My mini got out of the shed today for a run.
It started up fine, no noise and idled for 5 to 10 minutes no problems.
After a light squirt, I stopped at the lights, turned right then I noticed no oil pressure and stopped immediately. I waited 10 minutes for a mate to arrive and then started her, oil pressure was now low with a bit of a rattle. I opened the oil cap and could see oil moving in the rockers. I proceeded to drive home, pressure was now fine when driving driving but almost zero at idle. Now at idle it rattles.
The oil level is good.
The oil colour is a light amber, but as this car is only driving every couple of months the oil filter and oil may not have been changed for at least several years.
The oil pressure gauge is a cooper style gauge.
The motor is in good condition minus the oil age.
Any help would be appreciated?
Do I need a new oil pump or could the filter partly blocked?

fixed it for ya

best of luck!

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tim
68 Deluxe 1293, HIF44, megajolt/EDIS4, daihatsu alternator..

'a mini is for life, not just for christmas!'

big end bearings had it..... time for a rebuild

edit: basically, something inside the engine is rooted, hence the rattle, there's no way of knowing what until you pull it apart

Is there anyway to adjust the oil pump or pressure? Will change oil and filter.

During normal running, some combustion by-products will make their way past the rings and in to the oil. This is why your oil goes black. These by-products are corosive to some engine parts (like white metal bearings) but if you run the engine long enough and get the oil temp hot, these by-products turn to vapour and then are passed through the crankcase ventalation system.

If you only ever go for short runs or lay the vehicle up for extended periods it it necessary - vital in fact - that the oil be changed regularly for the car that does short runs or before hand for the vehicle that is being layed up

Sadly, this doesn't help you now as almost certainly your engine bearings are carput.

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Doesn't sound good. This motor would not have done 2500km in its time - 10 years. I didn't change the oil for years because the car was never used and the oil is a good colour.
Hope its not bearings and a oil pump pressure problem.

Nothing runs for long on 10 YEAR OLD OIL, it has a use by

It is fairly easy to check if the Oil Pressure Relief Valve is jammed, but since you've also descibed noises, I doubt this is the problem.

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My van dropped 20psi and was still showing 40psi at idle, Which is still ok but it had a rattle in it, turns out my big end bearings were shot.

Sounds like bad news instore for you.

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what kind of rattle.

does it sound like a ticking (tappets that are out, lifters that are worn)
does it vibrate the body (like shudder going through the car)
does it sound like its pinging (your timing out, points worn)

im just interested in what kind of rattle big end failing sounds like.

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Aussie Leyland, Aussie Factory, Aussie Mini S.

sounds like the handle of a screwdriver rapidly tapping hard against the block

good to know.

ive been trying to tune my car, and i have this sound like the tappets are out. that ticking sound, but when i accelerate a slight rattle, proper rattle.

Ive adjusted the dizzy, adjusted the tappets (12 thou & 14thou, when cold)

and it still sounds like they are out. beginning to think cam, lifters, valves, something along those lines.

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Aussie Leyland, Aussie Factory, Aussie Mini S.

If it is big ends, I suppose the crank will be scored. Probably not a good idea to drive it.
Is it a matter of new bearings & rings gaskets or can the internals be marked as well.

don't even think about driving it, let alone starting the engine to listen to the noise again - just pull it out and take it apart

you won't know what's stuffed and what's not till it's apart, you might get lucky

regardless of what's stuffed, while it's apart put rings and bearings in it...

If the bigends are gone measure the bearing journals. One I did up recently had .007" ovality.
Comes from hooning thru roundabouts with low oil level and no centre oil pickup. The oil runs away from the std pickup pipe.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.