So I am swapping a 98 5.7 LS1 into my 79 firebird. I bought the engine over a year ago and it has been sitting since. The person I bought it from sent me a video of it running. I am not questioning if I got taken on the engine. The issue that I have is now that I have it in my car I wanted to check for oil pressure without the fuel pump connected. My oil pressure sender and mechanical gauge show no pressure. Not even a flicker of the needle. I pulled the plugs in an attempt to get the engine to spin quicker and still no pressure.

I am thinking the oil pump lost its prime. I did not swap the pump or touch it. So searching on the net I found on the Melling site that you can prime the pump through the side galley port of the pump. This will be my next task.

Has anyone ever experienced this???

Thanks
KRM

 

Yes... its safe to say that other people have experienced no oil pressure.

Where are you taking the reading from?

 

I am taking it from the oil pressure sender port. Top rear of engine.

 

I had to prime the pump using a bug sprayer and the oil galley plug you mentioned. I tried to get pressure in the same manner as you, with no luck. Other people have said you�ll get pressure when it fires and RPMs are at idle, but I feel like that�s a game I didn�t want to play and lose.

 

REDLINE - So the bug sprayer method worked for you? I like yourself don't want to gamble by starting it and waiting/hoping for the pressure to build up.

I may have to look into a bug sprayer.

 

I usually prime them with a $30 ebay pump and a bucket of oil.

 

When I put my engine in, I had primed it according to the directions on mellings site, turning over with the starter yielded no pressure. Only after it cranked did it build pressure. My advice is to crank the engine, if it does not show oil pressure within 5 to 7 seconds, shut it off.

 

Well the Melling idea didn't work. So now It's either purchase the pump and try the pump method or wait until my radiator hoses come in to hook up the radiator and fire it up.

I believe Kfxguy may be onto something!

 

The Melling idea won�t give you an pressure, it just ensures that you have filled oil galleys and oil pump so the bearing won�t be dry.

 

You can fire the engine with no radiator hooked up. Its not like it will instantly melt down. Just don't let it run for more than a minute.

 

Usually when I do this, if I remove the spark plugs, the best I'll get is the needle will bump off of zero. The starter doesn't have the RPM to build oil pressure. But once the needle moves, i know there's oil in the motor - then just let her rip.