After the BusterCluster Sprite was back on the road last year, I began
to notice a slow decline in oil pressure. Finally, when it was dow to
10psi at running speed and 0psi idling, it was pretty self evident there
was something amiss! This was confounding me, for when last running,
the engine was only about 10,000 miles past a complete frebuild. After
talking with several people, it was decided that it did not need to be
torn down before the BusterCluster. What could be the problem? My
first hope was that the oil pump had crapped out.
Parked in the garage, I finally found a English classic car garage about
25 miles from here. The owner and wife (also the sole mechanic and
assistant) were originally from Swindon, and had been an employee
mechanic for about 7 years, and have owed the garage for about 20. He
came over and pulled the engine in the garage, and took it to his shop,
leaving the car here.
Not surprisingly, when he had it stripped down, what was left of the
bearings were grungy copper. The crank and cylinders will have to be
turned. What was surprising was the amount of dirt, or sand, or heavy
grit that had obviously been dumped in the engine. Quite obviously, no
one at the BusterCluster was responsible. But I know damn well that the
son-of-butcher was a former neighbor who had at one time been a good
friend, but who had fried his brains with the chemicals he had been
sniffing, inhaling, and ingesting. (He has moved away, but I still know
where he is living!!!!!)
Now, the engine will be back in the car soon, for the weather is most
delightfully made for Sprites.
Buster
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