Badly recon oil pumps being sold as new.

[Waylison]

As some of you may know, I've been rebuilding my engine over winter and had it together for a trip out to the Marham track day. We got there ok and home ok, but I did notice that the oil pressure was being a bit erratic or so the gauge said

So I bleed through the oil capillary pipe in case some muck had gone up it or trapped air. Still the gauge said 50psi one minute then 10psi another! If I held the revs at 2000rpm the gauge went up to 50psi but slowly dropped off to 10psi again. I borrowed a mates oil pressure gauge of known accuracy and fitted that and the same result.

So I rang Specialised Engines who have always been happy to to run through stuff with me and don't make you feel foolish if you don't know the obvious. I was informed that on a certain internet auction site someone is selling very poor recon or cheap imported oil pumps as new old stock. I admit I bought a "new" pump from this site. So I dropped the sump off yesterday and pulled the pump off and opened it up.....it was badly scored inside and the end plate had deep grooves in it. Either it was supplied to me in that state, or it's got in that state in only 200 miles!

Bottom end plate. It should be made of steel, but feels softer, looks it too.


Rotor and drive spindle, both scored.


Ford Logo looks genuine though.


The inside has whited out with flash, but is very scored all around.


Obviously I've made the appropriate complaint and await an outcome. But what has it done to my engine

A new pump is on it's way. Genuine Ford brand new with new hardened pencil shaft. costs £74 plus Vat. The other pump cost £55 plus postage, so it wasn't as if it was a bargin.

So please beware if you are in need of an oil pump. I can't think of a more important part of the engine to have failed!

Cheers
Wayne.

[Waylison]

update,

The person selling these has had his account suspended pending enquiry.

I can't give more information without mentioning names and maybe getting into trouble myself.

Regards,
Wayne.

[GGenie69]

Thanks for the heads up warning. Where are you buying the new pump from?

['Gilbert']

Sounds like internally the pump was a long way from new! The warning may be appropriate to MG engined cars as well. On a slightly different note, when rebuilding my race engine after big end failure the company supplying the parts asked me to check the fitted oil pump to see if the impeller / rotor was pinned onto the shaft or if the two were machined as one. It was the former, which is apparantly the way that repro pumps are made. It is not unheard of for the pin to shear, and after one expensive failure the engine builder concerned now spends a lot of time acquiring original pumps from breakers and selecting the best ones for re-use!
The quality of repro parts should always be considered. Getting bearings (diff side or halfshaft bearings for instance) the quality of period SKF ones can be difficult. Sometimes best to keep the original. I recently fitted new repro calipers to the front brakes, and for two races have struggled with a 'long' brake pedal (despite numerous bleeds!). I have now refitted the old genuine Lockheed items and the problem has gone. I have also had problems with getting the clutch to clear after buying a new shiny master cylinder off ebay. This is now being replaced by a pukka Girling item............

Waylison, I sincerely hope your engine is OK after all your time and effort over the winter, and that the individuals possibly supplying duff parts get their come-uppance.

Regards, Mike

[Waylison]

Getting the new pump from Specialised Engines Ltd of Essex UK. Great Company. Been rebuilding essex v6's since 1972.

Wayne

[Waylison]

Got the new pump today.

Fitted it with the new hardened pencil shaft having filled pump to prime it with oil. New cork gasket and sealer around sump pan and bolt that on. I couldn't get the shaft to locate into the bottom of the distributor drive shaft from below so had to pop dizzy out the top, then bolt up pump, and then fiddle the dizzy about until it dropped into place.

Filled with new oil, again!

Primed carb, push button, fingers crossed, fired up after fourth try (no choke).

Oil pressure gauge now reads 70-75psi (5 bar) cold! wow!

Got to get clutch slave bolted back on before I can take it for a proper run to warm it up enough to see how pressure is hot. But so far so good. Hopefully get that done this evening.

Wayne.

[Waylison]

Update....

Gone through two tanks of fuel now, covered about 300 miles, and engine seems fine. Oil pressure cold is always instantly up to 75psi, traveling along in 5th gear at 60 mph pressure reads 50psi, in traffic and running hot it drops no lower than 20psi, so I'm pleased with that. Need to adjust the rockers next now they've settled down. One always seems to " tick " away louder than the others, is this normal? I'm thinking of changing the adjuster nut in case is undoing slightly with vibration.

Just got to take the car to a friends garage to get the timing set up more accurately and the mixture leaned off a bit then the next booked trip out is the Whisky run on 17th/18th May organised by the Northern Branch of the GOC. B&B in Edinburgh already booked, just the car to get ready for the 6 hour trip! Then go on a planned route from Edinburgh to visit a distillery. Meet up for an evening meal then back to B&B. Another run out on the Sunday morning before setting off for home.

Wayne.

[Greybags]

A result as they say ..

Lucky you ... cant wait to actually get to drive mine ... still hopefully later this year..

More miles must equal more


Grahame