Oil pressure or lack thereof!

[ajones]

As I was leaving the store today and pulling in to traffic my '64 IIA died. I could not get it to restart. My oil pressure gauge is registering 0 psi and the oil light on the dash will not go off. Yes, I have oil to the HI mark on the dipstick. Background, several weeks back I noticed I was slightly low on oil, from leaks, burning etc. So, I decided to add a quart of Lucas oil stabilizer, supposedly good stuff. Nah, clogged the oil sensor thus no start. So, after changing the oil in the parking lot of the store where it died, at night, it cranked right up. However, in the process of determining to change the oil I pulled the old sensor messed it up which caused it to leak oil, thus I had to replace it which gets us to the here and now. Recently changed oil, new sensor, plenty of oil in sump, gauge says 0; rover won't start...any ideas? Oh, up until its death in the parking lot it had 20 psi at idle 40 running. Also, I have the spin on oil filter adapter.

[friar mike]

hook up a mechanical gauge and see if its true.

[ajones]

I pulled the sensor sprayed it with wd-40 put it back in and the car cranked right up! Go figure, with new oil the sensor was plugged.

[Richard]

It doesn't really sound like an oil pressure problem. Since you haven't been able to start it, you might not see much pressure from just cranking it over.

I don't think the sender would be the culprit either. The sender just opens the circuit to the indicater light when there is some reasonable amount of pressure. It wouldn't interfere with it starting.

Have you tested for the basics? Spark at the plugs, and gas in the carb?

-Richard

[friar mike]

It doesn't really sound like an oil pressure problem. Since you haven't been able to start it, you might not see much pressure from just cranking it over.

I don't think the sender would be the culprit either. The sender just opens the circuit to the indicater light when there is some reasonable amount of pressure. It wouldn't interfere with it starting.

Have you tested for the basics? Spark at the plugs, and gas in the carb?

-Richard
The only car I ever worked on with the oil pressure hooked to the fuel pump (it has to be a electric Pump) was a chey vega I knocked off the wire to the sender changing oil man that took a while to find. I have never seen a old rover with said system. I had to reread the post I miss that ajones said no start and no oil pressure. it is possible that rover has no power to the gauge on the crank position I have never check on that but alot of cars do it that way. yep if it dosen't start thats another problem.

[Terrys]

Not to sound like a broken record, but as Richard and Mike have alluded, there is NO connection between oil pressure and the rover not starting. I doubt adding the Lucas product clogged your pressure sender, pressure switch, or anything else, but it certainly has nothing to do with your ignition system. Look elsewhere for the problem, such as loose electrical connection, In the ignition circuit, fuel related problems such as bad lift pump, plugged filter, vapor lock etc. Once you find and fix the problem, you'll have whatever oil pressure you had before.

[greenmeanie]

Land Rover does have a system that does this but as far as I am aware it is only fitted to the 101 to sqaddy proof it. There is an oil pressure switch that controls the power to the electric fuel pump. Lots of people pull em out because it is not a reliable piece of kit.

The series has a mechanical fuel pump as OEM so I pretty much definite it does not and can not run the same system. The series has an electrical oil pressure that only powers the gauge - the sensor is notoriously unreliable, even new, and notoriously expensive.

Does the starter turn? If not my bet would be a problem with the ignition switch not getting power through to any switched circuit - no gauge , no starter etc.

Cheers
Gregor

[singingcamel]

Not to sound like a broken record, but as Richard and Mike have alluded, there is NO connection between oil pressure and the rover not starting. I doubt adding the Lucas product clogged your pressure sender, pressure switch, or anything else, but it certainly has nothing to do with your ignition system. Look elsewhere for the problem, such as loose electrical connection, In the ignition circuit, fuel related problems such as bad lift pump, plugged filter, vapor lock etc. Once you find and fix the problem, you'll have whatever oil pressure you had before.

MY Vote is here with Terry !
If you really want to find out if its your problem
start the truck and pull the wire off the sending
unit.
The no start issue is something else, i would look
at the wire that goes to your points from the coil.

[ajones]

Thanks, Guys. So, what I am gathering is that the oil pressure switch only controls the light? i.e. when oil pressure reaches are certain point the sensor trips and cuts off the light? My oil pressure gauge is mech with a oil line running into it. I will start the rover pull the wire and see if it keeps running. I had assumed the oil pressure switch served as an ignition fail safe preventing the truck from starting with insufficent pressure. Guess I was really off base! It was just very weird that it started right up after I pulled that sensor and sprayed it out.

[Jeff Aronson]

I'm with everyone who has noted that there's no relationship between not starting and low oil pressure, unless the oil totally fouled up your spark plugs. I think you had two unrelated problems going at the same time.

Jeff