Series 3 Oil Pressure is at 0

olsver · Jun 10, 2020

I've got 0 oil pressure for the second time (checked by gauge and by checking if any oil squirts out, which it didn't). The first time I rebuilt the engine only to find it was the oil pump (which I was told "never break"). I replaced it with a new one, which I already had, and it fixed it.

Now I have 0 pressure again and jamesmartin was really helpful sorting out why my oil pump doesn't have a ball in the pressure relief. After so much help over the years I think I should write "restored by JamesMartin" on the side of this Landy.

Can it be the pump again? Rather than "never breaking" do these, actually, fail all the time? It wasn't a cheap one and the first one was an original.

What I guess I'm asking is; do I take apart the engine again or just service the pump and stick it back together? Are there a few other things to check first that would give me 0 oil pressure. I wondered, for example, is the pump not seated properly or can there be blockages or valves in the oil filter housings that cause a 0 pressure reading?

Colthebrummie · Jun 10, 2020

Is your guage fed directly by oil pressure or is it an electric gauge? Mine is an electric gauge and frequently displays 0. If I give the pressure switch a sharp crack with the handle of a long screwdriver it usually starts working again.

Col

tottot · Jun 10, 2020

Did you find out what the metal bit's were mentioned in your other post ?

olsver · Jun 10, 2020

Colthebrummie said:
Is your guage fed directly by oil pressure or is it an electric gauge? Mine is an electric gauge and frequently displays 0. If I give the pressure switch a sharp crack with the handle of a long screwdriver it usually starts working again.

Col

I used an mechanical external gauge which I tested works on another engine to ensure it worked (and that I was using it correctly). There is only a dribble of oil coming out if I take the gauge off completely.

olsver · Jun 10, 2020

tottot said:
Did you find out what the metal bit's were mentioned in your other post ?

No. I checked the cam shaft because I thought metal could fall down into the pump. The gear at the base of the timing pump is also all good.

My guess was that something in the pump had broken and got minced up but everything seems fine. The plunger in the pressure relief required a slide hammer to remove but wasn't very stuck. I'm not sure if they just fall out or need encouraging usually.

I've had the oil pan off and there was no metal and I can't see any broken bearings. I guess a ring could have shattered but I don't know why this would affect oil pressure. Also the oil filter was clean. Somehow, there was just metal at the bottom of the pump. Not a lot but enough. I would have thought that metal could have only fallen into it after it stopped because otherwise it would be pumped out.

It is always something really weird with this car. I would love to find a broken bearing so I could replace it and put it all back together.

steve2286w · Jun 11, 2020

Plunger in Oil pump should Move freely as this controls the oil pressure with the ball and spring this is my set up on 84 diesel
You should remove sump, unbolt pump , clean and inspect according to manual
Cheapy pumps not as good as originals

olsver · Jun 13, 2020

I think I've found the problem. These are the teeth that accept drive from the spindle (part 240555)

Am I right or is this normal? They look frayed.

tottot · Jun 13, 2020

Not good.

steve2286w · Jun 13, 2020

I think you can buy pairs of gears, have you pulled the pump apart as above , do you have the similar set up with ball spring and plunger
is the drive spindle splines ok, it looks like shaft not been engaging properly

olsver · Jun 13, 2020

steve2286w said:
View attachment 212185
I think you can buy pairs of gears, have you pulled the pump apart as above , do you have the similar set up with ball spring and plunger
is the drive spindle splines ok, it looks like shaft not been engaging properly

Now I look carefully I can see the spindle is damaged too. It looks like a worryingly bad pump. The damaged cog also has pitting where it meshes with the other gear. It wasn't a cheap one either.

olsver · Jun 13, 2020

steve2286w said:
View attachment 212185
I think you can buy pairs of gears, have you pulled the pump apart as above , do you have the similar set up with ball spring and plunger
is the drive spindle splines ok, it looks like shaft not been engaging properly

On yours, does the spindle driven cog have the inner teeth at the top or bottom? I think mine had that cog upside down so only half the surfaces between the spindle and the teeth were in contact.

steve2286w · Jun 13, 2020

It’s shown correct on my pic, sounds like yours was fitted correct , did yours not have ball and spring ?
Step 17 below mentions it

olsver · Jun 13, 2020

steve2286w said:
It’s shown correct on my pic, sounds like yours was fitted correct , did yours not have ball and spring ?
Step 17 below mentions it View attachment 212187

Just a plunger and spring. No ball.

steve2286w · Jun 13, 2020

That seems odd , have you a pic of plunger

olsver · Jun 15, 2020

steve2286w said:
That seems odd , have you a pic of plunger

olsver · Jun 15, 2020

steve2286w said:
That seems odd , have you a pic of plunger

I'm talking with the people who made it and asking if it came with a ball. They haven't got back to me. They have told me that this issue isn't something they have seen before on this engine.

olsver · Jun 16, 2020

After talking to the supplier we have a theory. The engine was recently rebuilt, with all new bearing, by a machine shop here in Norway. Also, this pump is oversized and commonly gives high oil pressure. One possibility is that, due to the low temperatures here, the oil was thick and that led to excessive strain on the pump.

They were really generous with their time and have sent me a new pump.

They also mentioned the end float on the gear that turns the spindle below the injection pump. They suggested checking it for wear.

They warned that it was tricky to do this with the engine still in the vehicle but possible. Has anyone got experience of this?

jamesmartin · Jun 16, 2020

olsver said:
After talking to the supplier we have a theory. The engine was recently rebuilt, with all new bearing, by a machine shop here in Norway. Also, this pump is oversized and commonly gives high oil pressure. One possibility is that, due to the low temperatures here, the oil was thick and that led to excessive strain on the pump.

They were really generous with their time and have sent me a new pump.

They also mentioned the end float on the gear that turns the spindle below the injection pump. They suggested checking it for wear.

They warned that it was tricky to do this with the engine still in the vehicle but possible. Has anyone got experience of this?

its just a later pump gives the same pressure,if everything else is correct, and thick oil wouldnt effect that pump ,if your pumps at fault it was a poor one fitted

ciderman · Jun 16, 2020

Fascinating

steve2286w · Jun 17, 2020

Let’s hope new pump sorts it, hope they sent a standard pump , nice to know what to you have fitted

Series 3 Oil Pressure is at 0

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