| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Stella |
Posted - 06 Jul 2015 : 13:53:08
Hi folks.. this bit of kit failed on Sunday..just as we arrived at an Exhibition/Rally...
Any ideas .. will be welcome... virtually everything has been replaced over the last few years, plus we have added an oil cooler due to excessive heat over here..
Had to call the breakdown folk out on the busiest Sunday of the year (1st weekend of school hols).. but they got us home in time to swap cars and still get back there for lunch and enjoy the rest of the day...
your thoughts please... |
| 5 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| tonewheeldude |
Posted - 29 Jul 2015 : 07:57:50
this is interesting:
http://teae.org/relief-valve-change-can-cure-alpine-lop/ |
| Stella |
Posted - 07 Jul 2015 : 10:32:58
Thanks Peter... I was so worried it would be something very expensive..
Thankfully, Clive had bought 2 OPR valves.. so we had a spare to put in.. we have another rally in 2 weeks and then each w/e until the autumn.. it is all go over here...
Winter task will be to remove the engine and check everything out...again...
but, I must stress that these cars are worth every sleepless night.. what fun to drive............ |
| pruyter |
Posted - 07 Jul 2015 : 07:03:30
Hi Stella,
I am not surprised about it, this pressure valves have this habbit sometimes. The cause is dirt in the oil and it only needs to be a litte bit of dirt to cause the valve sticking.
As an example: a long time ago, in 1974, I had a Sunbeam Rapier fastback and I needed to overhaul the engine and that was what I did. After this job I went for a holiday with this car to Austria. In the south of Germany I took a little pause on a parking place and after about 20 minutes I wanted to leave and started the engine and.......oil pressure zero!!! I turned off the engine and started thinking, I my mind I repeated the overhaul of the engine and asked myself what I could have missed. Suddenly I realised that I had done everything but one thing I had not done and that was take the oil pressure valve out for checking. So on that parking place I took out the valve, which is a few minutes work,and found the valve stuck. So a newly overhauled engine, fresh oil and a new oil filter and still the valve stucked because of some very little dirt which in my case was caused by the honing (machining) of the cylinders by a local machine shop.
So Stella don't worry and enjoy your Rapier and if it happens again check the valve carefully for scoring and if so replace it. But I really think that dirt has caused this failure.
Regards,
Peter |
| Stella |
Posted - 06 Jul 2015 : 19:59:08
drving 1 hr.. oil pressure perfect.. then suddenly needle moved leftward then went to zero on the guage as we were stopping. Oil level checked, slightly low, topped up. Started engine..oil pressure guage needle went up halfway, stayed, then dropped way down. No obvious leaks. Decided not to make return journey and called Breakdown.
After reading/talking with locals.. Today, Clive removed the OPR valve and found it stuck slightly open. Had a spare so replaced and all is now well. What I wonder is why would it stick ? It was only a few years old, along with everything else on the car. Car is used regularly and never let us down before (since revamp.)
Just wonder if there is something else we should be doing... |
| pruyter |
Posted - 06 Jul 2015 : 17:14:55
Hi Stella,
Can you please be a little bit more explicit about what went exactly wrong and what led to the conclusion that the oil pressure valve is out of order? It is easier for us to help you when we know some more details.
Regards,
Peter |
