oil pump how to tell if it works?

[selmerguy]

i just rebuilt my 420a motor and the car idled for about 12 min and then died. I fried a cam lobe on the exhaust side which stopped the cam and broke the pin on the gear so the gear spun but the cam didn't. upon closer inspection almost all the exhaust journals were somewhat roasted and one of the intake journals was roasted.(the same one as the worst one on exhaust #3) this all could be because i didn't use a torque wrench on the cam caps and got them to tight right? also my new head is comming by monday and i need to be on the road next friday so with the head off can i figure out if my oil pump is working? (brand new meling oil pump) i put the block togeather myself and could have messed something up. how ever the oil pump seems kinda simple.(line it up and slap it on with the new o rings) any and all help would be appreciated. thanks

 

[timloomis]

yea having those cam caps to tight will starve the cams of oil.theyre only supposed to be like 14-15 ft/lbs,less than spark plugs.

 

[selmerguy]

my book says 107 in lbs for the small ones and 21 for the big bolts. so can anyone tell me how i can tell if my oil pump works without the head or with the head before i blow it up?

 

[markgholland]

can the motor run at all, or can you get to the oil pump sprocket that the timing belt sits on? If the motor will run, you can take your oil cap off and see if the oil is spitting up when it is idleing... the higher the RPMs the more it will spue all over.

If the timing belt is off, you can spin the oil pump with an impact gun and see if it will build pressure.

~Mark

 

[Turbo Talon DL]

I know its 420a related, but the oil pump is driven by the timing belt? If so, just spin the oil pump with an electric drill and see what happens. If it works, you'll feel the pump load the drill. Thats what Im doing on my 6 bolt(er) to help look for oil leaks

 

[selmerguy]

the oil pump runs off the crank. i have the head off right now wil there still be pressure or do i have to put the head on to get oil pressure. i can turn the crank with the starter.

 

[Turbo Talon DL]

you're gonna spew oil everywhere, but if you can do it safely without breaking stuff, go for it. Just be prepared to clean up a big mess !

 

[pneumo]

Did you prime the oil pump? The pump may be new, but your still supposed to pack the pumps gears with grease so it will prime when you first turn it over. If the pump is spinning in air you won't have oil in the main or rod bearings either, so don't turn it over with the starter. Spin the crank by hand and try to feel for any binding, or better stil, drop the oil pan and have a look at the bearings.

If you did prime the oil pump, then you're going to shoot oil out the top of the block like Talon DL said. It's sort of like playing 52 Card Pickup with your oil pump. Have fun!

 

[selmerguy]

i did not prime it like that. someone told me that if i turn it over with out spark a few times it wil prime itself with oil. is this wrong?

 

[DSMJim]

i did not prime it like that. someone told me that if i turn it over with out spark a few times it wil prime itself with oil. is this wrong?

No thats true but it takes about 3 sessions of 30 seconds of turning over before pressure will start to build. Thats also an aceptable way to prime the engine.

Typically what happens when guys tell me this is they put the head gaskets upside down or something and it blocked the oil passage to the head. The motor typically doesn't run for 12 minutes though more like 30 seconds. So it's possible you had the cams to tight and they were not getting oil.

 

[selmerguy]

cool. so with the cylinder head off i should see oil spew from the oil tube then huh? i will thr this.

 

[selmerguy]

so i used the starter to turn the motor for about 4, 30 second periods. and no oil from the tube. this is a problem right? i am going to drop the pan and check out the oil pick up and then if that is ok i will put my old stock oil pump back on. sound ok?

 

[selmerguy]

checked the pick up and it looks good. going to hd to get some bolts to pull the timming pulley off. there seems to be no sign of oil in the oil pump. so i will take it off and have a look inside. brand new pos!!!!!!!!

 

[selmerguy]

ok so i decided before i go to the trouble of removing my oil pump i would use a clear glass, put some oil in it and se if my oil pump will pick up oil through the oil pickup. and to my suprise it did!!! however no oil came out the top of my block. i sprayed some carb cleaner in the oil tube and it went through to the block but when i used the oil pump none came up. wtf what should i do now?

 

[selmerguy]

one more question. i am using a oil sandwich adaptor one end for my oil pressure gauge and feed to my turbo. the other side for my oil temp gauge. will i get a accurate reading for my oil pressure from there?

 

[Turbo Talon DL]

Its kinda hard to say, the pump may not build enough pressure to spew oil everywhere... It may not be going up into the galleries that go to the head for whatever reason, probably not enough pressure, maybe. If your oil pump is sucking up oil, go from there and keep checking...you're almost to the end Just make sure you have a way of turning the oil pump before you assemble everything just to double/triple/quadruple check everything. Oh, and use high strength red Locktite(R) on ALL bolts....

 

[selmerguy]

i made oil spew all over my block. the one mess i am glad to clean up. i guess i had the cam caps to tight. it is hard to torque 9ft lbs. i will be more carefull this time. thanks for all the help i will let you know how it runs monday.