Oil Pump clearances and oil pressure

Discussion in 'Buick FAQ' started by LARRY70GS, Oct 24, 2017.

  1. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

    It shouldn't bog the drill down immediately. First it needs to fill the filter and the galleys before it pressurizes the engine and bogs the drill down. The pump should spin easily with the drill to that point. Something isn't right.
     
  2. hugger

    hugger Well-Known Member

    Its 100% normal for the shaft to spin backwards after removing the drill and even a few seconds afterwards,..if it didn't then you have an issue
     
    Mark Demko likes this.
  3. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member


    Maybe I am reading it wrong, but from John's post, I thought the drill is bogging down immediately. That isn't normal. If after priming the engine, the pump shaft spins backwards a bit, yeah, that could just be the built up pressure.
     
  4. hugger

    hugger Well-Known Member

    he didn't really elaborate on how soon it started to bog, if it is bogging down immediately I'd be looking at a sticky shaft journal albeit would be hard to accomplish with a new pump as it wouldn't have went in. I'm thinking in this instance he just left out some information.
    It requires a good 1/2 electric drill too, the ole 19volt cordless isn't going to be up to task ha
     
  5. johnriv67

    johnriv67 Well-Known Member

    It does not bog down immediately, and it is the 19v cordless haha.
     
  6. johnriv67

    johnriv67 Well-Known Member

    That's exactly what's happening
     
  7. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

    No big deal then.
     
  8. Bens99gtp

    Bens99gtp Well-Known Member

    my Milwaukee 18v cordless did just fine. ran my pump for 3 2 minute session turning the motor to different spots each time in between. held a over 80 psi at the wide open spot on the drill
     
  9. hugger

    hugger Well-Known Member

    I've never had any luck with a cordless, granted last time I tried it was b4 the lithium ion stuff existed
     
  10. RoseBud68

    RoseBud68 Well-Known Member

    Larry, As you know i have been trying to get my BBB GS back on the road. Have been doing my fear share of research when i came across this thread.
    I have one of them old style High volume pump installed, could this be the issue im having with my lifter and cam lobe. I have to replace the cam and install new lifter. Don't want to damage the New cam.
    Thanks
    Manny
     
  11. Quick Buick

    Quick Buick Arlington Wa

    Myself I wound not use the high volume pump gears and spacer.. they tend put more ware on the front camshaft bearing... ETC
     
    RoseBud68 likes this.
  12. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

    No, not at all. The longer gears take more power to turn them. The oil pump and distributor are driven off the cam via the integral camshaft distributor drive gear. The extra power needed to turn the larger pump gears back loads the gears and can damage them, they get knife edged. It can also shear the distributor gear roll pin as well as increase wear on the timing gears/chain and front cam bearing. The big pump gears came into production as a means to band aid worn timing covers. Since the last 455 was produced in 1976, at one point you couldn't get a new cover when the supplies dried up. You can use the big pump, but you need to be careful when the engine/oil is cold. Using as thin an oil as possible, and not romping on the engine until the oil comes up to temperature help longevity of the aforementioned parts. The stock oil pump is perfectly capable of supplying all the pressure/volume needed AS LONG AS THE CLEARANCES ARE GOOD. Your problem originated when that lifter stopped turning. That was the beginning of the end for that lobe.
     
  13. RoseBud68

    RoseBud68 Well-Known Member

    Thank you. Would it be best to go back to a stock oil pump? When i install it there wasn't anything wrong with the pump, just wanted more oil pressure.
     
  14. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

    I would go back to a stock pump and make sure the clearances are optimal. Everything you need to know is in the first post of this thread. This was also published in the N.E GS/GN club newsletter, and Richard Lassiter liked it so much that he asked if he could publish it in the GSExtra.
     
    RoseBud68 likes this.
  15. Bens99gtp

    Bens99gtp Well-Known Member

    a good cover, gears, white spring, and oil mods done the block supply s solid 60psi.....assuming clearances with the motor are correct.

    raced for years with a stk pump setup, spun 6500 rpms on stk rods and the only issue I ever had was when water got into the oil due to a pinhole in s cylinder and I didnt know it. held a solid 25 psi at full warm idle. I was using royal purple 20w50
     
    RoseBud68 likes this.
  16. RoseBud68

    RoseBud68 Well-Known Member

    Thanks Larry.
     
  17. 87GN_70GS

    87GN_70GS Well-Known Member

    I used the green spring with the newer style (short snout) pump cover and ended up around 70 psi.

    Pump gear end clearance was 0.0015"

    Oh, and if you lose prime, you can squirt about 1/3 to 1/2 qt of oil into the oil pressure hole, quickly screw the sender back in and the pump will prime.
     
  18. Christopher Spouse Drew

    Christopher Spouse Drew Well-Known Member

    Hey Jim, I’m hoping to hear more about how your porting this? Are you doing the pump cover, booster plate and the timing cover? And if you have any pictures or can go into detail about how much your opening up or if your just knocking the down the edges. As I expect to get scolded for this, I bought a proform timing cover because it’s what I can afford, and I will not just throw it on the engine. I want to check and correct any imperfections and try to replicate TA’s modification of these covers. Thanks.
     
  19. Jayden

    Jayden Well-Known Member

    632EA03D-0EB2-42AE-9482-D35378A92B3F.png 71EBCD5F-F664-4220-94CC-89463E2BD142.png I haven't seen this answered or brought up, but why do some of the oil pump gaskets cover one of the holes? Does it matter or should you open up the gasket to uncover it?
     
  20. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

    One appears to be a booster plate or wear plate gasket. Your first picture is the oil pump gasket.

    OilGaskets.JPG
     
    Jayden likes this.

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