Iain T

Engine is stripped, again! Big ends on 5 and 6 buggered so definitely oil starvation. Everything else measures ok including the cam journals. Cam is as it should be with scrolls and flat. CCTV showed no oil way obstructions. The oil pump and/or pressure relief must be unserviceable. Weird as the disassembled pump looks good with little marking on the cap or body??? New parts ordered and will be fitted tomorrow then on the bench the engine will be turned over and the pressure measured. Apparently when checked previously the pressure went up to 65psi then dropped off. What bugs me is the oil warning light never came on! I can only put it down to yet another Jigsaw gremlin come back to bite me even though the engine and pump had only done about 5k miles prior to me having it rebuilt..... As partial relief of my paranoia I was going to fit an oil pressure gauge anyway. Just as well I felt as though something was harsh and wrong in a few more miles the engine could have seized with possible devastating results for the car and me!!! Hopefully all goes well tomorrow🤞 Iain

It's engine out time! Engine guy said it's the only way to find the problem. I just hope it's not a very worn cam rear journal because that's terminal for the block other than line boring and fitting cam bearings.... I still have my fingers crossed for crud in the block🤞 Iain

Mark, exactly one reason I want to go and visit the engine guy. He has specialised in heads for 40 years so I assume he has many widgets to clear oilways etc. I did try poking with some MiG wire but it was 1mm diameter so not flexible enough. Iain

There isn't a cam bearing in my engine. I think for most 2 litre 6 pots cam bearings were never fitted from the factory. It would have been something to check but I await today's report! As it's supposed to be peeing down this afternoon I might pop down to the engine guy. It can now only be restricted block oilway? The pump has good pressure so probably not the main suspect. Iain

Nick, yes I am aware and my new bushed rocker arms are probably of closer tolerance than original. Do you think I'm being too paranoid? Iain

The engine builder is quick, he wants to find the problem! He has a couple more tests to do tomorrow before engine out time. Iain

Engine builder spoke to Ken Newman, scroll and flat definitely in the cam so it must be a restriction in the block? Iain

Heads off it's not a blocked oilway so as there is good oil pressure it can only be the cam? Suggestions please......quickly! Iain

Thanks Pete👍

Pic uploaded this time??!? This is the Bastock Tr6pi cam I took out. Is this cast in flat for the oil feed? Seems odd as I would have assumed it would be machined. Or perhaps I'm being to much of an engineer! If it is then on a billet cam this flat would have to be machined as one of the separate ops. All the balls still in the air! Iain

Will do, bit pissed off as I just paid £180 for bushed shaft/rocker assembly and seems as though I have been running it dry(ish) for 100+ miles. Iain

I agree Newmans have an excellent reputation which is why I purchased from them. My engine's problem is probably blockage and nothing to do with the cam. Iain

No thanks Pete! If it turns out to be the cam (it's only a possibility) then I presume they will supply a new correct cam. Iain

Unfortunately no, there is oil around from misting but no pooling or splattering. Should know the answer by the weekend and I'll let you know. Iain

Thanks, it's down to the engine guy to find the fault I'm just trying to help with possibilities. Taking the head off is next to check for oilway blockage. If the oilway is clear then it's either a camshaft out or engine out and strip down. Fortunately not by me! I'll phone Ken Newman tomorrow to get his take on the no flat possibility. Iain

Update, oil pressure is 65psi when hot so the pump seems fine. A new billet cam from Newmans was fitted, wonder if that could be the issue? I have taken photos of my old Bastock cam, is this the flat you mean? Damn won't upload photo, but it's a 10-12mm long flat area (not a slot) on the journal. Iain

I'm getting more paranoid by the day! Having spent a sleepless night thinking about oil flow to the rockers, sadly true. I ran the engine with the rocker cover off and couldn’t see any oil flowing out of the rocker arms so I took my reconditioned shaft assembly off and cranked it over for some time. The result was more like a dribble than a strong flow. Car is being trailered to garage tomorrow for checks, they said they can sometimes poke some thin MiG wire round or an air line to dislodge crud. If not and the oil pressure, the oil light goes out quickly on cranking, is ok it's head off time😡 Iain

I haven't climbed in the boot yet, I assume the tank hose can be changed in situ? Iain

The black art of a good plating finish is in the polishing prior to plating. Literally black art, I've never seen a polisher who didn't look like he had been down a coal mine for a month! If the polishing mop lingers too long in an area it produces heat distortion or even holes. As in most things we do it's all in the preparation! Iain

Pete, pics of the installation in my car done by the PO. The hole pitch front to back is approx 400mm and the seat is mounted centrally ie the mods are symmetrically opposed. It looks like the original seat mounting channel has a new plate welded to it to use the standard seat fixing holes but you should be able to see the differences when comparing the Herald and MX seats. Hope this helps. Iain

Can't seem to find this part anywhere so it's a DIY fix if it's not there? Iain PS This does need to be in the Fuel Topic so other members can follow this drift

Pete, I have MX seats in my Vitesse, I'll take a look and some photos and report back. Iain

Depends on the spline but anything OEM is going to be better than 90% of remanufacture parts. Iain

Wife bought it as birthday present then filed the splines down......

Unless they have changed suppliers DO NOT buy a steering column UJ from Rimmers. The one I bought would have killed me it was terrible quality😡 Iain