I couldn't stand not doing anything about this so I re-installed the oil cooler before dinner. I have no idea if that will make any difference. I will test drive the car when/if possible over the next few days to see if it helped.
I reused both the oil pump and the pressure relief valve & spring. The pump still measured good and was well within spec. The relief valve just looked good enough to use... and shouldn't be the cause of lower idle oil pressure. However, I may replace it anyway... just because.
Since the crank was not ground during the rebuild, since this is the same oil pump and relief valve, and since this the bearings are new... the oil pressure should be the same or better than it was before the rebuild. The problem is... I don't know what that pressure was. I wish I could trust my son to know but... I know he won't. As long as there is an acceptable oil pressure at idle with the engine warm I may just have to accept this. There is no such thing as a high-capacity Spitfire oil pump is there?
The distributor has the o-ring on the stem. I am wondering if the oil leak from the dizzy is from a different source, a source of my making. I applied some oil to the bob weights, the points wick, an the pivot pin of the points. When I looked under the cap tonight there was oil pooled at the bottom of the breaker plate. I am thinking I over-oiled the moving dizzy parts and the distributor is now positioned where the heated oil pools near the vent hole and is dripping out. If it stops in a few days I will write that leak off as of my making.
Doug L.
--Previous Message--
: I wouldn't rush to judgement without
: getting a few miles on it and changing
: the oil & filter and running it
: again.
: With .003 on the mains, and perhaps a
: little excess around the cam, the idle
: pressure will be a little low anyhow.
: Does it come up quickly and run 50-60 @
: cruise?
: If it winds up having low idle &
: cruise, after changing the run-in oil,
: there may be a problem.
: The oil leak around the distributor, if
: it's leaking from inside the
: distributor, it would have to be
: migrating up around the shaft, also
: there is an o-ring fitted to the groove
: around the O/D of the housing where it
: fits in the pedestal, maybe that's a
: possible leak source?
: Glen
:
: