VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Mechanical - Engine, Trans, etc No oil pressure

I just finished the rebuild on my '33 Master engine. Prior to putting it back in the car, I wanted to check out as many things as possible, starting with the oil pressure. I filled the crank case and, using the shaft from an old pump in my drill, proceeded to run the oil pump. I had the valve cover off to see the oil flow, but, nothing showed. I disconnected the line at the "oil distribution valve" and still no flow. I checked the pump prior to installing and it pumped well. It is the "vane" type, original to this car. I had disassembled the "oil distribution unit" previously but did it again. Not much to go wrong there. After I had previously checked the pump' I installed it in the block and made up a new line to the "distribution valve" fitting. Nothing is coming through that line. Am I missing something or is the obvious malfunction in the pump? Just thought I'd ask before I started tearing it down again.

I assume there is no pressure at the gauge also.
Are you sure the tang on the shaft is engaging in the slot in the pump?

I t tak a while for the oilto come up to therocker arms when dry becasue that oiif fed from the low pressure side of the oil distributor.

When I had a vane-type oil pump in my '28, the pump occasionally lost its 'prime', so no pressure was seen at the gauge.

I took off one of the oil lines on top of the oil distributor and squirted some oil into the distributor, which I suspect then ran down into the pump. After hooking up the oil line again and starting the engine, I had oil pressure. ;-)

I eventually installed new gear-type oil pumps and have not had a 'prime' problem since.

Cheers, Dean

Gene, I'll double check the length of the shaft. I know it's close and I may have some slack. And Dean, good point on the "prime" I did notice that when I was checking the pump off the engine I was surprised at how long it took to prime itself. Once primed it put out a good flow.

Two good suggestions for tomorrow's "attack"!!

Thanks guys, Gene,

Is it possible you were turning the oil pump the wrong way?
Also when I am assembling a oil pump I often put a thick coating of grease or similar on the inside, this seems to aid the initial priming even when there is a extended delay between assembly and actual operation.
Tony

That would be the good news! Hopefully, "clockwise" is correct!
Gene

Success!! I don't know which suggestion worked and it's not really important! I lengthened the shaft driving the oil pump just to be sure I was maintaining good contact, and, since I had the "oil distributor" off, I pumped the intake line full of oil to hopefully prime the pump. OIL EVERYWHERE!! Coming out of the rocker shaft, leaking from the "oil distributor", the drain plug, the oil gauge line, the side cover, etc. But, I don't mind having to make a new gasket for the oil distributor, removing the side cover (the fitting connecting the line to the rockershaft slid down the line into the valve chamber), making new cork seals for the plugs/cover that were damaged, on and on. However, this is nothing compared to what I was imagining having to do if there was no oil flow!
Thanks for the support and all the suggestions, Gene

That is a new one...........oil leaks welcomed.

Note that thr rocker arm oil line that is exposed in te left side of the engine should be slanted down hill towards the block so oil contacting the line behind the side cover does not follow the line and leak out.