The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop My oil pump doesn't

Me again. I'm getting ready to start my '59 235 for the first time after a complete engine rebuild. The engine is currently installed in the truck. I decided to pre-lube the engine by spinning the oil pump with a drill and a screwdriver blade. After several minutes of spinning the pump, I'm not getting any oil from the rockers.

This feels like a major set-back, but I'm hoping for an easy answer. Is it sometimes difficult to prime the pump? The oil pump is original, but I disassembled, inspected, and cleaned it during the rebuild. There were no signs of worn parts or a plugged intake. Any suggestions?

I'm feeling defeated at the moment, because I was really looking forward to starting her up this weekend. I also remember making a rookie mistake when I installed the oil pan. I used gasket sealer on both sides of the gasket, so getting the pan off might be a challenge.

You may have just spun the pump backwards & that's why it didn't prime. Also spin the motor over so you're sure to oil everything...Joe

Those oil pan seals are a real [censored] and I did the same thing.

I've been trying to start my 235 lately as well and to be honest, I have not seen very much oil coming out up at the rockers. Then again my tube is kinked where it goes over the cam shaft apparently to increase the oil pressure. I have left my valve cover off and have dumped oil all over the top end a few times to assure it is well lubed. I know I am getting oil as the hose/plastic tube going to my oil pressure guage was [censored] oil all over the floor and I never had my oil filter canistor lid on tight and it spewed a bunch of oil out too. You could check these two places for oil if your is equiped with such. My only other thought is that maybe the drill is going too fast? Try a slow but steady speed to allow the oil to flow into the mechanics of the pump.

Backwards is another good thought...it should spin clockwise looking down at the top of it.

Weird. I came back a day later, did the same things as yesterday (same drill, same speed, same rotation direction), and now I'm seeing a steady stream of oil dripping from the rockers. I can't explain it, but I'm certainly relieved! I wasn't looking forward to chasing that problem down. The only plausible explanation I can think of is it took some time for the pump to prime.

musta been air locked ...an after settin the oil got into the inards an self primed it?

i will most likely be fine but i never reuse old oil pumps. philip

Glad you got that problem resolved Todd. My experience has been that there is a significant draw down on the drill once the pump actually starts pumping. Enough so that I use my 1/2 drill motor instead of the lighter 3/8. Once the the pump is pumping I always give it a few minutes running time. At idle the distributor shaft is turning around 5 times every second and I don't think my big drill turns much faster than that so I am essentially getting idle pressure.

Chuck