Oil Pressure

[The Contractor]

The initial message was deleted from this topic on 23 June 2010 at 08:03

[Cooperman]

5 seconds does sound a bit on the long side. However, if that's achieved without using any revs above, say, 1000 rpm it's probably just about OK. What is the pressure at, say, 4000 rpm when hot?
I'm just going to start one of my Minis from cold, so I'll see how long it takes.
With the poor quality of some Mini budget-price parts, I now always use the Metro Turbo oil pump from Mini Spares which is excellent quality, although it costs a bit more than a 'cheapie' one. You get what you pay for.

[Cooperman]

Started the Innocenti from cold, it not having been started for about 5 days and the oil pressure was up to 70 psi within about 3 seconds. it did rev straight to about 1500 as it was on hoke and it's a warm day.
Now I think 5 seonds is a bit too long and, as you say, it's probably a 'lazy' oil pump. I bet someone fitted a cheap one when the engine was rebuilt.
Hoik the engine out, pull the flywheel and fit a new Metro Turbo one to preserve the rest of the engine is my advice.

[Lickasaurus Rex]

Change your pump now. Way too long.

[rww]

But perhaps before taking it all to bits try bleeding air from the oil pressure pipe by disconnecting at the guage and turning the engine over.

[Cooperman]

Yes, it's cheaper to change the oil pump for a top-quality Metro Turbo one than to run the bearings sooner rather than later. You can change the pump in just over half a day if there are two of you and you have the correct tools.

[GTRMikie]

What type of gauge do you have? I have found the "TIM" gauges react much more slowly to pressure changes than the "Smiths" gauges, hence they take longer to register the initial pressure.