Help NO oil Pressure!!!

[cobb_ben]

Help my truck lost oil presure! I think what happened is the oil pump shaft is to short. It looks like the oil pump shaft was ingaged in the dizzy just a little bit. Looks like I can see a wear spot that is like 1/8th of an inch. I think the dizzy might have came loose and disingaged the oil pump shaft. The top of the oil pump shaft has wear marks on it where the dizzy was spinning on it. I don't think any harm was done to the engine. It was not knocking and stuff and I idled it home, like 1/2 to 1 mile.

It's a 400 sbc, with a MSD dizzy. And its a high volume oil pump.

My questions are i don't rember, can you take the oil pan off without lifting up the engine? I have tried to pull the oil pump shaft out thru the dizzy hole and it won't come out.

Does the above make sense??

Thanks

-Ben

[Highsteel]

Its been a long time but it seems like it drops in from the top, so it 'should' pull out from the top.
I remember starting the first 350 I rebuilt, and not getting any oil pressure. Seems I left the pump drive shaft out.
Not sure why either one(dizzy or pump drive) would be too short tho.

[cobb_ben]

I tried to pull it out with one of those claw tools. I would come up then hit the block I run 20w50 oil in it(thats what the engine builder reccomended for it. and never changed it in the winter. I know, i know I should have gone to 10w30 or 40. And its a high volume high pressure pump, will run in the 80s when cold in winter and 90s if you rev it. It runs 60s when its warm. So I am thinking maybe the top of the shaft sheared off?? I could spin the pump with a screw driver still, but lookin down in there, from what I can see, with a flashlight, tryin to look in there the top of the shaft looks messed up...

I don't know. I guess I will be pulling the pan off tom and checking it out... and I just changed the oil too...

-Ben

[Highsteel]

Did you try using a magnet to pull the shaft?
With the possibility of loose metal pieces in the oil I'd say pan removal is a good idea. If the ears broke off I wonder if they wouldn't end up in the lifter galley, tho.

Anyone else?

[Green Machine]

Shaft should not pull out from the top, stock they are clipped to the pump by a plastic sleeve that holds pretty tight. If the sleeve is broken, the shaft wll pull out, but then the sleeve needs replaced, by pullng the pan. A high volume ol pump should have been installed wth a shaft that has a metal sleeve pinned to the shaft anyway, if so that will never come out the top.

Pull the pan and see what is up and use a good HD shaft with the steel sleeve.

[cobb_ben]

I'll prolly pull the pan tom. And see whats up. Thinkin the top of the shaft sheared off...

[Billla]

All good advice here. I'd suspect that the plastic collar broke on the shaft - happens all the time

[LONGHAIR]

...and one more reason not to run a HV/HP pump.

[Sport/Truck]

+1 on Longhairs comment. I’ve been told that the SBC’s don’t need high flow oil pumps. But like everything else, we just do it that way just because.
s/t

[Gray Ghost]

You will have to lift the engine at least 1" to get the pan off, but it's not that hard....leave one motor mount intact so the other will slip back into place afterwards.

[Billla]

Originally Posted by LONGHAIR

...and one more reason not to run a HV/HP pump.

Yeah, I wish we could get that myth completely removed from the industry. Another racing part that's made it's way into DD builds

I know I kinda get on a soapbox on this stuff - but I get so many failed builds that come into my shop based on building with race parts and either a) running out of money or b) having something that's not streetable. There's an amazing amount of power in GEN I's without HV pumps, roller rockers, etc.

<stepping off the soapbox>

[steelhorse]

Doesnt it sound like the shaft was a little short?

[cobb_ben]

Will I got the oil pan off. Couldn't get it out of the truck tho, Its one of those Moroso Kicked out 7 or 8 quart jobers and I had to pull the oil pump with out pulling the pan, on man was that fun, LOL pain in the butt. The pump turns just fine and smooth. The ears on the top of the shaft sheared of. I pulled the pieces out of the pan with a magnet. Fun... LOL. I have it mostly together now. I an taking a break.

-Ben

Will get pics of the carnage... LOL

[cobb_ben]

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[Billla]

That is an indication of some other problems...does the distributor sit flat on the intake manifold?

[cobb_ben]

The distributor went back in place just fine with out a problem.

[cobb_ben]

[jayharrell]

thats ugly. What causes that to happen in the first place?? just a bad pump rod??

[cobb_ben]

I think it may have been the 20w50 oil that I ran in the winter. I never got around to changing it. I know, I know, I suck... That probally stressed the metal. That oil is thick and hard to push.

I was checking. It will run 60lbs of pressure at idle cold and about 100lbs at 3500. Then when it warms up its about 37lbs at idle and 65-70 at 3500ish. I know, I know too much pressure. I read in a book you need 10lbs of press for every 1000rmp you turn. So 6000=60psi.

Later this year I am going to change the weight of the oil to less and that should help the pressure. I think 10w40 or 10w30 in the winter months will be a lot better. I know my old inline 6 when you put 20w50 it would boost up the psi a lot. That think needed it...