The other day I was driving in a cavalcade of collectors vehicles. The snag was that the vehicles included tractors from the ‘30’s and the drive was an hour at sub walking pace. Three ‘classic’s boiled but as the Sprite is overcooled I didn’t worry. Then I noticed the oil pressure gauge reading zero! Killing the engine I opened the bonnet to be greeted by an engine compartment liberally sprayed with oil. The capillary pipe from motor to gauge had ruptured. The previous owner had used clear plastic pipe as the flexible portion and as under bonnet temperatures soared it had failed. This pipe is open to the high-pressure side of the lubrication system and will empty the sump in under 60 seconds – I was very, very lucky – I’d only lost 1 ltr of oil!

But what a mess!

Moral – use proper high pressure flexible pipe...