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MG TD TF 1500 - Oil pressure after oil change

Does anyone have any good tricks for restoring oil pressure in early TD's (mine is 0533) after an oil change and filter change? I fill the oil canister prior to putting it on, but every once in a while I don't get any pressure when I start it up. I have the spin-on adapter oil filter. Then I have to go through all the various manipulations to get things primed again and pressure restored.
Thanks,
Rob
Rob Silverman

Sounds like the oil pump may be losing oil back to the engine due to wear. Have you had the face of the pump ground and leveled. I had that problem with mine back when I bought the car in 98 and just refaced the housing so that the gear was in tolerance with the faces.
TRM Maine

hello, do you ever remove the plugs and spin the motor over until you get pressure...then start? regards, tom
tom peterson

Tom,
I have done this if I don't get immediate pressure when I button things back together and most of the time it works. It is that occasional time that doesn't work that gives me fits.

TRM,
I did reface the housing when I rebuilt the engine 10 years ago. So I don't think that is the problem.

I guess the only good thing is that it doesn't happen all that frequently.
Cheers,
Rob
Rob Silverman

In my case I used a turkey baster to fill oil pump through the removable plug and then turned the engine over with the starter until I got oil pressure. Be careful not to crank too long without letting the starter cool down.

Dave
52TD
mgaviator

Rob, one possibility is the oil filter drainback valve is not holding well. This is a common problem with the orange Fram filter. If you have one of these, try a WIX or another more expensive filter.

Dallas
D C Congleton

I have been using the fram filter. Never even crossed my mind that the drainback valve may not be working properly. I'll switch to another type next oil change.

Which one seems to work the best? I am not too crazy about it looking like the original etc.. etc.. only that it works well.
Rob
Rob Silverman

Dallas and others,

Not all filters have an anti-drain-back valve. Most of the premium ones do, but the el-cheepos like the Fram PH3600, don't have one (see http://people.msoe.edu/~yoderw/oilfilterstudy/oilfilterstudy.html).

Its easy to assume that resident pressure is caused by poor delivery from the filter, but that's not necsarily the cause.

Certainly resurfacing the closure casting can make a contribution, but also wear on the gears, which themselves are the pressure building/maintaining elements. In our 50 year-old cars, expect some gear wear.

The WSM has an excellent exploded view of the oil pump on page A.31. I couldn't find new ones on Abingdon or Moss's web-site, but B&G do show a new pair for £45.

However, I would be curious to know if these gears werer actually designed to touch. It seems to me that the pumping action would be best achieved by not touching. Anybody want to weigh in on this?

Finally, the oil pressure displayed on your gauge, comes from a fitting on the cyl. head. Its always possible to have an erroneous reading because this plumbing was incorrect/leaking/etc.

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.
Gordon A. Clark

With my first TF 1500, back in the mid sixties, I occassionally did not get oil pressure after starting when warm. An old mechanic told me to drop the pan and check the oil pickup that is bolted to the side of the pan. It was loose. I tightened it up. replaced the pan, and never had the problem again.

Good luck.

Mike
Michael Munson

This thread was discussed between 08/12/2008 and 11/12/2008

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