[TR] Oil Pressure Loss

[Chad]

I seriously doubt you did any damage.

--------------------------------------------
On Sat, 12/24/16, david brady <dmb993 at earthlink.net> wrote:

 Subject: [TR] Oil Pressure Loss
 To: triumphs at autox.team.net
 Date: Saturday, December 24, 2016, 9:15 AM
 
 Hi Folks,
 
 Big blunder on my part. Long story short, I inadvertently
 started the 
 cold engine with the oil pressure tube disconnected. Runtime
 maybe 15 
 seconds with a couple of low rev throttle blips. I noticed a
 smell so I 
 immediately checked the oil pressure gauge saw no pressure
 so I  shut 
 off the engine. The smell was oil leaving the engine. I
 started the 
 engine outside the car with the bonnet open which is typical
 for me. I 
 need to manually hold the weber chokes shut with my hand as
 I turn over 
 the engine.
 
 Here are the particulars:
 
 1) cold engine
 2) seven quarts of fresh 10w-30 Brad Penn oil in sump
 3) start engine, maybe 15s (probably less) of runtime,
 no-load
 4) 3 quarts of oil pushed out the oil pressure gauge
 fitting
 5) engine has cam bearings.
 
 
 I replenished the lost 3 quarts of oil, started the engine,
 and went for 
 a 20 mile drive. No external signs of anything wrong. Engine
 runs great.
 
 Several questions:
 
 1) with the oil pressure loss out the disconnected fitting
 is there any 
 chance of even a dribble of oil being fed to the oil
 galleries?
 2) I understand about oil flow rate being important and
 about the 
 hydrodynamic oil film required with plain bearings which
 actually 
 generates the oil pressure in the bearing's oil film itself.
 I'm more 
 concerned about the heat buildup at the bearings due to lack
 of flow. 
 What are the chances of bearing damage due to heat buildup
 in this case?
 3) which bearings would be the first to show damage? Main,
 connecting 
 rod, cam?
 4) is it recommended to drop the sump and roll out a bearing
 to check 
 condition?
 
 Here's how it happened: a month or so ago I was testing the
 accuracy of 
 my oil pressure gauge so I bolted on a new gauge. I then ran
 my tests 
 and disconnected the tube from the crankcase in preparation
 to reconnect 
 the stock tube, but I was then pulled away from project and
 failed to 
 reconnect the stock pressure gauge tube. Fast forward a
 month and I 
 completely forget that the engine's not buttoned up and I
 start the 
 engine! Yikes!
 
 Thanks for your input,
 Merry Christmas,
 David
 '68 TR250
 
 
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