Rover 3500 - Dead???

[RichDyne]

Took a run out in the Cob today and she ran fine - no problems at all... Parked up at my parents and about 30 mins later turned hewr over to be greated by a hollow metalic sound - as in there is no oil in her...

Quickly stopped cranking and pulled her into my dads garage. On closer inspection she seems to have blown oil at high pressure all over the nearside chassis rails and the initial check seems to suggest the oil came from fairly high up in the engine.

Unfortunately I have no idea if the oil pressure was ok on the 4 mile run as it was dark but I did notice right at the end of the journey the oil pressure light came on which I thought strange but I was driving up a VERY step hill at the time.

Any ideas? Where should I start - almost feels like something happened inside the engine so it may be an engine out job.

Thanks
Rich

[stuart.in.leigh]

Hi, has the oil filter worked loose, or a plug come out, could be an obvious place to start.
Good luck mate, hope its not too serious.

[RichDyne]

Hi Stuart, Can't see anything - Filter looks dry and untouched. Need to clean up the side of thew engine carefully and see if Ii can work out where the oil came from - more concerning is what would cause something like this - I have a nasty feeling it is something damaged inside which caused the pressure to go high (mind you are was always a pesimist when it comes to engines)...

Thanks mate
Rich

[Sidecarbod]

Originally Posted by RichDyne

Took a run out in the Cob today and she ran fine - no problems at all... Parked up at my parents and about 30 mins later turned hewr over to be greated by a hollow metalic sound - as in there is no oil in her...

Quickly stopped cranking and pulled her into my dads garage. On closer inspection she seems to have blown oil at high pressure all over the nearside chassis rails and the initial check seems to suggest the oil came from fairly high up in the engine.

Unfortunately I have no idea if the oil pressure was ok on the 4 mile run as it was dark but I did notice right at the end of the journey the oil pressure light came on which I thought strange but I was driving up a VERY step hill at the time.

Any ideas? Where should I start - almost feels like something happened inside the engine so it may be an engine out job.

Thanks
Rich

If it's making a bad sound when you crank it over then IMHO it ain't going to be good news I'm afraid

To loose all of the oil is quite something as there is about 5 litres in the sump, has the whole lot gone?

The lost oil may have come from the rocker cover gasket joint as they can cause problems.

You could remove the dizzy a spin the pump with an electric drill, you should be able to get oil pressure, if not then the pump maybe knackered or at least the pressure relief spring or valve stuck open. The problem is that this means that the pressure would have got very low at low RPM, maybe low enough to take out a big end or main bearing.

Anyway first thing to do is see if the pump can make pressure and take it from there.

HTH,

Pete

[RichDyne]

unfortunately its dry

Something must have blown during the drive and she lost the lot within 4 miles.... I know for a fact it was full about 200 miles ago as I converted it from EFI to carb. Its been fine ever since (maybe running rich but nothing that should cause this.)

Would I be crazy to fill up with oil and try and see where the oil is coming from with it idling?

When I turned it over and realised I had a problem it sounded ok just tinny and empty but no knocking, mind you I am no engine bod so may not have heard the important signs

Anyone know a good Rover v8 specialist around Crewe / Stoke on Trent?

Might give Dave Brooks a call - sure he knows all the best guys.

Does Mike Huddart work on Rovers? Does he work on bombed engines at all or just build for sale?

Thanks
Rich

[stuart.in.leigh]

Hi Rich,

If it was me with the problem, I would be inclined to re-fill with oil and let it idle, always assuming that the engine will fire up.
Like you say it might then be possible to see where the leak is.
Do you have an oil pressure guage fitted or just a light?
Please bear in mind I am on a learning curve when it comes to RV8 engines, or any other engine for that matter!

Stuart

[RichDyne]

Originally Posted by stuart.in.leigh

Hi Rich,

If it was me with the problem, I would be inclined to re-fill with oil and let it idle, always assuming that the engine will fire up.
Like you say it might then be possible to see where the leak is.
Do you have an oil pressure guage fitted or just a light?
Please bear in mind I am on a learning curve when it comes to RV8 engines, or any other engine for that matter!

Stuart

I'm in exactly the same place as you - I see no reason why it should not fire - the really really really really lucky thing is that the engine has not seized. I know someone in my dads group with a TR5 and he had an oil pump failure which turned his engine into a 1960's paperweight.

I guess if I replace the oil then the engine should be safe for a minute or two of idling...

[jrv8]

Hi Rich,

If you've no oil showing on the dipstick, try unscrewing the sump bung and see if there'e ANY oil in it.
If it's completely dry, check for a hole in the sump, or put some oil into it and crank it over with the coil disconnected. If it was empty of oil , you'll not cause any more damage than has already been done.

Best of luck
Jim

[slogger]

Originally Posted by RichDyne

I'm in exactly the same place as you - I see no reason why it should not fire - the really really really really lucky thing is that the engine has not seized. I know someone in my dads group with a TR5 and he had an oil pump failure which turned his engine into a 1960's paperweight.

I guess if I replace the oil then the engine should be safe for a minute or two of idling...

Don't run it at first!!! Do as posted before. Fill it with oil, assuming the drain plug hasn't fallen out, and run the oil pump with an electric drill. This way you will see if the pump can make pressure and you may find the leak as well. My oil pressure pipe melted when mine caught light and dumped oil every where!!

[RichDyne]

Originally Posted by jrv8

Hi Rich,

If you've no oil showing on the dipstick, try unscrewing the sump bung and see if there'e ANY oil in it.
If it's completely dry, check for a hole in the sump, or put some oil into it and crank it over with the coil disconnected. If it was empty of oil , you'll not cause any more damage than has already been done.

Best of luck
Jim

Hi Jim - Looks like I fitted all your shinney new bits to a crappy lump :-/ (have to say the bits you sent were top notch - thanks)

The dipstick had about 1mm of oil on the bottom of it - the leak looks like it came from high up in the engine but now I think about it the dipstick had some oil marks on it further up i.e. from the dipstick tube - normally I would expect this to be fairly dry - if the pressure shot up could it push oil up this tube? The leak is in roughly the right area...