sure you put the bearings in the right way round?

yes they have little tabs so its not possible to put them in the wrong way round. i didnt put any oil in the pump before fitting it, maybe i should have?

Might have helped to prime the pump!

Filling it with vaseline does the trick, and is a bit easier to keep in there than oil

dam. well i have the engine all back together and in the car.. any way of priming the oil pump wthout taking it all apart?? will it eventually pick up if i keep turning it over?? there is a small bolt into the oil way near the pump, maybe squirt some oil in there?
help much appreciated as i dont want to take it all apart again!
Picky

sorted it now! i turned it over without the plugs in and the pressure picked up. now running fine.

Phew - lucky! You must always fill the pump with oil - and maybe a little grease although I don't like doing that unless the engine will lie for a while before it's used. Your problem is solved - for others - to prime a dry oil pump in this situation you remove the feed pipe to the filter casing - then using an oil can - feed oil into the hole above the relief valve while slowly turning the engine backwards by hand (obviously!). Put in about 1/4 - 1/2 pint - then refit the feed pipe, and crank it up with no plugs till the pressure builds.

Phew - lucky! You must always fill the pump with oil

Agree 100% with that, you were very lucky.

Kevin wrote:

Phew - lucky! You must always fill the pump with oil

Agree 100% with that, you were very lucky.

I need to use it on tuesday, but my crossplies have got cracks in the walls, anyone know a place in yorkshire where i can get some 145/155 radials at short notice??

If you were a bit closer to me I could help you out, but a bit to far I fear.

Remember you'll need to swap the whole lot for radials, not just the cracked tyres.

Doncaster any good?

http://www.mgm-spares.co.uk/partfinder. ... umber=tyre

I got mine from there with next day delivery

Chris wrote:-

Remember you'll need to swap the whole lot for radials, not just the cracked tyres

It's still legal to have rear axle radials, front crossply...

What you do for spare wheel is a guess(?)

Though I must admit I wouldn't like to drive a mix of tyre types.

Cheers,

Colin

Arrgh!

I've been doing the same job as Picky (replacing crank and bearings), and now I can't get any oil pressure . I didn't prime the pump initially as all the oil I put in it just fell straight out, but I've put some oil down the hole where the external oil pipe emerges and there is still no pressure even when spun on the starter for a long time. Any thoughts anyone?

This whole job is beginning to drive me bananas. I just want my car back on the road

chrisd87 wrote:I didn't prime the pump initially as all the oil I put in it just fell straight out,

That's why vaseline is useful...

But a bit late now!

chrisd87,
on the right hand side of the block (with the car pointing towards you) look near where the end of the camshaft connects to the oil pump. you should be able to trace the route of the oilway up from the pick up pipe. the oilway goes straight up at first, then turns horizontal. There is a small bolt in the top of the oilway, undo this and squirt some oil in with an oil can, pointing the nozzle towards the pump as much as possible. then quickly do up the bolt and turn the engine over without any plugs in, I found that not having the plugs in meant the engine turned over alot faster, and thats when my pressure picked up. I also over filled the sump as this means the oil isnt as far away from the pump. Also have you tried what bmcecosse suggested? If you do what I did and what bmcecosse suggests I cant see why there would be no pressure..
Good luck,
Picky

It WILL prime up if you do the turning backwards thing - but it does need a good 1/4 - 1/2 pint put in there. Are you sure you have a pressure relief valve in there ? And of course - the oil filter should be pre-filled too.

OK I'll try what Picky suggested and the turning backwards thing with some more oil.

But are you SURE about the relief valve ? If it's not there - or is jammed open or has no spring behind it - then you will never get oil pressure.

could someone explain how the vaseline trick works, and what to do. I will need to lay up a rebuilt engine for some time. And while on the subject, any views on assembly lube??

Nick Leader