coorvette

I recently finished rebuilding the top end in my 2001 z06, started it for the first time for 5 seconds and 0 oil pressure! Before I started the engine I tried to prime the oil pump, turning it over about a minute in ~ten second intervals with the fuel pump and injector fuses removed and coils unplugged. I also added more oil till it was well over the full line on the dipstick, I will remove some when I get oil pressure.

I did the rebuild because of a collapsed lifter so at the same time I replaced the cam and also removed the oil pump, oil pan, and pick up tube.When I removed the pick up tube to get to the gallery cover, the o-ring stayed in the oil pump. I didn't know about all of the problems people have had with this o-ring but I saw it in there and oiled it before I re-installed the pickup tube which slid back on without binding and seemed to seat great.

I have not hooked up a mechanical oil pressure sensor yet and I am unsure where to do so.

It didn't technically run for 5 seconds, I used a timer to count five seconds from the moment I started cranking and it took 1-2 seconds to start, so about 3 seconds. Still, the oil pressure has stayed at ZERO throughout!

Should I try letting it run for another 5 seconds? If I remove the filter and prime the pump should oil drip out?

S10xGN

iTrader: (11)

Were it me, and I was sure everything was assembled correctly, I'd stick a manual gauge somewhere, pull the plugs, and spin over until something showed...

coorvette

I agree, that is what I'm going to do. I actually stayed up all last night removing the oil pan to check and replace the pick up o-ring.

With the pan back on and filled up with oil, i tried turning it over without the oil filter in. Nothing came out at all. Is there a reason this is happening? or is something still very wrong?
I am sure I installed the O-ring correctly this time. What should I try next???

coorvette

I just tried priming it through the oil gallery plug between the pump and filter. Used a pressurized pump from ace hardware with a hose attached and went back and forth between pumping and cranking several times.
still nothing!
It didn't even seem to be pumping anything(air or oil) out of the gallery plug while cranking.
I don't know why this is happening because I didn't remove the pump during the cam swap, and last time it ran before I tore it down it had great oil pressure, even at idle..
I guess my next step is to remove the oil pan again, to see if the pump will suck oil from a plastic tupper ware.

I can't imaging how the relief valve would get stuck open during a rebuild without the engine being ran.

Very frustrating.

LS1-450

iTrader: (33)

Unless you also removed the barbell plug in the oil gallery behind the rear cover, it's probably the pump "o" ring or you just need to give it more time to fill.

As noted above, pull the plugs & use the starter.

coorvette

I have been using the starter with the plugs in but with a very strong battery. It's turning over very quick so I don't think it's a problem but I'm still going to remove the plugs until I get oil pressure.
I didn't remove the barbell or rear cover.
I wish I could be the o-ring seal, but I've reinstalled it once when I retrieved a broken lifter from the pan and pulled the oil pan again just yesterday to replace it, and it was installed correctly both times.
From what I've read, after priming the system it should have build pressure almost immediately. Still, I cranked it for about 30 seconds not continuously to be sure. So far, there is has been no indication that the pump is actually pumping oil into the gallery or filter at all, probably the relief valve right?
I'm starting to think the oil pump relief valve is open. It would make sense if the spring got weak or the valve started to stick open intermittently and that is what killed two lifters.
Is there any way that I can remove the front cover bolts and look in to make sure this is the problem before I remove half the engine bay and the harmonic balancer again, just to get to the oil pump? Any other way I can check to be sure this is the problem? It never dropped down to zero and stayed there like this before it tore I down.. But I'm pretty sure I've ruled everything else out. Maybe the new oil upset it?

BREWS02WS6

iTrader: (6)

After my head swap, I had to crank mine for a full 20-30 sec with no plugs before I got oil pressure again. I didn't remove the oil pump, though. I read from some reputable sources that you could need that long for pressure to come back, so I went with it.

coorvette

20-30 continuously? I cranked mine for over 60 sec( 10 sec intervals verified with a timer) and nothing, the oil filter didn't even fill up. This was before I primed it, but still, no additional oil in the filter. Unless it just isn't priming (even after I filled the pump, gallery, and filter through the gallery plug) there has to be something wrong with the pump/relief valve.

So disappointed

kingtal0n

iTrader: (1)

You can use compressed air to push oil into the engine if cranking it bothers you. This might also help dislodge any air. They make a device specifically for this, I dont know what its called (besides "accumulator") but I use it before firing up a rebuilt engine. I thread it into the oil pressure sensor hole usually. depends on the engine.

garys 68

iTrader: (1)

There have been more than a few cases like this over on the Conversions board, search there.
Keep in mind that unlike earlier gens, the pump is much higher. I think I've seen where they've had to way overfill the pan to get the pump primed.

LS1-450

iTrader: (33)

Although there will be pressure, it can take over a minute to get oil to the rockers w/ engine running.

You can pull the oil pan to get to the oil pump relief spring. It's under a plug on the driver underside of the pump. Could also pull the pick up tube & pack the oil pump w/ vaseline or grease (through the tube inlet opening) to help it prime.

Yah, there should have been signs of oil movement @ the filter when you were in there.

farmington

iTrader: (14)

I have always poured some oil in a new pump before assembling. Once back in the day on a BB Mopar got no oil pressure. Took off pump, poured oil in it, reassembled, bingo, oil pressure.

truckdoug

iTrader: (25)

im no smokey yunick but out of the handful of ls swaps ive done it's taken a while for oil pressure to be seen on the gauge after firing. like 30-40 seconds.

also i'm not sure the gerotor type pump can make pressure at stock starter motor type rpms with the plugs in which is like 150 rpm maybe?

also its really bad to crank your starter for more than like 20 seconds at a go. it'll burn up real quick that way.

i have been though this before and all you end up doing is making yourself paranoid while actually causing MORE harm by wiping off all the assembly lube.

fire that thing up

64post

iTrader: (5)

Slick little pressure tank for priming a new motor.





Pressurizing oil galley

I had the same issue when I first got my motor ready to start, I ended up using an oil pressure tank and put 3-4 qts of oil into the motor through the front oil port on the left front area of the block. Turned the crank 90* C.W. with a breaker bar every 2 mins of pressure time with the valve covers off and it worked to perfection. Yeah, its a hassle to remove the alt bracket.