Problems Priming Oil Pump

Brandon11010 · Aug 13, 2009

Alright so im trying to prime my oil pump, i used a 5/16 deep socket on an extension and spun it counterclockwise with a drill, the drill did not bog down, and i read no psi on my guage, i took the valve cover off and it was bone dry. I took the oil filter off, spun it and got oil coming out of the filter hole... am i doing this wrong? do i need the distributor shaft inside to make oil pressure? Or am i in for tearing the engine apart again... Thanks

EMW150 · Aug 13, 2009

Brandon11010 said:
Alright so im trying to prime my oil pump, i used a 5/16 deep socket on an extension and spun it counterclockwise with a drill, the drill did not bog down, and i read no psi on my guage, i took the valve cover off and it was bone dry. I took the oil filter off, spun it and got oil coming out of the filter hole... am i doing this wrong? do i need the distributor shaft inside to make oil pressure? Or am i in for tearing the engine apart again... Thanks

There's something wrong. Did you change the pan and pickup to an aftermarket? Did you check the pickup to pan clearance? Are you sure the pump shaft is engaged in the pump?

BlownFiveLiter · Aug 13, 2009

It could be cavitation. Often times an empty pump won't start priming, and you have to pack them with something like white lithium grease, so they build hydraulic pressure and pull the initial oil charge up the pickup tube.

Brandon11010 · Aug 13, 2009

Pan is stock, pump is stock and was working fine when i took the engine apart.. So i am going to have to pull the pan i take it..or is there a way around this problem, i think i heard about a tool that uses shop air to prime an engine.. Any truth to that and maybe where can i find one?

BlownFiveLiter · Aug 13, 2009

As far as I'd be concerned (if it was mine), it would have to come apart. I wouldn't want to miss something and have my engine be a boat anchor. I've never heard of any such tool, but I think air is already the problem, so I'd probably leave that one alone. The oil pump doesn't do a very good job at pumping air, so it needs that initial charge (white lithium grease because it will stay in place and dissolve into the oil) in order to get going. After that, it should work as intended.

EMW150 · Aug 13, 2009

I guess it's possible, but I've never had to pack a pump on a ford engine to get them to prime. I'd pull the pan and see what's up.

Liv2roc · Aug 13, 2009

What I did was pored a quart of oil down the pit up tube while it was upside down on the engine stand. then it primed with a drill

Brandon11010 · Aug 14, 2009

Well just an update, i managed to get a hold of a distributor from my class without the cam gear on it. Put it in, spun it and bam instant oil pressure, i cant yet explain why i got it with that dirstrbutor and not a socket but my instructor tells me that just the drill only primes the bottom half of the engine possibly. Well anyway, It started right up but now having valve cover clearance issues i believe... other than that everything went well.. Thanks for the responses

EMW150 · Aug 14, 2009

Brandon11010 said:
Well just an update, i managed to get a hold of a distributor from my class without the cam gear on it. Put it in, spun it and bam instant oil pressure, i cant yet explain why i got it with that dirstrbutor and not a socket but my instructor tells me that just the drill only primes the bottom half of the engine possibly. Well anyway, It started right up but now having valve cover clearance issues i believe... other than that everything went well.. Thanks for the responses

The socket should have done the same thing. Are you sure the socket was the right size? Anyway glad to hear you got it going.

Problems Priming Oil Pump

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