Morning everyone,
I've just bought a 2003 1.6 duratec Streetka to use in a charity road rally this summer. It involves driving from Edinburgh to Rome via the Swiss Alps and back in 2 weeks - a total of about 4,000 miles.

The rules of the rally state that no more than £500 can be spent on buying and preparing your car (ex tax, insurance and safety items) so I was delighted to find such a stupidly unsuitable car for touring for £400 but it has a few problems that I need some help and advice with. Just so you know, I've spent most of my life fettling and restoring cars from VW Beetles, Landrovers etc up to a 1912 Veteran car so I can do the spannering myself.

My main concern is reliability and after some initial fettling doing a few miles it seems that the oil pump is on its way out. The pressure warning light flickers on at tickover but goes out with revs. I can get a new one donated to the cause but I'll have to fit it myself -how much of a pain is it and should I consider it a potentially terminal problem?

The car is all but rust free with near perfect alloys and goes really nicely in every other sense, has 9 months MOT so although I could easily sell it in a few months and get my money back I'd like to use it.

Advice and suggestions, please

 

Richard

Rust to Rome? 

That's the one

 

No other suggestions or comments?

An oil pump is about £120 but whole engine is £150 ... when the oil pumps die have they already been busy wrecking the engine?

years ago I had a Triumph TR7 which did that with the oil light. It was a broken spring on the pressure relief valve. On that engine the pressure relief valve was within the oil pump. The oil pump was on the outside of the block bolted to the right side of the block. Luckily it was a pretty easy job. I have no idea where your oil pump and pressure relief valve are. I do remember some other old cars where the oil pump was in the sump but the pressure relief valve was easily accessed under a bolt in the side of the block.

So if the pressure relief valve is easily accessed then check it first. Also oil filter maybe.