No oil pressure?????

Bob23T · #1 (**permalink**) 07-11-2004, 02:55 PM

Started my t-bucket motor today for the first time. It came to life almost instantly, and sounded fantastic. Problem is, there was no oil pressure. I ran if for about 30 seconds to see if the pressure would build up, but nothing.

Questions.

1 - Its a brand new rebuild on a 283 motor. New oil pump.
Could the pump be bad.

2 - I pulled out a pushrod and the bottom of the rod, at the lifter
was wet with oil, but none came throught the rod.???

3 - Its an old style block with the internal breather. I took the
breather out, does it have to be in place so oil won't go
through the hole where the breather fits????

4 - It has an oil filter conversion kit to convert if from the old
canister style, could that be put together wrong. The filter
is full of oil????

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated. I really hate to have to pull the oil pump, any other way to tell if it is pumping.

Thanks for any assistance.

Bob

crazy larry · #2 (**permalink**) 07-11-2004, 02:58 PM

oil pressure sending unit.?. ......

Centerline · #3 (**permalink**) 07-11-2004, 03:21 PM

Did you pre-prime the oil pump? If not it will take a while to build pressure (and damage can result) so you're lucky you shut it off when you did.

Pull the distributor and use an electric drill with the proper tool and spin the oil pump till you get pressure, then re-install the distributor and fire it up. You should have good pressure immediately.

Centerline

Bob23T · #4 (**permalink**) 07-11-2004, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Centerline
Did you pre-prime the oil pump? If not it will take a while to build pressure (and damage can result) so you're lucky you shut it off when you did.

Pull the distributor and use an electric drill with the proper tool and spin the oil pump till you get pressure, then re-install the distributor and fire it up. You should have good pressure immediately.

Centerline

I spun the oil pump before trying to start it. Got a little bit of oil up to the gauge but not much. Thought maybe the drill wasn't spinning it fast enough. If you spin the pump with a drill, will you be able to get oil to the top of the motor, up through the push rods? I can't do that, by spinning it.

Any other thoughts. Thanks.

Bob

tresi · #5 (**permalink**) 07-11-2004, 04:31 PM

You should be able to get oil pressure on the gage and oil up through the pushrods by pre-oiling. You might have to turn the cranshaft to get oil up all of the pushrods. It should really put a load on the drill. Did the soft plug under the rear main cap get left out? If so, you will never have oil pressure without it. Also there are two plugs behind the cam sprocket that could have been left out but they are easy to see when you're putting the motor together. The plug under the main cap is the one that tends to get left out because It is installed about an inch or so deep in the galley.

Bob23T · #6 (**permalink**) 07-11-2004, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tresi
You should be able to get oil pressure on the gage and oil up through the pushrods by pre-oiling. You might have to turn the cranshaft to get oil up all of the pushrods. It should really put a load on the drill. Did the soft plug under the rear main cap get left out? If so, you will never have oil pressure without it. Also there are two plugs behind the cam sprocket that could have been left out but they are easy to see when you're putting the motor together. The plug under the main cap is the one that tends to get left out because It is installed about an inch or so deep in the galley.

Tell me more about this plug under the main cap. Would this be something that would be taken out when the motor was bored out. I replaced all the other plugs, but definately didn't know about that one, so don't know if its in or not. When I take the main cap off, can I easily see it? Thanks for any help.

Bob

machine shop tom · #7 (**permalink**) 07-11-2004, 08:58 PM

The plug under the main cap will NOT affect oil pressure. It simply directs oil to the filter. If the plug is not there, oil doesn't go through the filter, instead it goes directly to the main gallery.

What kind of oil filter are you using? If it is a FRAM, it may be your problem. In any case, change the filter and try priming the engine again.

tom

tresi · #8 (**permalink**) 07-11-2004, 10:30 PM

Tom is right about that plug. 25 years ago I was told that if it was left out there would be no oil pressure and having never left one out I never gave it much thought. Tom got me thinking so I got out a drawing of the oil system and look closer at it.

Bob23T · #9 (**permalink**) 07-12-2004, 04:23 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by machine shop tom
The plug under the main cap will NOT affect oil pressure. It simply directs oil to the filter. If the plug is not there, oil doesn't go through the filter, instead it goes directly to the main gallery.

What kind of oil filter are you using? If it is a FRAM, it may be your problem. In any case, change the filter and try priming the engine again.

tom

Ok, the plugs no problem as I have oil in the filter. It is a Fram filter tho, what is going on with them. Is the filter conversion kit a possible problem?? I have oil at the lifters but nothing coming through the push rods to the rockers. ???????????

Thanks again for any help.

Bob

**poncho62** · #10 (**permalink**) 07-12-2004, 04:31 AM

I have heard of the filter conversion kits being a problem.

Also, I seem to remember in my old feeble mind that some of the early 283s had to have a cam with a groove in one of the journals, and that if you didn't have it, it would affect oil pressure. Then again, it may have been early big blocks that I was thinking of..

Centerline · #11 (**permalink**) 07-12-2004, 05:55 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by poncho62
.....I seem to remember in my old feeble mind that some of the early 283s had to have a cam with a groove in one of the journals, and that if you didn't have it, it would affect oil pressure. Then again, it may have been early big blocks that I was thinking of..

Actually I believe it was only the 265 V8 that required this slot in the rear cam journal. Then again I suffer from CRS too.

Centerline

**Siggy_Freud** · #12 (**permalink**) 07-12-2004, 01:30 PM

I dont see why a fram filter being in there would make a difference in the pressure. Sure they aren't great filters and plug very quick but at the point the oil should bypass the filter and still build pressure.

raidmagic · #13 (**permalink**) 07-12-2004, 03:27 PM

Wouldn't the hole in the rear of the valley for the breather be an issue? THat would let oil go back to the crankcase and not build pressure. I would think. I could be way wrong just a thought. You said that you took the breather out and left it open, Right?

Also don't forget the holes under the timing chain cover I think one or more needs to be pluged don't they?

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