Guest Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Hi, looking for some help with my engine please. I have a K Series which is displaying strange oil pressure characteristics, it has had a refresh because the oil pressure was on the low side. As part of the refresh it had new shells and new oil pump (both were marked slightly but not excessively). It is dry sump and the scavenge pump was also checked over by titan new seals fitted etc. Now upon start up the oil pressure goes up to 60 psi then drops back over 15 or so seconds to less than 10 psi, (basically worse than before). The hoses are clear as are the guaze filters also the relief valve is Working OK. The crank was checked and found to be in tolerance etc. Any suggestions welcome please!  Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shn7 Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 How is the pressure being measured. Could be that's the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadership Team SLR No.77 Posted October 31, 2013 Leadership Team Share Posted October 31, 2013 Welcome to blatchat  Assuming it's a belltank system ... how much oil do you have in? Your description sounds like an empty oil tank! Stu. Edited by - sforshaw on 31 Oct 2013 07:00:21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Richard Price Posted October 31, 2013 Area Representative Share Posted October 31, 2013 The standard caterham oil pressure senders are notoriously unreliable. Whilst its possible that the oil pressure relife valve is stuck open, I think its much more likely to be an instrumentation issue.(assuming, as Stu suggests, you've actually got enough oil in the tank) I've got an adaptor and a gauge on a length of pipe that can quickly replace the electrical sender. It has been used to confirm faulty instrumentation on a couple of cars where owners had oil pressure concerns. I'd get your instrumentation checked first.  Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 Welcome to BlatChat  Where are you based ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 Thanks for the replies guys. Running a mechanical guage and have also double checked it with a calibrated guage, so unfortunately these are actual pressures. Its a bell housing tank and there is approx 5 litres of oil in the tank/engine. Based in the far North. Edited by - walterw on 31 Oct 2013 09:15:05 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shn7 Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 Sounds like time to take it back to whoever refreshed it then as it sounds like it's not been "refreshed" very well though I hope this isn't the case and someone else comes up with a simple cheap answer. Good luck and I hope you get it sorted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myothercarsa2cv Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 10psi is even lower than it should be with the PRV wide open (I should know, as mine was stuck open due to being upside down for about 3 years ) so I'd be looking to the pump. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadership Team SLR No.77 Posted October 31, 2013 Leadership Team Share Posted October 31, 2013 Quoting walterw: Now upon start up the oil pressure goes up to 60 psi then drops back over 15 or so seconds to less than 10 psi Can you confirm if what you're describing is as follows ... Start engine - good oil pressure. 15 seconds in - 10psi. Stop engine and wait. Start engine - good oil pressure. 15 seconds in - 10psi. Stop engine and wait. Start engine - good oil pressure. 15 seconds in - 10psi. Stop engine and wait. Or .... Start engine - good oil pressure. 15 seconds in - 10psi. Leave runnng and continues to tick-over at 10psi with no obvious damage. First or second scenario? Stu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Richard Price Posted October 31, 2013 Area Representative Share Posted October 31, 2013 walterw, Are these pressures at tickover with cold oil? What happens if the revs are lifted?  Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willie. Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 5ltrs won't be enough from empty. I'd suggest you just don't have enough in it, as Stu says. I just filled mine from empty, and including a new filter I reckon it must've taken about 7ltrs. Double check your oil level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shn7 Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 Willie, are you talking about a dry sumped K series with 7 litres!!!! Never managed to change more than 5 litres on mine, more typically 4.5. Anyway assuming belltank there should be about 10" depth in the tank when checked just after stopping the engine IIRC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stationary M25 Traveller Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 7 litres sounds like an Apollo tank setup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shn7 Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 That's what I was thinking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willie. Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 Talking about a Caterham dry sump and bell housing tank. I had my sump off and changed filter too. Took about 7 litres to get it to the right level, including filling the filter. May have been between 6 and 7, I emptied a full 4ltr and the majority of another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shn7 Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 Without an Apollo tank that sounds like a lot but being dry sumped it should just blow any excess out into the catch tank at least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willie. Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 Agreed, and I was surprised too as everyone says 4.5 - 5ltrs. But it definetly took more like 6-7 for mine and didnt throw any into catch tank. I suppose filter could account for maybe half a litre at max. I'd pipes etc off. Still, for OP, thats what I'd be double checking first as low level would do exactly those symptoms. Do you have a leak so level could've dropped? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leadership Team SLR No.77 Posted November 1, 2013 Leadership Team Share Posted November 1, 2013 Willie, do you have an Apollo fitted as well  Stu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shn7 Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willie. Posted November 1, 2013 Share Posted November 1, 2013 Nope. You boys are making me paranoid now. Must check the carpet under the car for a big wet spot 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Nick Chan Posted November 1, 2013 Area Representative Share Posted November 1, 2013 I'm with Willie on this one and tip 6+ litres into SLR and it doesn't blow any in the catch tank. No Apollo tank either Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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