LS1 BU

iTrader: (13)

I started my new heads and cam ls1 tonight. I started it and heard some loud clattering noise. It ran for about 5 seconds then I shut it off. It sounded like valvetrain noise. I first thought that the lifters weren't pumped up. So I disabled the fuel and ignition and cranked the motor for about 30 seconds. I then thought that I might not have oil pressure. My autometer gauge was at zero when I was cranking the motor over. I pulled the oil filter. The filter was full of oil. I then pulled the valve covers to inspect. All the rockers and valve springs looked intact. I noticed no oil under the valve covers. I had someone crank the motor over with the valve covers off. It cranked for about 25-30 seconds and still no oil. I have a ARE oil pump. Has anyone seen a defective ARE oil pump?? What else could it be. Any help would be helpfull.

<small>[ March 08, 2003, 10:25 PM: Message edited by: LS1 BU ]</small>

DaleMX

iTrader: (4)

There was a post here the other day about low oil pressure after a cam install. I believe it had something to do with an o-ring. Look through the last 2 or 3 day for the post.

Jabroni

It has to do with the oil pump pick-up tube in the pan. If you forget to remove the O-ring from the pump housing after you drop the tube out and you try to push the tube back in without seating the O-ring properly, or...you nick or tear it in any fashion, you'll see a decline, if not a complete loss, in pressure. Please check it if there's any doubt.

<small>[ March 08, 2003, 11:36 PM: Message edited by: Jabroni ]</small>

akw408

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by DaleMX:
<strong> There was a post here the other day about low oil pressure after a cam install. I believe it had something to do with an o-ring. Look through the last 2 or 3 day for the post. </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Low oil pressure would still pump oil. Without the o-ring I was still in the teens for oil pressure. If you have no oil pressure it sounds more like the relief valve on the oil pump got stuck. Kind of a coincidence that it happened after a heads/cam job though. And yes, I have seen a ARE pump with a stuck relief valve. All it takes (on any of these shitty pumps, stock or ported) is a sliver of metal to get lodged and it's stuck. If someone comes out with a better relief valve design, I'd buy it in an instant. Faster than an instant.

Anyway, not sure if that really is the problem, but it is a possibility. Kind of a coincidence though. Did you make sure to check everything else? I honestly don't know if just cranking the engine is going to turn the pump fast enough to build any real pressure, I could be wrong though. If you're really paranoid, just pull the pump and check the valve. I don't want to give any bad advice.

-Joseph-

iTrader: (12)

It takes quite a while for oil to be delivered to the rocker arms. I waited 2-3 minutes on one with the covers off and it had been running the prior day.

What was your oil pressure? Everything sounds normal so far, all lifters clack until they get some good oil flow. Most of them will quite up within 30 sec of running, there always seems to be that one that is noisy until the engine warms up though.

LS1 BU

iTrader: (13)

I have more info for you guys.

I pulled the front of the motor apart to inspect the oil pump. The oil pump and pickup are fine. I put a new oil pump on just in case.

I put a manual oil pressure gauge on the motor. Just cranking the motor I have 25-30 psi of oil. I talked to a couple of guys and they said to let it run for a little bit.

I started the motor tonight and let it run for about 1 min. The noise is still the same. The motor has 55-60 pounds of oil pressure idleing. I pulled a valve cover and check to see if any oil was comming out of the rocker arms. No oil. Should I keep letting it run?? The motor is a brand new short block from GM. I wondering if the lifters are bad. Also I did not soak the lifters in oil when I installed them. Any opinions.

LS1 BU

iTrader: (13)

Any Ideas???

Tin Indian

What pushrods are installed?

This may sound stupid, but I hope your pushrods are of the hollow variety and not solid rods.

So, you are sure that O ring was still in there after pulled the front of the engine down? Same thing happened to me. I swear the O ring was on the pickup tube when I tightened the tube mount bolt. My oil press problems also had me pulling the oil pump back off. The O ring was missing <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="gr_eek2.gif" />

I will be damned if I know what happened to it! I put a Katech pump and a new O ring on it, and all was again, right with the world....

Ron,

Pro Stock John

iTrader: (34)

Charles, have you asked your broh, you know when I would do something like that, I would pull the fuel pump fuse and get oil thru the motor... Even if we soaked the lifters in oil for 24 hrs they would be pretty clackety for the first couple minutes. If you have a cam with really aggressive ramps it will make even more noise. The valvetrain does typically quiet down pretty fast just ask Big Dan, Jim or your broHOE.

LS1 BU

iTrader: (13)

I have ask everyone. I talked to them last night and they said to let the motor run longer. They told me that I won't hurt anything. I'm wondering is my pushrods are also part of the problem. I have 5.3 liter heads milled .010. I'm running a comp XER grind. The cam has .030 smaller base circle. So I have .020 less preload on the lifters. So that's not helping things.

Pro Stock John

iTrader: (34)

Do like big Dan does, pull off the oil fill cap and have someone crank over the motor.

Stock lifter preload is like .050.

Even if you go down to .010 the car will run no problem it might have more chatter kind of like how my car was after the last cam, I was only running like .020 preload with XE'R ramps was hella loud.

Ask Big Dan, you need to run the car for several minutes after you have verified that oil is reaching the heads.

LS1 BU

iTrader: (13)

The noise is due to the lifters are not pumped up. I'm gonna start it today and let it run for a couple minutes. I'll post the results.

Pro Stock John

iTrader: (34)

Exactly. And like I said you had them sitting in oil for a while, they have probably bled down by now.

Mike Norris

iTrader: (10)

You mentioned that it was a new short block. If so did it come complete with front and rear covers and if not, did you install the front metal galley plug and the plastic rear galley plug? Just a thought and not sure if it would have any oil pressure reading at all if they were missing. Hopefully it is just a noisey valve train that needs to be pumped up.

Mike

Slowhawk

iTrader: (12)

I would say run it.you could get more noise because of the .020 difference preload.

Tin Indian

.020" less preload is nothing to worry about. Using your 7.40" rods will be fine.

Don't know which companies rods you are using, but I measured with a micrometer Thunder's 7.40" rods and found out they were actually .015" longer than the stock GM rods.

If you were using those, your preload would be within 5 thousands of stock.

Ron,

LS1 BU

iTrader: (13)

I'm using comp pushrods.

Tin Indian

Just my guess, but I would bet that Thunder's pushrods are rebadged Comps.

Again, I seriously doubt that your engine noise is related to lifter preload.

You will loose the prime in the pump after it has been removed. It may take more than 5 seconds to get the oil pressure up to normal. If the pump is fairly dry internally, I would at least fill the oil filter full of oil before installing it. Then re-fill the crankcase.