Hi all.
Had my Morris running today for the first time in almost 2 years, and it started first time!
The not so good news though was that the oil pressure light stayed on & wouldn't go out, obviously I checked the oil level before I started it & it was fine, the light wasn't on the last time it was run so any suggestions why it might be on now?
Thanks.
Neil.
Hi Neil,
If the oil level is fine, this suggests the lubrication system has a fault.
Yet if it was working OK last time you used the car, it is worth starting by looking at the oil warning light switch and circuit. The switch is on the dizzy side of the crankcase, towards the rear. If you detach the wire from the switch and the light stays on, then there is a short in that wire somewhere. If, however, it goes out, it is possibly a faulty switch and the best test for that is substitution of another good one.
Possibly the oil filter has become clogged, but I would start by checking the switch/wiring.
Hope this helps,
Pete
You should really have spun the engine over (sans plugs) to make sure the light goes out before starting it... It's always possible that the lamps have been swapped over - and in fact what you have there is the 'Ignition' (actually 'Dynamo') warning light staying on - that's much more likely after standing for 2 years. To test that- take the small lead off the dynamo- does the orange light go out? It should of course be the red light - but it doesn't matter - as long as you know which is which. And yes - it is possible the oil has drained away as suggested above - in which case running it will have done the engine no good at all.... This is why the engine should be spun up on the starter before starting - even the 'Car SOS' boys know to do that! Let's hope it's a light/switch problem...
I'm hoping it's not done any damage, I did run it for a few minutes but it didn't get any louder or make funny noises.
The light goes off when you remove the wire from the switch so it's not a wiring fault. I've taken the pressure relief valve out today, checked it moves freely & cleaned it, put it back together & spinning it over without the plugs in the light still wont go out.
It would just bypass.... You will need to try priming the pump - is there a horizontal hex plug on the block at the nearside rear - tucked in behind the exhaust manifold? If so - remove and run some oil in. Then refit plug and try again.
If that doesn't work (let's hope it does) then maybe the intake filter in the sump is clogged up? Or the filter suction pipe unions are loose and causing an air leak?
Is there any signs of oil coming from around the rockers where they are on the shaft, thats the only place you can really see if oil is being pumped round.
As prior though if it really was not building oil pressure a few mins running with no oil really has not done much for the bottom end.
Fingers crossed its the pressure switch, quite likely. An oil pressure gauge is so much more useful.
Should have a new pressure switch today, so I'll try it later if it's not raining. While it's out I'll turn the engine over by hand to see if it pumps oil out.
Further investigations today found that there was no oil from the pressure switch hole when spinning the engine .
So I removed the pipe from the oil filter housing where it bolts onto the engine & poured some oil into the engine there while turning the engine & that has done the trick presumably priming the pump as next whizz on the starter the oil light went out .
I started it up after that & the oil light went out immediately & stayed out, the engine sounds absolutely fine so hopefully no damage has been done.
Thanks for all the tips.
Presumably they thought the later pumps were better at priming... When building an engine -the pump benefits from having a vaseline/oil mix worked in to the rotor.
.