Well, I’ve been sitting back, sympathizing with everyone’s problems, keeping
my fingers crossed that I might not join the ranks of the temporarily
disabled this summer.....but such was not the case :(
Here’s the history and symptoms. I rebuilt the motor in my 1969 TR6 10 years
ago. After the rebuild, and until yesterday, the oil pressure has been, well,
remarkable for a TR6. The motor has only seen 10,000 miles since the rebuild.
Even in the summer, with slight choke, pressure normally starts at 95-100 psi
and then settles back to 50 psi , warm idle, with no choke. At running speed,
4th gear, 60 mph, pressure is normally around 65-70 psi.
Yesterday, when I started the car (which started rather slowly...almost like
the motor was sluggish turning over - battery OK), the car ran slightly
rougher than normal. With slight choke the psi was 50, 1/2 the normal
starting psi. After a couple minutes, not even warm, no choke, the psi
dropped to 15-20 psi. I removed the oil cap, revved the motor, and no oil
seemed to be reaching the rocker arm. Revving the motor to 4,500 rpm resulted
in a psi no higher than 50.
This all may sound like whining to those who are grateful to run above 20 psi
in these cars, but in mine, its definitely NOT NORMAL.
One little note; when I checked the oil level, it was a full quart over the
full line. A mistake I must have made last year when changing the oil. I’ve
run the car approximately 1,000 miles with the oil level this high...no
apparent problems.
For now, I’ve parked the car in the garage, waiting for someone to tell me
that all I have to do is simply adjust the seatbelts and the problem will go
away. Other thoughts...oil sending unit is only 6 months old and the
connection seemed to be OK. Nothing else seems strange in the electrical
system that might be causing a mis-reading.
Any help will be greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Dave Brunk
dbrunk@mhv.net
Woodstock, NY
1969 TR6
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