Along with Fiat-itis comes Ferrari-itis: there is a rubber hose
union in the pipe between the oil pump and the pickup: any holes or
cracks in the rubber will move the pickup point above the oil level
when cornering.
-- Jeff.
PS: from a different reply to the original message: yes, Accusumps are
still available. Check in a racing catalog, such as Pegasus.
Date: Wed, 2 Nov 1994 23:27:24 -0500 (EST)
From: Randy Wilson <randy@taylor.infi.net>
>
> I've noticed this phenominon with my 73 MGB recently where on hard
> corners the oil pressure will drop to about 20psi and stay there for
> about 5 seconds. The oil pan has the full amount of oil (it happens
> with oil levels anywhere from max to min on the dipstick).
> It's quite annoying to be throwing her through some corners, and just
> as we're about to accellerate off again, I look down and see the oil
> pressure gauge reading 20! (It stays at about 70 during normal times).
> Can anyone explain or diagnose what's wrong? Thanks in advance.
> Brian
>
There is a limit to the cornering forces a MGB will take with a stock
oil pan before the oil slosh allows the pump to pull air. But I'm going
to assume you aren't running A008-RS2's and it didn't used to do this.
I never had a problem autocrossing a B on street tires in the early 80's.
The problem is the oil level falling "below" the pickup pipe opening.
"Below" being a semi-non-directional term when dealing with cornering
and slosh. The pump is sucking air. The most obvious source you have
already checked; low oil level. My next guess would be that the oil strainer
has come adrift of the oilpump, raising the effective pickup opening about
one inch. Or... it's possible the car is suffering from Fiat-itis. Fiat
twin cams are known for having their oil pan (hangs in front of cross
member) crushed in, breaking the cast oilpump pickup pipe clean off.
Got any floorjack prints in your pan?
Randy
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