BigCol Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 The build is going well (mostly)! I put the fluids in on Friday and have an oil drip (reckoned by Caterham probably to be gearbox oil seal and they'll fix it at the post-build check) Today, I connected up the battery, confirmed lights etc all work (well, most did but they all do now...) which brought me onto the engine start-up... However, when I turned the engine over (with interim switch disconnected, so won't fire), it went fine but with absolutely no movement on the oil pressure gauge, despite turning it over for the recommended 30-40 seconds and giving it several other, shorter, goes... I've a new oil pressure sender and gauge in tonight's post from Caterham in case one of those is at fault. I know better to go hung-ho until I know the appropriate bits are all suitably lubricated but I want to get on with it (oo-er Mrs) Anyone any ideas as to the issue? (for reference, if relevant... I'm building a 140 SuperSport - so 1.6 Ford Sigma engine) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
virden Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 Did you pre fill the oil filter? If it is an electric PG thay can take a while to register Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigCol Posted April 23, 2013 Author Share Posted April 23, 2013 good point... no, I didn't pre-fill the filter is the oil level such that I could unscrew the filter, to ensure it's full, without loads of oil ending up on the garage floor...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shn7 Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 Let it turn over for at least a minute and I bet it'll come up, ooo errrr missus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shn7 Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 Oh and you could remove the plugs to make it easier on the battery/starter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigCol Posted April 27, 2013 Author Share Posted April 27, 2013 I tried again with plugs out to lessen strain on the starter: new gauge made no difference... new cable made no difference... new sender looked far too difficult to fit... Derek at Caterham, after advice from their engine builders ("they never fail... 110% sure you'll be OK") said JFDI (or words to that effect!) So (having confirmed if doing so left the engine FUBAR, they'd replace it!) I did... and it works (and still shows no oil pressure!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted April 27, 2013 Member Share Posted April 27, 2013 Quoting BigCol: ... new sender looked far too difficult to fit... Just to be sure where the fault lies: * Can you disconnect the cable as close as possible to the sender and open and close the circuit and watch the gauge at the same time? * Or measure the resistance from the sender terminal to earth with the engine running and not running? (Can someone who knows more please advise if all electric senders work by varying the resistance to earth?) Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigCol Posted April 27, 2013 Author Share Posted April 27, 2013 could (and will) do both of those! ultimately, I've been told the sender will be replaced as part of the post-build check but even though I am pretty sure I know already, I would like to confirm where the issue is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted April 27, 2013 Member Share Posted April 27, 2013 *arrowup* *arrowup*Ah, got it Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birkin S3 ZA. Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 I have had experience when the oil filter has been filled, the oil pump really battles to get rid of the air lock. You could try and unscrew the filter 3 turns and crank till the oil comes out then retighten this always works. I use a 3 litre garden spray bottle, and connect it to the oil gallery where the sender unit fits. Put two litres in the motor and pump the 3 litres through the motor, the gauge should go up to 10/15 PSI. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBKBABABTIM Posted June 9, 2013 Share Posted June 9, 2013 I've got exactly the same issue, posted yesterday, did it turn out to be a faulty sender? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigCol Posted June 9, 2013 Author Share Posted June 9, 2013 think so... at least it wasn't the gauge or the cable... and the gauge worked after the PBC and not before. The chaps at Caterham had total faith in the engine and after lots of tries and swapping bits, said (more politely) JFDI! I turned the engine over so much trying to get pressure that I all but flattened the battery which meant the starter wouldn't engage properly such that I thought I might have trashed that. Give it a minute or so then reconnect the inertia switch and fire it up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBKBABABTIM Posted June 9, 2013 Share Posted June 9, 2013 Thanks Col, am sorely tempted to just start it as want to hear it running but might call Derek tomorrow just to cover myself. Can you remember if your gauge did anything as mines shot over to 8 and straight back to zero again a couple of times, which makes me think its gauge or sender related. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigCol Posted June 9, 2013 Author Share Posted June 9, 2013 apologies for the slack response... have spent a afternoon outside a bar in Avignon (hic!) and only just signed on their wifi. I double-qualifed Derek when he said "don't worry, go for it" to confirm Caterham would swap the engine if I trashed it... but can understand why you'd rather have him say so rather than some random chap on a forum! (but you'll be fine... trust me! ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBKBABABTIM Posted June 9, 2013 Share Posted June 9, 2013 Lucky you, I spent the afternoon swearing at the seat runner bolts and fitting the front wings. Call to Derek tomorrow morning and then hopefully tomorrow night. I was all set up to video it, even had it set up to have the Stones 'Start me up' playing in the background.....have another cold one for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigCol Posted June 9, 2013 Author Share Posted June 9, 2013 it's just got worse (or better)... just opened a magnum and Le Patron has brought some freebie nibbles..! probably too late for you (and maybe dependent on the seats) but I put hex head bolt in the rear of the runners so they wouldn''t rotate and became captive and so dead easy to fit... both seats were in, and bolted-up, in under an hour - and that included a cup of tea too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBKBABABTIM Posted June 9, 2013 Share Posted June 9, 2013 You're making me even more jealous, it wasn't too bad getting the hex on the bolts, they didn't line up with the holes in the floor and then got one of the harnesses trapped after had finally got one seat in and had to take it out again... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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