1971 charger 383 no oil pressure fresh rebuild

[velrob]

Hey all trying to figure this issue out before I tear the motor back apart

I'm getting oil out of the gauge port port but not enough to read any pressure.

I'm using lucas sae30 break in oil with zddp not sure if that oil is too thick?

I checked the oil pump and it seems fine. As a last resort I will try to pack the pump with petro jelly to see or I get a better prime.

Enginw wqw sitting for a awhile so I'm guessing a bearing could of spun. Would the bearing prevent pressure reaching the mechanical gauge? I have the service manual and it looks like it should read the gauge port even if the cam bearings are out of alignment.

Thx

 

[T2R9]

Are you priming with a drill or cranking it? Counter clockwise with the drill, it should cinch up tight pretty quickly once the pump gets a prime.

 

[PlymCrazy]

Have you tried another gauge? Sending unit? That oil weight should not be a significant contributor to your issue, if at all.

 

[beanhead]

Don't pack the pump with that stuff...I know a lot a folks do that but the pump will prime just fine with a drill and long piece of 5/16" hex and then you won't have that glob in your oil system. If you're gonna remove the pump anyway, just put it in a container of oil and turn it by hand a few times to get the internals oily and that's all it needs.

You're correct, the passage to the sender port is not reliant on bearings being lined up.

If running the drill for a bit doesn't get oil squirting out the sender port, take the filter off and see if you get oil there (watch out it'll get messy quick!)

If it seems to struggle, there's an issue with the pump or the pickup.
If it starts to shoot oil like it should, I'd be suspecting a plug didn't get installed...

 

[BSB67]

Maybe you are missing an oil passage plug.

If you have oil pressure, you will feel the drill load up and want to twist out of your hand.

No, it is very unlikely that it is because of a bearing

 

[velrob]

I am using a drill with the hex bit. We tried just filling the oil filter and then packing the pump for a second time. The drill does get some pressure but not alot where itll rip off my arm. Not sure what sort of pressure I should experience with the drill. Oil comes out but doesn't shoot out. It just oozes out not sure if that's enough flow. I didnt try a new gauge but I tried a regular gauge and a mechanical gauge. All the plugs are installed. We are getting oil out of the pump. The drill is going counter clock wise. I tried two sending units. We put our thumb over the gauge port and we can feel there's barely any pressure. I can clean the pump but I was out of ideas what to check next.

 

[BSB67]

I am using a drill with the hex bit. We tried just filling the oil filter and then packing the pump for a second time. The drill does get some pressure but not alot where itll rip off my arm. Not sure what sort of pressure I should experience with the drill. Oil comes out but doesn't shoot out. It just oozes out not sure if that's enough flow. I didnt try a new gauge but I tried a regular gauge and a mechanical gauge. All the plugs are installed. We are getting oil out of the pump. The drill is going counter clock wise. I tried two sending units. We put our thumb over the gauge port and we can feel there's barely any pressure. I can clean the pump but I was out of ideas what to check next.

How do you know the plugs are installed?

 

[velrob]

I am using a drill with the hex bit. We tried just filling the oil filter and then packing the pump for a second time. The drill does get some pressure but not alot where itll rip off my arm. Not sure what sort of pressure I should experience with the drill. Oil comes out but doesn't shoot out. It just oozes out not sure if that's enough flow. I didnt try a new gauge but I tried a regular gauge and a mechanical gauge. All the plugs are installed. We are getting oil out of the pump. The drill is going counter clock wise

How do you know the plugs are installed?

**** sorry i was mistaken. You mean the gally plugs behind the timing chain cover? Where would they be located? You may be right. Me and a friend rebuilt the motor I don't remember doing those after it was machined.

 

[beanhead]

How do you know the plugs are installed?

That's what I'd suspect too if the pump is being checked at the filter port. Could be a bad filter? Other than that, there's nothing between the filter and the sender port to kill pressure except the passage plugs.

Now, there is a henstooth chance that maybe the bottoms of the lifter bores so worn out that they're causing the loss but I highly doubt it....
Or a lifter is out of it's home...

 

[beanhead]

**** sorry i was mistaken. You mean the gally plugs behind the timing chain cover? Where would they be located? You may be right. Me and a friend rebuilt the motor I don't remember doing those after it was machined.

There are two up front under the timing cover. The one that goes in from the bottom (second pic) is the one that typically gets missed.

...and two at the rear of the block inside the bellhousing.
If one of these is missing, you'll know it by the puddle of oil on the floor LoL

(Photos courtesy of member "4mulas")

 

[velrob]

Thx alot we are taking apart the front end to check I think you may be right.

 

[beanhead]

Thx alot we are taking apart the front end to check I think you may be right.

Good luck!

 

[BSB67]

Could also be a stuck open pump pressure relief valve. I’ve never had this happen on any motor I was familiar with, but others have reported it.

 

[beanhead]

Could also be a stuck open pump pressure relief valve. I’ve never had this happen on any motor I was familiar with, but others have reported it.

Ooh yeah, and that's easy to check..

 

[velrob]

Yup its wide open got it. It was going back into the oil pan

Thx

 

[beanhead]

Yup its wide open got it. It was going back into the oil pan

Thx

Thanks for following up, glad you figured it out

 

[velrob]

Can I use Teflon for the gally plugs?

 

[BSB67]

Can I use Teflon for the gally plugs?

You can if you want. Just don’t let it hang past the plug’s block side threads.

A little grease will be fine too.