Sometimes, when I start the Chevy four, I get zero oil pressure. Other times on start, I get the normal 8-10 pounds immediately. I have switched gauges and observed this happen with both gauges. I've checked the oil lines, made sure fittings are tight, considered the oil pump might be bad but wouldn't think the pump would work intermittently. I wondered if pump is loosing its prime while sitting for a time. I added an extra quart of oil to the engine and it solved the problem for a few weeks then zero pressure happened again, oil level still a quart over).
I've wondered about the spring loaded valve in the oil distributer which I installed with a fiber washer between the distributer housing and the valve. There is a slight groove worn on the cone face of the valve (groove does not go all the way around the cone valve face). According the engine manual, the oil pressure has to open the valve to provide oil to the rod troughs. Is the function of the valve in the oil distributer simply to keep the line feeding the oil gauge from draining back into the pan?
Any thoughts would be appreciated, Maxie.
