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New 383 engine Issue

There is a new mechanical gauge along with the stock light. I did change the filter and it did the same thing when I took the car out. The engine builder is in SC so I would need to ship
it back $$$. Does any one know a thing about the relief spring? ....could this stick or fail? Next week I will spin the pump and do some checks ..... thanks for the help
 
I’m on board with pulling the drive gear out before doing anything else, and seeing if the end is sheered off.
 
Engine is a complete rebuild. The dyno sheet is not a copy and it ran for 13 min. If you go to there web site (CME) they build a lot of engines. The eng has Zero pressure now.
The engine does have a warranty.... not sure what happens if I go into it , I will ask them. They did say if I pull the oil pump and found an issue they would send me another. If I pull the engine it's going back to them. It's just a real bummer now that the car is done. The clutch and new 4speed seem to work fine (while it had oil pressure) I will have to call them back to see how they would handle it now that there is an issue with there build . It just blows me away that it ran so great with good pressure.. then .... no pressure??? Thank you for the help .... next I will spin the oil pump.... where is a good place to get a rod to spin it?

If you are saying it ran "13 minutes" on the dyno, that is amazing. My dyno time was at least 7 hours with many pulls. What you describe is a bad oil pump/pickup/pan combination. Good luck.
 
I had a relief valve stick once resulting in super low oil pressure in a 383.
Approach this systematically, you have a secondary pressure gauge. Check.
Pull the distributor and oil pump drive gear next, inspect the tip of the drive gear. if the tip is intact then prime the oil pump with a drill and priming shaft (anti clockwise). You'll feel the drillmotor bog down if the pump is working.
If you have no oil pressure at this point, then pull the oil pump relief plug and inspect the spring and valve.
At that point let the engine builder (and us) know what you've found.
 
OK went out and started the Coronet ..... oil pressure is fine..... some how when it warms up and you get on it... the pressure goes to zero ..... again would this be the relief vale issue?

Got me stumped ???

press1.jpg
 
What oil are you using?
Relief valve could be stuck, but does not sound logical that that is thermal related too.
 
excellent video thanks ..... guess now that it has oil pressure I will take another run with it ..... if it pressure goes to zero will pull the dist and inspect and spin .... then next pull the oil pump and go through it AFTER I contact the builder. But I may take the relief valve out and have a look. Thanks for the help guys.
 
if you have OP when running you dont need to pull distributor ,I believe if it was that you would not have any OP from the get go. I think its in the pan.
 
Well took the coronet out and it had good pressure.... did some hard starts and the pressure held .... at this point if it looses oil pressure I will ask the builder what he wants to do

Do you think it was air the the passage? I don't think it has a pick up tube issue?
 
wow glad to hear its working,hope it stays that way. So what did you do,just change oil filter and thats it?
 
Ok … will try this forum once again. New engine in the Coronet that was built and dyno by CME. It had about 13 min dyno time with some full red line pulls from what the sheet said. Put the engine
In the car and started it with all new gauge and sending unit for oil pressure. Ran the engine in the car about 10 minutes. Had good oil pressure all around. Went to drive the car and as soon as I get on in first
Gear the oil pressures goes to zero and the light goes on. When I slowed down it regain pressure then the next acceleration it it lost pressure and never came back. Push the car back to the shop. Talk to the engine builder and we went over all the issues but he had no answers. I guess I will have to pull the gear and try it with a drill. My question is could this be something with the relief spring in the pump? Is the pump serviceable with the engine in?

CME told me to add 1-2 quarts of oil ….. did that with no luck. The brake in oil was chanced after it warmed up the first run. I’m not a mopar expert but any ideas would be appreciated. I really don’t want to pull this engine again.



And by the way any one pull the engine without the 4 speed?

View attachment 1303691

i would say u had something break?
what oil pump did the shop use?
the gauge put on it was it electric or mechanical?
there r lots of things it could be , i guess u r not real mechamical cause u had some or else build yje motor . right?
 
The car did a 15 mile run with no pressure issues... it has both mechanical and stock light. No I am not a real mechanic. I decided to have a enginine builder build it and run it for me. There are not to many good machine shops near me and I also did not have a core.
Thanks
 
Using a Hi volume pump and a stock drive will snap the hex off. Pull the dist and drive or pull the pump to inspect. Got to pull the Dist & drive to prime anyway.
Been using that combination for 180,000 miles in one 383 and no problems yet. Pump carries 60 psi at idle and will decimate 80 psi gauges. So I don't buy into that.
 
Change your oil filter, it happens. I know of at least 4 different instances including myself with new builds that the filter plugged weather its from assembly lube or something in the oil gallies during the machining and assembly process or a bad filter who knows but its worth a try before pulling motor.
I would be more in line with this. If running high output pump, it becomes a necessity to use quality filters. I would suspect there is already bearing damage that will only get worse.
 
My '70 383 2bbl carried 40 to 65 PSI all the time. 40 at idle with 30-40W oil. Even with 105K miles hard driven. If you are below 30 PSI at cruise speed, that would concern me.
 
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