Oil Pump pick up length on 1500 MG Midget

[79sunrunner]

Before I've had to add about a quart every 100 miles >< One time I dropped the pan curious to see how far the oil pick up dips down into the oil pan. I couldn't get an accurate look, does anyone how low the oil has to be before there is starvation. It didnt look much farther than the minimum line. Ive the changed the oil on my sister's car, and I bet there was less than a quart in there, and to me it seems like a safety almost. I check the level weekly in my cars, but I always that "what if" a rings lets go and dumps half my oil out the tail pipe.

 

[VinceF]

I had an English Ford/Mercury Capri with their Kent motor. Didn't notice how much oil I was burning because I was just using it in the city. Had to drive the interstate for a job 11 mi aay, and the oil light would come on when I got home, which only took a qt. Figured I was going to loose the motor so had to do something. It had 130K mi on it, and early in the emission controls, and with the PCV valve sucking blowby oil vapors into the motor to be burned, I thought that maybe the vapors were turning to sludge or carbon in the cyls gumming the rings. Decided to try some crankcase flush down the carb to maybe dissolve sludge or whatever. Figured after driving when the motor was hot, and metals expanded, that maybe the rings stuck in the gruves when it cooled. It took a few tries pouring maybe a 1/4 pint or less down the carb, pulling the coil wire and turning the motor over a few times to suck it into the cyls and letting it sit over nite, and oil mileage increased. Going from 30mi/qt to 150, and it leveled off at 550mi/qt. Figured it had done all it could so stopped using it, but the miles would fall off slowly to 450 and 300 when I would treat it again and again. It stopped working when the label on the can of flush from Sears changed. I figured wear took over, but later realizing Sears doesn't make things figured they probably switched suppliers hence the label change and probably the formula as fast as it stopped working. Had another car so used that and didn't worry or look into it.

 

[Chris142]

We have all seen cars 2,3 or more qts low that still had adequate lubrication . Not mine though!

 

[EddieCairns]

The 1500 Triumph engined Midget tends to run thrust bearings and the older A series had an oil pickup problem in autotests when quick reversing was involved.

I would err on the high side and try a small overfill in that engine unless you know better.

Post the question here.

http://www2.mg-cars.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?...&subject=97

 

[SteveSRT8]

I had a 1965 TR-4 that really liked a quart more oil for autocrossing. A passenger confirmed that I sometimes lost oil pressure during extreme g cornering.

In my old Vettes I ran an extra quart for road racing, too. Then we actually ran them LOW for the drags! As long as it doesn't foam up when overfilled the engine will like an uninterrupted supply!

 

[Dave Sherman]

I'm curious, when you dropped the pan, does your pickup pipe point straight down, or is it angled? I was investigating why mine will lose oil pressure if the oil level gets a little low and I have to make a hard stop. I found I actually have a Triumph Spitfire pickup (angled) when I had the pan off, but Moss shows one that points straight down for a Midget.

 

[expat]

Originally Posted By: Dave Sherman
I'm curious, when you dropped the pan, does your pickup pipe point straight down, or is it angled? I was investigating why mine will lose oil pressure if the oil level gets a little low and I have to make a hard stop. I found I actually have a Triumph Spitfire pickup (angled) when I had the pan off, but Moss shows one that points straight down for a Midget.


Thèrese we're two types. On the 1500.
The first engines had a pump with the straight Pick up, Later (I'm Gjessing 78 ón) they had an angeled pick up, which is said to be better for surge, but personally I don't buy it.

Baffles welded into the oil pan do a lot to prevent starvation if you are going to Slalom etc.

No, I don,t know 'How low you can go.'
It's best not to find out,
Address the oil consumption before you run dry.

Does the engine leak, or Burn oil?
If it burns, does it burn on acceleration or over-run?