Brand New Oil Pump Failure - Whats the best oil pump to buy?
Turbo Mini Forums

Hi Guys,

Finally got my engine in pieces yet again...and its getting to the point where everything is fastened by wingnuts and speed clips!!!

My engine had been suffering low oil pressure problems since a phase 2 cam was fitted and new turbo oil pump.
Prevously i had been running a standard new 1300 oil pump when engine was rebuilt, oil pressure was always excellent but just really low at idle when hot, so thought i would ugrade to correct pump to improve it...and fit a cam at the same time.

However since fitting the turbo pump and cam... oil pressure seemed to surge and then only after only a few short drives it dropped away to nothing. Oil pressure would only comeback when engine was cold.

The Pump i brought was a Powerflow Turbo pump from Minisport, it has alloy casing and steel backplate. On the Outlet side on the pump..the port appears to be not sealing once mated to the block... as it is right on the edge of the cam hole. It appears that oil pressure is being lost directly to the cam and the gasket doesnt appear like it is sealing in that area.

Has anyone experienced this problem?
I can find no other sign's of anything that could cause the oil pres failure.

As i brought the pump about a year ago now, Minisport are not likely to want to take it back, even tho it is still brand new.

So what is a good brand oil pump? and where do i get one?
Can you buy a turbo pump that has a quality steel housing?

And its it possible to get 4 bolted pumps... as my block has 4 threaded holes in it... and 4 through bolts seems a much beter idea than just 2.

Any help greatly appreciated :)

Thanks, Jeremy

1975 MkIII Morris Mini 1300 Turbo, 100bhp...if only it could run long enough to drive it legally!

The powerflow one with steel backplate is allegedly the best.

It does seem stupid that it only uses two of the bolt holes but if everything is flat it shouldn't be an issue.

If you don't think it's sealing in that area of the gasket, are the bolts the correct length (ie, not too long) or is there a bit of muck in the bottom of one of the threaded holes ???

Schrödinger's cat - so which one am I ???

Yeah bolts are fine, original type, pump was secured good, maybe i just got a bad one? the outlet port doesnt look like a great casting in my opinion...and when compared to a standard pump the port is ridiculoulsly close to the cam hole that it seems there is not enough flat surface area to make a seal with the gasket. I have attached a pic



....hmm, cant seem to attach a pic for some reason.

Edited by j_d_jag_mini on 13th Sep, 2010.

1975 MkIII Morris Mini 1300 Turbo, 100bhp...if only it could run long enough to drive it legally!

I've always had to clean up the ports of the turbo oil-pumps.

What you can do is pull the pump apart and flatten it on some wet and dry on a flat surface,

Also the gaskets can be a problem, make sure you use a genuine oil pump gasket and not the thin rubbish papery one, also don't over tighten the pump bolts.