Help Oil Pressure Low When Braking? Pinto

[keith kelly]

Hi,

As above, ran out of ideas. Oil light was flickering when braking hard but would come strait back whith a blip on throttle so fitted a pressure guage to see what was happening and pressure was droping low (single figures). The sump is shortened and baffled and not has any issues with oil pressure since engine fitted, I have had the sump off (with help from tractor) found a bit of plasticy stuff bocking the pick up pipe. It was like a scoller pad. The filter on the pickup pipe did its job and the rest was clear.

 

Put back together, filled with fresh oil and took for a spin, pressure was higher but still dropped low when braking hard. got back home and change the oil filter (forgot to take it round to chris's) and pressure has increased to 46 to 50. Not road tested yet but do not think this would have solved it. Any ideas on what else I can check.

 

The oil im using is 20w50. Mineral oil.

 

Thanks

 

Keith

[richyb66]

Oil level too low so sucking up air when the oil surges. Stick another pint in and see if it still does it.

[keith kelly]

Its up to full on dip stick. Dont want to over fill.

Edited August 4, 2014 by unclechief

[Bob Tucker]

I, with richie....oil level sounds too low.

You are using a standard dipstick arent you?

You may need to shorten it, (cut a bit off the bottom) but the level must stay the same,

regardless of the sump depth

[Snapperpaul]

I had similar issues when silicon sealer was used by previouse builder to liberally,

Did you drain oil?

An extra pint won't hurt, try it you can always drain it out if to much.

Frothy oil out of cam spraybar shows air leak in pickup pipe, I had pipe to pump gasket fail.

 

Check for frothy oil if you think to much oil in sump.

[richyb66]

I overfilled my Pinto with oil, was way over the maximum level. Only differenct I noticed was blowing some oil vapour out of the filler cap on the motorway, I've drained some out now but I prefer to run it on the fuller side because I know that the oil does surge a bit with a shortened sump regardless of how well its baffled.

 

Also, a lot of Pintos in kits seem to be fitted so that they're low at the front (probably to clear the bonnet). The attached (not brilliant) image shows the angle difference between the engine and the carb mounting flange - the carb flange should be horizontal (and clearly isn't on my car). In addition to the engine being tilted forwards and the oil being slightly more forward in the sump, the oile in the head also has more difficulty draining back down into the sump through the drain hole at the back of the head.

[keith kelly]

will put a bot more in and test it.

[Dave R]

put more in.... i used to run at least 10 mm above the max line with no issues....

[richyb66]

Be interesting to see how far up the stick an extra pint moves the level?

[Dave R]

are you certain that the dip stick tube and the dipstick are a matched pair.... ford used several different lengths over the life of the pinto

[steve in stockport]

if it's happeneing under hard braking it's got to be oil surge, how effetive is the baffling in your sump?

Best baffle is a full plate with a hole for the pick up pipe and small gaps around the outside for the oil to return below the baffle. If it's just a verticle plate the oil can still surge over the top and cause loss of pick up

[keith kelly]

it was all working fine and was only a recent development, when found crap round the pick up was certain that was the problem but thinking on it would be all the time. It is only when braking hard, the sump is very well baffled as it is used on the brisca racing cars and cant see it being able to surge that much but do not understand what else it could be. if I blip the throttle the pressure come back strait away. will top up later and try and get out to test. looking for any other ideas

[tractor]

its definatley a well made and well baffled sump

[keith kelly]

this is the sump which then has a windage plate on top. http://www.premiermo...50x256[ekm].jpg[/url]

Edited August 5, 2014 by unclechief

[tractor]

might it be that your new oil pressure gauge is just to sensitive digital gauges and all that