Well, some of you are familiar with my recent Turbo conversion.
Its absolutely amazing, the power, the smoothness... brilliant.

Yesterday drove to work, all seemed fine. Oil pressure looked a tad low but was ok. 40psi on cruising, 10psi on idle (a bit low but still ok)

Worked away with a huge grin on my face thinking about going to lunch in the new toy.

Started her up at lunch time, drove out of the carpark and zero oil pressure after boosting up the hill.

Backed off, pulled into the carpark up the road (couple hundred meters) and smoke was everwhere in engine bay. Looked under the car, oil PISSING out like you wouldnt believe!

Let it all cool down, wiped dipstick off, checked oil... NOTHING! None, zip, nada...

Oh my god! Nothing worse than that.

Started inspecting and found that the return line from the turbo back into the block had torn open... oil everywhere all over the diff housing, up on the headers, carby, intake, everywhere!!!

Jesus! I was worried about everything, bearings, etc.

Good thing is, there was no knocking, tapping or anything, before I shut her off, sounded just fine.

Got some help to come and bring me a new hose (oil rated) and fitted that on.
Filled up the oil (basically a whole 5.5L went in...

Started her up with fingers crossed and it sounded fine.
Drove home not boosting, driving like a granny, shifting at 3000rpm just to be safe

This morning, oil pressure on startup was 60-70psi... when warm cruising is was 40psi and sits on 20psi on idle.

Happy again... but thank christ for the guages.

Install one now!

Peter.

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Click here for the Turbo Conversion Thread!

No, thank god for a driver that uses their guages instead of just having them there for bling effect . Great to hear you were able to shut it off before there was any damage .

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Just speaking to Peter on MSN and said the same thing specialy as its Tubo'd...your a smart lad

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Stop Licking the Dog...I Don't Care Who Started It

I drive by my oil and temp guage. I have made it a habit to check them constantly while driving, even on short runs.

Yeah, okay gauges are important. But the standard idiot light would also have told you there was zero oil pressure.

I disconnected my oil pressure gauge. It kept concerning me with its low readings.

A series engines are tough. I doubt you will have done any damage running it out of oil - just make sure you keep the water up to 'em!

Thanks guys, yes I guess the guage is useless if you dont look at it.

Anto, I dont have an oil pressure light (the idiot light) is disconnected and replaced with a guage.

I like to know if pressure is low, fine, high or in yesterdays case - zero.

Cheers,
Peter

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Click here for the Turbo Conversion Thread!

I was only saying that if you didn't have the gauge and only had the light it would still have told you when you had zero oil pressure.
I agree gauges are important, although it is quite nice driving an early Mini with just the speedo. Less gauges to cause concern - that is until you're stuck at the side of the road with a blown engine!

Same thing happened to me years ago on a fresh engine but ironically it was the line from the oil pressure gauge that came apart at the block end.
Luckily it happened 400m from home so I coasted down hill and when I checked the dipstick it was dry too.
Motor was fine but when it was eventually stripped down the bores were slighly scorned and the bearing shells had shown signs of premature wear.
Hope yours is all good in this department.

I had a similar scare 15 years ago with a freshly rebuilt engine.

I was accelerating up a hill when I noticed the oil pressure gauge dropping rapidly. I shut the motor off and coasted to a stop immediately. A press-fit plug in an oil gallery in the head had come out and the oil was pumping out through the hole. I put the plug back in and staked it in tight with a chisel. I filled up the oil and the engine was fine.

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Brett Nicholson
Greendale (near Ballan) VIC.
1971 Morris Mini Moke
1966 Austin Mini
1965 Morris Mini Traveller
1973 LR Series 3 88
2007 LR Freelander 2

gauges are great, aren't they

I don't run a tacho... though I probably should so I at least know how fast I'm going... but my mate and I were discussing it one day, the only guage that is as unimportant than a speedo is the tacho - revs and speed are the result of everything else working properly!

my dad had the oil capilliary for the guage split on his minor years ago, it's amazing that he noticed it.

20psi at idle is pretty low on a new engine tho Peter - has it always been that low since it was built?

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

I had the oil gauge tube fail at the gauge end. I noticed it - went everywhere.

d'oh!!

I got wet feet a few weeks ago - it was pissing rain while I was working, and after it stopped, I was driving home and getting gushes of water on my feet... I figured the windscreen had leaked and made a puddle somewhere. Turned out my drinking bottle on the dashboard was leaking....

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

No, when the motor was built it was at 40psi on idle - 60psi while driving
With Turbo its now 20psi idle, 40psi while driving and 60psi when on boost and higher RPM

Expected it to drop after turbo... so happy with 20psi idle.

Pete.

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Click here for the Turbo Conversion Thread!

how come?

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

Turbocharging will drop your oil pressure somewhat as its now flowing through the turbo and the retun line is not pressurised.

Everyone I know who has fitted a Turbo to their N/A motors has had a pressure drop.

I think the Turbo I am running (Garrett T2 Hi Flowed) requires 9.86 ± 0.43 psi

Some dealers say no turbo requires more than 25psi at full tilt and minimum 5psi at idle.
Dunno if I want it that low though hehe

Pete.

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Click here for the Turbo Conversion Thread!