Having been a vincent owner for the past 50 years, I don't ever remember reading or hearing very much said about the lub/oil pressure relief valve. However, I recently had to remove two from separate timing cases, in both instances they were both seized requiring plenty of release oil and heat to remove.
This set me thinking, how many others may be seized either shut or partly open, could this account for cam and follower failures or big end problems. How can we check that all is OK. Looking at the return to the oil tank when starting up may show a return, but what when the oil heats up with a partially open valve!
Also, both valves although the same dimentions were made from different material. One was brass and the other hardend steel (why hardend?).
At what pressure should this valve relieve?
How and why was this pressure decided?
What damage would too high a pressure cause?
Are there any pressures given for various parts of the LO system?
This set me thinking, how many others may be seized either shut or partly open, could this account for cam and follower failures or big end problems. How can we check that all is OK. Looking at the return to the oil tank when starting up may show a return, but what when the oil heats up with a partially open valve!
Also, both valves although the same dimentions were made from different material. One was brass and the other hardend steel (why hardend?).
At what pressure should this valve relieve?
How and why was this pressure decided?
What damage would too high a pressure cause?
Are there any pressures given for various parts of the LO system?