Low Oil Pressure, Ish.

[mhyphenl 10 1 Cars]

Interesting! To my eye the pressure seems the same as it always did at revs just poor at idle. While the pressure guage isn't "accurate" ( it cant be because it doesn't have measurements on it) they must be reasonably accurate to themselves! As in if at idle you used to be on the second white line but now you're on the bottom white line that would suggest something has changed. Would thicker oil at temperature, ie 10w50 instead of 10w40 help the issue??

 

On a second note I know my head is quite worn as it was an old replacement for a damaged one, the cam is fine but the casting journals are quite bad! That wouldn't effect the pressure would it? The oil is only dripped onto those?

[welshpug 1,622]

the journals are fed through oil galleries, the spray bar is purely to add extra lubrication to the cam lobes.

 

thicker oil may help, but its not addressing the issue.

Edited May 14, 2014 by welshpug

[mhyphenl 10 1 Cars]

Agreed that the root cause needs to be sorted, so wear on the Can journals will effect oil pressure!?

I guess I just want to enjoy the car a while before another major job lol, that's the reason for the oil question.

[Anthony 1,000]

I wouldn't personally read too much into the standard gauge reading as they're not the most accurate of things at the best of times and the condition of the wiring etc plays a big part too.

 

Confirm the reading on a proper mechanical gauge before even beginning to worry if it's not so low that the low pressure light is coming on (as was the case with hexhamstu's car)

 

Generally speaking, with warm oil somewhere between the 1st and 2nd mark on the standard gauge at idle is normal, rising to somewhere between 1/2 and 3/4 at 4000rpm+.

[welshpug 1,622]

time for a rebuild stu!

Edited May 14, 2014 by welshpug

[mhyphenl 10 1 Cars]

Can journals on a head be re lined or are they scrap when worn?

[Tom Fenton 1,525]

Theoretically possible to skim head top face and caps then re line bore back to size to reclaim a head, but in practise it would be an expensive machining job and probably cheaper to source another head casting.

 

Having said all that I've never seen a head with cam bearings that badly worn to matter.

[hexhamstu 9]

time for a rebuild stu!

You mean time for 16v?

[welshpug 1,622]

pfft, nooo, heavy unreliable things!