Pump still won't prime

[moparbud66]

I've read the posts and tried the suggestions but I still cant get my oil pump to prime. I must be doing something wrong and I don't want to fire up this freshly built engine until I see oil pressure at the guage. I installed a new mechanical guage from the left block port so I could have the guage in addition to the idiot light. I bought the tool and ran the drill CCW while my wife cranked the car over but still got nothing. Suggestions???

 

[RustyRatRod]

What are we talking about? A big or small block? Big blocks turn CCW and small blocks turn CW. Can you feel the oil pump load the drill? When it primes, It will load the drill down pretty significantly...you can't miss it. Are you sure all of the gallery plugs are installed?

 

[67 coronet]

oil pickup tube installed correctly?you should prime up the eng with the tool till you get presure then crank it over.i normally crank mine over by hand 2 full rotations to make sure the oil gets everywere.

 

[moparbud66]

Big block 440. No load whatsoever on the drill. The block and heads were done and came with the car and had new soft plugs etc. Tell me about the gallery plugs you are referring to.

 

[440roadrunner]

Also do you have the proper gaskets and O RING on the pump? There's one that goes on the snout where the pump goes into the engine. And are you turning it LEFT IE CCW?

Start with the filter OFF. It should just take a second or two to prime the pump and "get oil" at the filter mount.

Practice a little getting the filter on quickly, then FILL the filter. You'll have to fill, tip, wait, and fill more

Then install filter, prime some more, and you should quickly get oil out the sender port.

You will have to rotate the crank to get oil out rocker galleries.

It is pretty rare, but possible, that the pressure relief is defective or has a great big piece of crap stuck, holding it open.

Some photos I stole, came from here:

http://moparforums.com/forums/f10/my-1977-chrysler-cordoba-400-ci-stroker-build-thread-11187/

The pump and oiling system

 

[moparbud66]

I did fill the filter before installing and it's a brand new Melling HV pump. I was cranking CCW. I'll investigate further over the weekend. Like I said, I'm anxious to hear it run but want to know I have the proper oil pressure first.

 

[tpodwdog]

if the mechanical gauge is new,,,,and not filled with oil....this will give you a false reading on pressure reading-0-. does the idiot light work?

put your drill in and remove a valve cover and see if oil is seeping as you turn it CCW.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Filling the filter has absolutely zero to do with whether the pump will prime. Since the filter is on the pressure side of the pump, it has no effect on the pump picking up. Your problem is at the pump, or possibly an oil gallery plug......but still I would think you should feel something when the pump picked up oil. From how you describe it, I don't believe your pump is even seeing oil.

 

[moparbud66]

I got it!!! I came home from work, wife wasn't home yet so I went out to check out the car. I just loosened the filter, put the drill and tool back in and she primed. Yes, it puts quite a load on the drill motor. Wife came home and watched the guage for me and said it went to 75 and climbing! It'll be running soon! LOL- still got that driveshaft issue to deal with though, but I'm happy to be where I'm at. Thanks guys!!!

 

[RustyRatRod]

Well that's good. That means it had an air bubble somewhere.

 

[440roadrunner]

I got it!!! I came home from work, wife wasn't home yet so I went out to check out the car. I just loosened the filter, put the drill and tool back in and she primed. Yes, it puts quite a load on the drill motor. Wife came home and watched the guage for me and said it went to 75 and climbing! It'll be running soon! LOL- still got that driveshaft issue to deal with though, but I'm happy to be where I'm at. Thanks guys!!!

This is EXACTLY why I ALWAYS start a prime with the filter OFF. That removes all head pressure from the pump.

 

[Cranky]

Was the pump dry when you installed it?

 

[dave5237]

SEE MY THREAD I STARTED .... NO OIL PRESSURE...I had two pages of threads on this from a lot of you guys on this subject. Filled the PUMP with 90# OIL AND SHE PRIMED RIGHT AWAY. These are gear pumps and have slippage between the clearances.

 

[1948 santa]

Cranky hit the nail on the head oil pump needs to have rotors oiled(primed)before install.

 

[tpodwdog]

anytime i rebuilt an engine...i filled the oil pump with a big chunk of vasoline...NOT PACKED IT IN....but jammed some in the gears. this pre-primes it so it has something to grab instead of air! congrats on gettin' er goin ' !

 

[Scatransit]

anytime i rebuilt an engine...i filled the oil pump with a big chunk of vasoline...NOT PACKED IT IN....but jammed some in the gears. this pre-primes it so it has something to grab instead of air! congrats on gettin' er goin ' !

This is EXACTLY what should be done!

 

[67 B-body]

I ALWAYS pour STP into my oil pumps before I bolt them in place.....

 

[moparbud66]

Yes, pump was dry, lesson learned. Another lesson learned.....tried to save a few bucks by using a nice used distributor/ oil pump drive gear from a swap meet...it was for a small block!!! Had to fork out the dough for a new one anyway and now have to wait a few more days to fire up. Also found a nice Holley spreadbore over the weekend so I will be installing that as well.

 

[Sixer]

anytime i rebuilt an engine...i filled the oil pump with a big chunk of vasoline...NOT PACKED IT IN....but jammed some in the gears. this pre-primes it so it has something to grab instead of air! congrats on gettin' er goin ' !

A trick I learned years ago, works every time.

 

[Cranky]

When I rebuild engines, I use a 50/50 mix of 30wt oil and STP and coat the the parts but the oil pump will get 100% STP but I don't gob it in there. Just a coating is all it needs. I also check rotor end clearance. .002 minimum. Anything less and you can end up with a locked up pump and a broken intermediate shaft. As for vaseline.....well, some women like it and some rather use KY