Re: Low Oil pressure.
Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2020 12:24 pm
I have some skills in failure analysis of aero engines and the rule is always Observe, Deduce, Analyse.
Observing the lead up to your problem. Is no oil pressure, good oil pressure then no oil pressure.
Deduce no initial oil pressure - it’s been shut down since the autumn so needs to fill the system, good oil pressure - it’s filled the system. No oil pressure - it’s not sucking or delivering any oil or the gauge is faulty.
Analyse - it has sucked in some contamination that is preventing the pump from working. Possible causes blocked inlet strainer, blocked filter, stuck relief valve, failed pump or faulty gauge + anything else you can think of. Now do the actions to prove or disprove your deduction.
Crap holding the valve open would mean a lot of crap in the system, so the inlet strainer or filter will also be blocked. So check those first, then so on.
My guess would be a blocked filter so start by draining the oil and see what comes out. If it is full of crap where's it come from? Is it safe to flush. Check the filter is it blocked? Cut in half and have look. A blocked strainer would need considerable contamination and sump off to sort, so that's probably a last resort.
My guess is dirty oil which has settled over winter and the crap has been sucked up blocking the filter. Could be any easy fix.
Observing the lead up to your problem. Is no oil pressure, good oil pressure then no oil pressure.
Deduce no initial oil pressure - it’s been shut down since the autumn so needs to fill the system, good oil pressure - it’s filled the system. No oil pressure - it’s not sucking or delivering any oil or the gauge is faulty.
Analyse - it has sucked in some contamination that is preventing the pump from working. Possible causes blocked inlet strainer, blocked filter, stuck relief valve, failed pump or faulty gauge + anything else you can think of. Now do the actions to prove or disprove your deduction.
Crap holding the valve open would mean a lot of crap in the system, so the inlet strainer or filter will also be blocked. So check those first, then so on.
My guess would be a blocked filter so start by draining the oil and see what comes out. If it is full of crap where's it come from? Is it safe to flush. Check the filter is it blocked? Cut in half and have look. A blocked strainer would need considerable contamination and sump off to sort, so that's probably a last resort.
My guess is dirty oil which has settled over winter and the crap has been sucked up blocking the filter. Could be any easy fix.