Oil leak at fuel pump

[andrew honychurch]

Originally Posted by horsa

Attached a shot of my oil cooler lines even though its a different setup. Yours appears to have a second breather on the driver side of the rear engine. I've got that part connected to the top of my differential and don't have another breather on the engine other than the one where the oil enters the engine at the fuel pump where you are having the leak.

From your routing, the by-pass is open and sending the oil to the upper line. It's leaking is probably related to either the engine having too much internal pressure or air is coming in from the second breather and exiting from the higher original factory one and causing issues with the oil trying to flow inward against it.

Not real sure what the purpose of the alternate oil route would be since I've never seen that on another vehicle so far. If it was providing essential oil, they wouldn't have made it only functional when the valve was in by-pass mode.

Can you open the lines up front and confirm that oil will flow from the oil cooler lines? Or do you have the oil cooler shut off by manual lever if still installed? I don't have the levers on mine so can't turn them off if I wanted to.

Which extra breather are you referring to David? I have the breather in the usual place above the fuel pump and thats it. I do have two pipe elbows on the crankcase as you do.

I have not had any opportunity to look at it today, as we have been watching Olympics...family things. But will check this all out tomorrow.

One thing to bear in mind is that this oil was not pouring out on the 20 mile road run. Maybe the oil cooler has fouled up and is causing a restriction. Although I have blown air through and it pushes oil back out pretty easily.

I really appreciate ALL your help and ideas. I will report back asap when I have got to look at it in more detail.

ps David, no taps on the later oil coolers to shut off supply.

[andrew honychurch]

To be clear I thought I would just summarise the issue

1. My set up appear to have the oil pressure and relief valve on the other elbow to the book and David Gordons. This is odd as I assume only one of these elbows flows pumped oil out, the other is a return.

2. Which elbow flow oil out?

3. Did the arrangement of these oil pick ups change for some reason?

4. If mine is taking oil from the wrong elbow it will be sending it back in against the oil trying to flow out?

5. If I have followed the schematic when I hooked up the cooler lines, I may well have got the oil flowing into the wrong union on the cooler. Could this be affecting my flow rate through the cooler, and causing the relief valve to operate and dump oil onto the fuel pump?

Hope thats all clear thanks A

[rob love]

Originally Posted by andrew honychurch

To be clear I thought I would just summarise the issue

1. My set up appear to have the oil pressure and relief valve on the other elbow to the book and David Gordons. This is odd as I assume only one of these elbows flows pumped oil out, the other is a return.

2. Which elbow flow oil out?

3. Did the arrangement of these oil pick ups change for some reason?

4. If mine is taking oil from the wrong elbow it will be sending it back in against the oil trying to flow out?

5. If I have followed the schematic when I hooked up the cooler lines, I may well have got the oil flowing into the wrong union on the cooler. Could this be affecting my flow rate through the cooler, and causing the relief valve to operate and dump oil onto the fuel pump?

Hope thats all clear thanks A

Oil runs from the low one to the high one. It would seem the engine's oil relief is after the high one. Quickest thing you could do now is to put in an appropriate Tee fitting and hook a mechanical oil pressure gauge at the high one. If pressure at that point is 80, then your problem is going to be in the engine relief. If the pressure is significantly lower than 80, then you have a blockage or restriction in your cooler system.

[Lynn Eades]

From some U.C. books.

[Lynn Eades]

Of couse your system will be slightly different, so move with care.
Tony Smith is right, photos are better than me telling you.

The info regarding adjusting the valve is referring to ports marked the same as Michaels picture of the valve.

David that "breather' you have arrowed is the grease cup for the thrust bearing.

[horsa]

Thanks Lynn, something new for me to research as I have a hex bolt there for some reason. I probably filled the hole during restoration and promptly forgot about it....


Per Lynn's post below....I do remember fitting a sealed bearing so might have eliminated the grease fitting at that time. Thanks

[Lynn Eades]

There were two types of thrust bearings used, but a modern sealed bearing is probably the best. Then we are not inclined to over grease it, and end up with a stuffed clutch because it has grease in it.

[ajmac]

Great info there chaps, so if Andrews PRV is set at 10psi like the manual suggests, but isn't being used to regulate hot and cooled oil mixing as the original design intended, rather just dumping oil over 10psi back to the sump via the filler then there is a problem.