2G Low oil pressure

[TonyDSM1]

So heres the situation, got a new sock motor with balance shaft delete. Installed motor and forgot to prime the oil pump. My oil pressure gauge was not working and figured it was the sensor and just got a new glowshift electric gauge and it reads 0 psi. Pulled oil filter when I was changing oil and not alot of oil was in it. I also had a lifter tick and replaced with larger bore lifters and still have the tick. I also dont think im getting alot oil in the top end. Question is could it be a bad oil pump, or maybe pickup tube is sucking some air from a bad gasket and not building pressure???

 

[spyderdrifter]

It could be any number of causes. You won't know until you take things apart again. I have 3G lifters in my engine as well, and when I first installed them, they took about an hour at idle speed to finally stop ticking. That was even after doing the proper bleeding about a week before swapping them and letting them sit submerged in oil for that week. So the lifters may just need a bit of time.

Did you do get the block with the balance shaft delete already done? Did you confirm the new bearings were installed properly? If the rear one (I think) isn't properly clocked, you'll have a major oil leak inside the block. Grab the oil pump sprocket and see if it'll move back and forth. If it does, you could have wear inside the pump.

 

[TonyDSM1]

The block had the BS delete already done to it. Im gonna drop the oil pan this weekend and check the pickup tube and gasket. I hope thats the case. Do you think the oil pressure release valve in the oil filter housing could be jacked up? I pulled the filter and it didnt have much oil in it. No more then I put in it when I installed it.

 

[spyderdrifter]

That kinda sounds like it's not picking oil up since he filter is the first stop in the "circuit". Definitely check your pick-up tube.

 

[pieceofcloth]

The rear bearing recieves oil thru the shaft. It does not need to be rotated. The front balance shaft has 2 bearings that do. If your shaft is cut, make sure it is plugged up. Purchase a mechanical oil pressure gauge and hook it right to the oil filter housing. Manually rotate the pump to see how much pressure is actually showing. You can unplug your injectors, pull the fuse that allows fuel to injectors(I forgot name) and turn key.

If you read my build, you can see I'm on the same boat. You will need to test the pump with the oil pan off and see where oil is excessively coming out. Oil squirters, balance shaft bearings, or oil pump stub(if it was cut). Test pump if it is building pressure by adding a hose instead of using or removing pickup. The front plate will need to be removed. If there is a shim on your relief valve which is on the oil filter housing, remove it and see if any difference. I will be updating my vehicle profile possibly by tomorrow. My pan is coming off tonight and will be testing in a couple hours.

 

[DSMPT]

The rear bearing recieves oil thru the shaft. It does not need to be rotated. The front balance shaft has 2 bearings that do. If your shaft is cut, make sure it is plugged up. Purchase a mechanical oil pressure gauge and hook it right to the oil filter housing. Manually rotate the pump to see how much pressure is actually showing. You can unplug your injectors, pull the fuse that allows fuel to injectors(I forgot name) and turn key.

Correct, the rear shaft doesn't have any oil feed from the block.

So heres the situation, got a new sock motor with balance shaft delete. Installed motor and forgot to prime the oil pump. My oil pressure gauge was not working and figured it was the sensor and just got a new glowshift electric gauge and it reads 0 psi. Pulled oil filter when I was changing oil and not alot of oil was in it. I also had a lifter tick and replaced with larger bore lifters and still have the tick. I also dont think im getting alot oil in the top end. Question is could it be a bad oil pump, or maybe pickup tube is sucking some air from a bad gasket and not building pressure???

A new engine but oil change? Did you drive the car already?

Even if you forgot to block off the balance shaft oil feed holes or the stock rear shaft is used and forgot to block off the oil feed in the shaft, you should still have a little pressure and the oil filter would be filled.
But if the person who built the engine forgot to install the plunger or/and spring in the pressure relief valve port or for some reason if the relief valve is wide open, most of oil would return into the oil pan before the oil filter. So you should make sure that first before dropping the oil pan. To drop the oil pan should be the last.

 

[jed344]

Most times a brand new oil pump that is not primed with not self prime. You either have to pack it or force oil threw it.

 

[DSMPT]

Yeah if the engine is completely new, in many cases because the pump is not packed and take so long to prime. But the op said he changed the oil, so I assumed the engine is not completely new. He should clarify the situation a bit more.

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

FWIW....I didn't have time to build my DD motor (what a regret), so I purchased a rebuilt longblock for my Saturn 4 cylinder, which is very much like a 4g motor, just an aluminum block with sleeves and a chain not a belt. Well, that stupid thing had little oil pressure to start, then dwindled to the oil light staying on and it never left the shop, which I paid to install it (another stupid thing). The "company" had me us jump thru hoops to check every possibility of no oil pickup, THEN, AT THE END, BLAMED US FOR PACKING THE OIL PUMP WITH RED GREASE. Well of course we never opened the dam thing up at all, just put it in. I finally, after a YEAR, demanded a refund from the store I bought it from and let THEM deal with it. I found out that the rebulder packed there motors with red grease (prolly for long term storage) and that shit got hard and the pump just couldn't pump (it was an orbital pump, mounted on the front case).
Glad I kept the core that was worth a whole $240. I taught my son HOW WE REBUILD THINGS, and 40k later, she is so sweet!.
I am just saying that NOT ANY, or TOO MUCH, are both bad. I open my new pumps and prime them with Assembly Lube and have never had a failure.

 

[TonyDSM1]

I should mention the OFH is off my old block as my new motor didnt come with one. I primed the oil pump using a hand pump into the OFH mentioned in one of the threads off here and pumped until oil came out of lifters. Still no oil pressure, and lifter tick still present. it has crossed my mind about the pressure valve being stuck in the open position. Fyi was a crate motor.

 

[97egl]

I should mention the OFH is off my old block as my new motor didnt come with one. I primed the oil pump using a hand pump into the OFH mentioned in one of the threads off here and pumped until oil came out of lifters. Still no oil pressure, and lifter tick still present. it has crossed my mind about the pressure valve being stuck in the open position. Fyi was a crate motor.

What was going on with your old engine that you needed to replace it? If it blew up you could have debris in the OFH causing the releif valve to stick open and dumping most your oil pressure.... altho I would think you would still get some pressure especially with a balance shaft delete. These engines flow A LOT of oil.

Did you verify that there is no oil pressure with a mechanical gauge?

 

[TonyDSM1]

Threw a rod on the old engine. I have not tried a mechanical yet