Very Low Oil Pressure / Crankshaft journals

My friend has a 1952 TEA2085. We just got in running nicely, only to find, once its fully warmed up it has little or no oil pressure.
(5 -6 psi)

We took the oil pan off it, had a look at the oil
pump, which was changed 2 years ago. It looks very
good. Good close tolerances. Has lots of pressure
when cold.

So we pulled 2 Rod caps and the central main bearing with thrust bearing. The mains were in good shape, but the rod bearings were considerably scored. I also noted that the rod bearings where "030" which is the last over size.
no more room for a re grind.

SO i have a few questions;

1) What should the oil pressure be fully warm?

2) Does anyone know a source where i can get a remanufactured crank? ( rebuilt, used or new)

3) IS there anything else in this motor that could by pass oil, like the cam or lifters?
In other words, is there another know "sore spot" with this motor that can cause low oil pressure?

4) It there some other motor that will bolt into this unit? Like an 8N?

Thanks greatly in advance for your response, any help you can give us is muchly appreciated, with no oil pressure and a bad crank where kinda in a real pickle.

Cheers & Thanks

Mike

I'm with Ray on this one - its not uncommon here in the UK to find TEs running with 5 - 6 pounds on the Standard engine (or around 8 lbs at full throttle) and his comments on the new oils used are spot on.

Don't worry too much - I checked the big end and main bearings on mine, and it was still running on the ORIGINAL 1951 bearing set. I replaced the big end (rod cap) and main bearings anyway, and carried on.

A favourite wear spot is the cam journals especially the rear one, so the oil takes the easy way out there - and the pressure drops.

With the additives in todays oils, you don't need to worry much, as long as the valves/top end are getting oil you will be OK. Just take the rocker cover off, and see how wet and sticky it is in there

The other thing to bear in mind is that a 50 year old gauge is only going to show you there is pressure of some sort there - they were never that accurate anyway - so think of them as an indicator only, not a gauge as we 21st century types know them. Just swapping the gauge may instantly improve your oil pressure!!

FWIW, my two pence worth.

James, UK

Thanks for the response. Ya heavy oil, We've been running 20 - 50 in it for awhile. Even with that grade our oil pressure was 5 - 6 PSI.

However, I may have found a crank in the local
tractor wreckers. Guy says it has std bearing set so i can send it away to be re-ground.

Friday we pull the motor and take a look at all
other sources of potential problems like the Cam journals and rockers etc. before i spend money on getting a crank done. I want to make sure that its not bleeding off oil pressure somewhere else.

Thanks & Cheers
Mike

Also, I do think you can get 0.040 under bearings for this motor if that becomes necessary.
Jim W.