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ive got a red engine in my ek that has just been rebuilt
by me (gronk) tryed to start it today no oil pressure /new
high volume oil pump packed full of vas when built to prime it
in december when built no oil pressure today /filter was just put
on and full of oil. no pressure so removed pump after a lot of turnin over
no pressue(removed sender and fitted master gauge)repacked with vas
no pressure checked relief vave free/still no pressure removed a pump
from another good engine and tryed it still no pressure
ive got penrite running in oil in car and i am sure i dubble checked the
pick up i also aded a extra 2l to the oil to help i am die in here
help me please

my thoughts were oil pick up ive had the same prob b4 ripped the engine out and found a small crack in the pick up sucking air instead of oil changed it and was all good after that

ek61 good times but that is why i over filled it to cover the pick up

Used to have this problem fairly regularly with my speedway engines which would sit for a while until used - if they wouldnt pick up oil I would jam an airline in the oil filler cap in the rocker(t) cover and pressurise the motor, you may need to tape or tie your dipstick in - wind it over and see if it picks the oil up then - used to work every time

thats a lot of oil the crack was where it screwed into the block

Hi Mez,
I'm know you have this covered, but feel it worthy to post for others not up to speed with replacing oil pumps. And note you have it primed.

But for those not enlightened..............

I removed a pump many years ago and drained it of oil. Did not know that it had to be primed - as you mention, you did prime it - others may have experience with VAS - I don't.

It will not pick the oil up if the pump is dry - it must be filled so that it will d"hydraulically" draw oil up the pipe - obviously there will be air pockets in the pick up from time to time, but there will be enough "volume" in the system to draw them out.

I used a small plunger oiling can to prime mine with engine oil - had it oozing out of every hole when making the connections. The main thing is to fill the cavity around the gears so that they will "pump" - having it ooze everywhere else just ensures it will not "cavitate" within.

When I turned the engine over by starter motor - the oil pressure light extinguished and the needle on the gauge came up pretty well as soon as the engine started. The hydraulic lifters took about ten seconds to settle down.

Back to your problem......

I still feel it is a priming issue - something fouling the delivery or an air leak.

There shouldn't be one solitary thing to stop the pump drawing oil up the pipe if it is primed, sealed and clear - especially if another pump gives the same result.

I don't feel we're looking at anything within the engine - the pick-up and pump are the first points of travel before it gets into the galleries.

Have you tried removing the oil pressure sender and spinning the engine over to see if oil is pumping out that port?........... I am very concerned that an engine is running without oil.................

Is it sucking air somewhere - there is a union where the pick-up pipe nozzle fits into the flared union then a casting in the block - us the union or casting cracked?

I note you mention changing oil pumps without success - I suppose we should work back from there for the time being - but there is little more to look at. Did you try to vacuum check the pipe - from nozzle to screen?

I am very much bemused by your problem and will be happy to learn of it's resolve.............

I have a current idle "pressure" problem when the oil is very hot.
All bearing tolerances with plasti-gauge were well inside spec........ oil pressure is at spec maximum until the engine gets very hot. It drops down a bit (by about 25 kPa) at normal revs and falls away to just off the stick at idle - the idiot light does not illuminate - it may be a gauge or connection fault...... will investigate the issue when I get the car down of the blocks and out for some runs................ by process of elimination.......

frats,
Rosco

as much as its a prick if it is this, i reckon your looking at the pickup being the issue ...

you could fill the engine to the base of the block and that should tell you if its the pickup and fittings but thats alot of oil to have around the crank etc ... make sure you don't run it like that!!

If the pickup is O.K. the compressed air trick will fill the pump by blowing the oil up the pickup and through the pump as it is turned over.

MEZ,
I know its a stupid question but is your guage working? The idiot light can fail and give you false readings unless you have a guage of course!
Pull the plugs out and crank it over with some oil in the cylinders (so you dont bind the rings). If theres no pressure after a couple of minutes something is wrong.
I have always filled the filters with oil and never had this problem.
Blackys method does work if you have no success seen it done before.

Regards Greg

well now i got great oil pressure
after sprending all day worring and thinking
i finaly got home and tryed every ones suggestions
still no pressure seconds away from pulling the engine out and crying
i removed the brass extion fitting a pow lots a oil
i had my master gauge hooked into the bung in the end of the fitting and sender
goes in side hole i had to have this for for clearence issues with the moon gauge sender
checked for blockage all ok the hole through the centre was only small
so maybe when i tighted it up it was crushing close????
a 7mm drill later and fitting it bang lots a oil pressure
why would of thought

nice work saves puling the engine out

Great Mez - thanks for letting me sleep................

frats,
Rosco