Holden 304 - no oil pressure

[GRPAVL]

I have done a search and it seems that after being rebuilt the trusty ol 304 can sometimes exhibit oil priming issues. I think I am suffering from this at the moment. as in .. I HAVE NONE, no pressure that is.

I removed the filter (new) and there is no oil in it at all.

I have removed the pump from the block and repacked the gears with molly grease.

I blew into the lower hole and heard the oil pan gurgling.

I blew into the upper hole and turned red in the face.

I had someone crank the engine and observed the drive gear turning.

I have not pulled the spring bit out and checked the shim etc (cause i dont really know how to)....

HELP, any ideas

Q

 

[delcowizzid]

i dont even pack the pump i pre prime with an old kerosene bottle and 2 brass fittings on each end of a hose fill bottle with oil and screw into oil pressure hole and blow the engine full of oil with compressor never fail to get instant oil pressure.

 

[Tasmaniak]

May sound silly, but are you sure the pick up in the sump is ok?

 

[GRPAVL]

delco - you lost me
Tasmaniak - thats why I blew into the sump. If i can hear the oil bubbling then air is getting in hence no block.

 

[Tasmaniak]

True point.

Well it kind of seems you have to come back to the pump. Is it gear drive or chain drive?

 

[Immortality]

I fill the oil filter as well and use vaseline in the pump. Alternately Moreys oil thickener/stabilizer works wonders too in the oil pump.

The oil pump is gear driven of the front of the cam.

 

[GRPAVL]

like immortality said, its gear driven. With the pump off if i look up at the drive gear and crank it I can see the gear turning.

Dont suppose anyone has an exploded view of what the pump looks like anywhere,just incase I assembled the spring,shim, bit wrong when i put it together. Its also the first oil pump ive ever had to pack before to get it flowing but thats what everyone says to do?

might add some more molly grease and try filling the filter to start with tomorrow.

Q

 

[Reaper]

i dont even pack the pump i pre prime with an old kerosene bottle and 2 brass fittings on each end of a hose fill bottle with oil and screw into oil pressure hole and blow the engine full of oil with compressor never fail to get instant oil pressure.

Although slightly more sophisticated that's exactly how they did it OEM at the factory.

like immortality said, its gear driven. With the pump off if i look up at the drive gear and crank it I can see the gear turning.

Dont suppose anyone has an exploded view of what the pump looks like anywhere,just incase I assembled the spring,shim, bit wrong when i put it together. Its also the first oil pump ive ever had to pack before to get it flowing but thats what everyone says to do?

might add some more molly grease and try filling the filter to start with tomorrow.

Q

That will work too. I have always been told to use Vaseline. Any petrolium based product that won't block the galleys once the oil is flowing would do I suppose

 

[GRPAVL]

I ended up using some vasoline this time round.
Mounted the oil pump and filter housing up
Partially filled up the oil filter then fitted that up too.
Removed the oil pressure sender and used a small tube to pour some oil in that section before refitting the oil sensor.
removed plugs and coil lead, cranked and cranked and cranked
oil light finally went out.
refitted leads and plugs.
light on when ignition on.
fired into life
light off within milli seconds
yay

 

[delcowizzid]

now you just have to wait and see if the cam survived if its never been run before they chew lobes so easy when you crank them over should just fire it up and hope you get pressure