Engine won't prime...please help.

[TN4X4]

I've completely overhauled my 350. I just put it back together and can't get it to prime. Oil just seems to ooze (not flow) out of the top of 5 of the 16 rockers. I know there's pressure (as I forgot to put my finger over the hole where my mechanical oil pressure guage goes = Fountain o' Valvoline ) I only have one rocker on the right side that is getting oil. I have no idea what the deal is. I've probably spent the better part of ten minutes at any given session turning my drill. I've even enlisted the help of my wife (who doesn't care to get greasy) to hold the drill as I spin the crank.

I've rebuilt a couple of different motors and haven't had anything like this happen. I was hoping someone has seen this before. This is just one of many mild irritants. Thanks.

[corn]

solid or hydraulic lifter cam?

[TN4X4]

hydraulic lifters. One more thing. I've read somewhere that priming the oil pump can make a difference. I've never primed a chevy pump.

[cdowns]

what type of primer are you using ?? you have to have the good one that is exactly like the distributor shaft for the top end to get oil

[beautimus]

when you get the engine started for the first time, the lifters will start to pump up with oil and the valves will get tighter. as you begin to back off on the rockers the oil will will be ther trust me, and you should see the push rods start to rotate slowly in their slots oh one more thing you probably want to get a set of those little clip things that fit on the rockers to deflect the oil , a running small block with the rocker covers off can really (and i mean really) give you an oil bath. hope that helps.
Best of luck, Tony

[TN4X4]

Originally Posted by cdowns

what type of primer are you using ?? you have to have the good one that is exactly like the distributor shaft for the top end to get oil

I got it from a local autoparts store because I could not locate my old one. Its basically the same thing made, for GM.

Also, I'm not sure that I want to start it without making sure oil can get to the top. Afterall, I've dumped $1100 into it and don't have that to throw away. I have already tore the pan of once and would like to stay away from putting on a third set of gaskets.

[Jtrux]

I took my old points style distibutor (replaced it with all MSD stuff) and stuck it on a lathe to cut off the gear and anythning else I don't need. I just stick the drill to it and away it goes. It's hard to explain with out seeing it but the oil routes itself around the shaft of the distributor to properly distibute ( no pun intended ) the oil the top of the engine.

The best part about my primer is that it was free.

[Jtrux]

Originally Posted by TN4X4

hydraulic lifters. One more thing. I've read somewhere that priming the oil pump can make a difference. I've never primed a chevy pump.

I've only done that for oil pumps that are mounted on the outside of the block (cadillac's, ford FE's, some buicks, etc.). Usually you pack it with vaseline or grease and thataway a proper vacuum is created when you do the initial engine prime.

[HuggerCST]

If you had any block work done, you might want to make sure that the plugs behind the timing gear are installed. Sometimes the machine shops forget to reinstall them.

[TN4X4]

What about a gasket between the rear main and the oil pump? For fear of looking like a complete idiot, I don't remember there being a gasket when I tore it down and I wasn't supplied with one to replace it. Could this be the issue?

[HuggerCST]

Originally Posted by TN4X4

What about a gasket between the rear main and the oil pump? For fear of looking like a complete idiot, I don't remember there being a gasket when I tore it down and I wasn't supplied with one to replace it. Could this be the issue?

No, there is no gasket there.

[LONGHAIR]

I'm with Beautimus on this one.
Be absolutely sure that everything is right with your wiring and fuel system, so that it will fire up quickly. Excessive cranking is hardest on the cam. The top end will be OK. The assmebly lube will take care of it for those few seconds as the oil starts flowing.

[jamon8]

when you were reassembling the motor did you soak the pushrods in gas and then blow them out after a couple of hours?

[TN4X4]

I called the machine shop this morning. They said that if its getting oil to the sending unit, I should be fine. They also said that there is so much assembly lube throughout the motor that this is more than likely the cause. Once the motor heats up, this will disolve. I hooked up my oil Pressure guage and was getting 15 lbs with the drill. I have the motor in the truck now. Hopefully she doesn't crap out. Would be one heck of a waste.

Thanks for your help thus far.

[humbulay]

I hate to share this story...but I must, I had the same problem w/ a small block I built about 10 yrs ago. when it started the oil pressure shot up to where it should and just as it built the pressure it would drop to 0!! shut the motor off, start it again 30 seconds later, pressure went up then dropped again. did this over and over...was stumpped, had no idea how it could do that. then I decided to drain the oil, AH-HA! found the problem, shop rags that I layed in the lifter valley the night before I put the intake on!!!! before I walked out of the shop I went ahead and sat the intake in place, next morning I walked in, looked at the engine and started boltin the intake on by the time the cam chewed em up and spit them into the lower end, they had been reduced to cotton and soaked up the majority of the oil, got sucked into the sump...etc. The moral of the story is dont invite jack daniels over to help build an engine!

Sure you didnt leave a shop rag in there somewhere????

[Stroker]

Originally Posted by TN4X4

I called the machine shop this morning. They said that if its getting oil to the sending unit, I should be fine. They also said that there is so much assembly lube throughout the motor that this is more than likely the cause. Once the motor heats up, this will disolve. I hooked up my oil Pressure guage and was getting 15 lbs with the drill. I have the motor in the truck now. Hopefully she doesn't crap out. Would be one heck of a waste.

Thanks for your help thus far.

I think the Machine Shops explanation is a bit flawed. Leaks cause low oil pressure. A new engine with assy lube will generally have higher pressure. The assy lube is applied to areas that already have tight clearances and usually restricts the oil flow somewhat untill it warms. The restriction to flow is what creates the pressure.

If you have the proper priming tool and it is sealing off the oil galley below the distributer you should have good oiling to all rockers and no problem getting 30 PSI at the sending unit. I have seen over 50 with a cordless drill turning 800 rpm. The dissy rotates at 1/2 the speed of the crank. If your turning the oil pump 1000 RPM that's like the engine running at 2k.

What you describing is consitant with an internal oil leak. The priming tool would be my first suspect. If the prime tool is ok then I would look further before starting it up.

[jhow66]

Did you fill the lifters with oil when you installed them? If not it will take alot longer to get oil to all the rockers.

[special-K]

I think the shop is saying the assembly lube may be blocking some ports or in the push rods and with heat it`ll be released.But,that sounds like an awefully excessive amount of assembly lube to me.The point of it is to provide a "film" on bearing serfaces for the first minute of run-time before the oil is dispursed and pressure built.If there`s any more than a film you can crush a bearing,if you can even get it together.Any excess outside the surface should be wiped away.Why leave it to clog?Sounds sloppy to me,not good with engine building.Fire it up.Especially with all that pre-lube,you`ll be fine.If you`re real worried,squirt oil on the top-end first.It takes awhile for any harm from lack of oil.Definately longer than it will take to see oil pumping.

[TN4X4]

All right. I started the motor. Everything sounds great, no ticks, no pings, nothing. The motor seems tight. Ran it for 20 at about 2k. Popped the valve covers and found what I thought was oil. Smelt of it and it was the assembly lube I put on the rockers before sealing up the covers. Started the motor and was expecting some form of lube to come firing out and found nothing. Not even a trickle like before. I guess I'm gonna have to yank the stupid thing out of the truck again, tear it back down and figure out what happened.

I know that I did not leave any rags in the lifter valley or in the oil pan, but thanks for the offerring. I'm always paranoid of doing something like that. Does anyone know of hand what internal oil plugs they may have left out so I might no where to start looking? Thanks.

[john]

It sounds like most everything has been covered except the rear cam bearing. If it was installed in the wrong orientation. Probably unlikely, but I think that is where the upper end gets oiled from. Just something else to consider.

[VetteVet]

Here is a thread in another forum with the same problem and some things he found.
http://www.clubhotrod.com/t13916.html

[Stroker]

Check with the machine shop to see if they remove the galley plug at the rear main cap when they cleaned the block. Some shops do others don't. Here's a diagram of it's location.
http://www.sdpc2000.com/faq/kbhowto.asp?mt_node=4

[jamon8]

pull a couple of pushrods and see if they are all cloged up.

[TN4X4]

Thanks guys for all the input. It'll give me something to talk about with the shop.
VetteVet: Thanks for the link. The only difference there is that the guy is getting 60 lbs, but no oil to the heads. I'm not getting any oil pressure at all (between 0-10).
Stroker: Unfortunately, that sounds about right.
jamon: The pushrods are okay. I soaked the lifters in oil, but didn't soak the pushrods in gas. They were working great before the rebuild. I'll check em if I have to tear it down again. Thanks.

[cableguy0]

as a rule always always always make sure you can blow through the pushrods whether they came from a running motor or new out of a box. things happen. you have to blow through them and check them.