No oil Pressure

Hey I have a a 63’ special with a 215 v8. The aftermarket oil pressure gauge showed zero replaced that still nothing. I pulled the pump and got a rebuild kit from mellings new seal spring etc. replace that with new oil and filter and still nothing. Pulled the valve cover and I’m definitely not getting any oil pumped up. The motor sounds fine and has now run probably 2 minutes total after swapping parts etc. starting to think it’s gummed up somewhere. Looking for advice on the next step you can think of short of pulling it and doing a complete rebuild or new swap. Thanks

 

Not that familiar with this engine, although I remember it's kin from a Rover I worked on.

When you reassembled the oil pump, how did you prime it? Did you measure the clearance and inspect the pump internals? You say you replaced the gauge? What did you replace exactly?

Sorry for all the questions...

I think if this engine wasn't properly maintained, it's might need to be removed and hot tanked to clean it. I see Rover guys describing this online.

Welcome!

 

Just an after market gauge that was piped in where the original low oil light went. Might no be the best place for it I just put a new line a gauge where the old aftermarket one sat. I cleaned the inside of the housing and replaced the internals in the kit couldn’t figure how to prim I short of dunking it in clean oil and putting a new full filter on the bottom of it. I have seen in research online that everyone says you have to change the oil and maintain it or it will clog and need to be hot tanked. My next step is going to be take off the timing house and see if the intermediate shaft disconnected that’s also how I think I can prime it by spinning the pump

 

I always filled the pump with Vaseline and used a drill to prime.

 

As has been stated 1) make sure the clearance to the end of the pump gears is correct to the end cover. 2) fill the cavity with Vaseline. 3)prime it with a drill. If it's developing pressure it will have lots of resistance when turning. 4) If this doesn't work your oil pick up may be blocked and time to drop the pan to clean it.

 

So I prime the pump with the tool after getting the distributor out and was able to pump out chocolate milk colored oil out of the pan I then put in new oil but didn’t have any spray at the lifters I drained the oil and tried kerosene which I had read should clear it out. Spinning the pump I got some to slowly drizzle out others remained dry. So do you guys think the lifters are bad or I just needed a higher power drill? Used a cordless dewalt 20v.

 

I do not see how it could be the lifters? Must be either a blockage or worn out bearing that is allowing oil to leak out thereby no pressure beyond it.

 

You only need to prime it. A few turns. Drop the distributor in and start it. You are going overboard with kerosene. A drill isn’t fast enough to run at actual idle and there’s no heat. Oil thins with heat.
Pump is primed, fill oil , drop in distributor. And start it.

 

The 215 is not "oil through pushrod" type. The top oiling is from feed tubes to the rocker shaft tubes to the rockers, similar to nailheads.

If you had a "milkshake" oil and water issue, or oil so bad it was like chocolate, you most likely have blocked passages or have knocked out a bearing or three. Loss of resistance due to bad bearing or blown gallery plug and a blockage will give symptoms you describe.

The oil comes from the pickup, to the pump, to the number one/front cam bearing journal and up to the rocker shafts, and down to the main bearings passenger side and at the same time, flowing backwards to each successive cam/and main bearings via the oil galleries.

If you have any blockage in the pushrod tubes, you may only have oil to some rockers, and as long as the preload is set, you may not hear anything in the valve train with low/no oil.

Running the engine with kerosene long enough to remove blockages will likely result in excessive wear and damage long before you "fix" the engine.

 

Ok thanks everyone sounds like I have a larger issue with the motor then I initially thought

 

Thanks for everyone’s tips running great now oil psi is around 14-20 at idle. Going to do a few more oil changes and tune up work to it but took it on its first cruise in years. What do you guys run for oil.

 

I use O'Reillys 30 mineral oil for flush if current oil has bee contaminated from fuel or coolant.\
Considering 1/2 to 1 qt can remain as "trapped" oil, that is about 20% and if contaminated, that is a lot to leave.

The "cheap oil change" and filter will remove almost all of that, and you would still be cleaner than after a typical oil change.

And it cost me less than $25 and considering the possible damage, it is worth it to me.

Drain, fill new filter, fill with cheap oil and run for ten minutes and vary RPM for good splash and to get everywhere, and/or take it foe a ten minute drive.

Drain and fill with preferred oil.

VR1 is good and I prefer Joe Gibb's Driven H2 10w-30.

And Wix filters.

 

Did you find out how the oil got contaminated?

 

I have not I’ve only driven it a few miles nothing obvious I have changed the oil again after about 10 miles and a hour of driving and idling so I’m going to keep an eye on it and see if anything starts to develop. It was probably less then a quart that was that brownish color the rest was black and thick the brown colored oil came from pickup so not sure if it was just neglected.

 

Thanks i looked up the different kind

thanks I never ran the engine I had been informed to just keep spinning it with the oriming tool obviously that wasn’t going to work as you stated with the rocker delivery system. I drained the kerosine and ran new oil then drained that out and I’ll do it again in a little bit to get the kerosine all out of it. I have good pressure now about 22 at idle and it seems to respond up well when I increase the rpms going down the road.

 

Head gasket maybe or do you think worse. It was a relatively small amoun that came out where the filter would be and was followed by the new oil when I primed it. Have since put some mileage on it and haven’t had and smoke or oil discoloration on the dip stick or out of the bottom of the pan.

 

Spinning the pump will get oil to all points except areas that oil by "splash". But you did everything right so you should be fine. Keep an eye on the dipstick before and after driving, and peek in the valve cover and look for froth or foam, indicative of coolant.