Moparts
zero oil pressure
Posted By: WV Runner
zero oil pressure - 03/29/15 09:24 PM
Ok I'm hoping you guys can help me. Over the winter I installed some indy alum heads, I started the car today for the first time, it fired right up, little noise from the valve train, no big deal. Trouble is after a few seconds I usually have oil pressure, I waited a little longer about 15 seconds, no pressure. I have mechanical gauges and it takes about 5 seconds to get pressure every year on the first start, takes time to fill the line to the gauage. today still no oil in the line at all. I'm thinking the oil pump just went out? any ideas, or suggestions? Motor is a 440, no issues at all last year.
Posted By: mikemee1331
Re: zero oil pressure - 03/29/15 09:35 PM
Quote:
Ok I'm hoping you guys can help me. Over the winter I installed some indy alum heads, I started the car today for the first time, it fired right up, little noise from the valve train, no big deal. Trouble is after a few seconds I usually have oil pressure, I waited a little longer about 15 seconds, no pressure. I have mechanical gauges and it takes about 5 seconds to get pressure every year on the first start, takes time to fill the line to the gauage. today still no oil in the line at all. I'm thinking the oil pump just went out? any ideas, or suggestions? Motor is a 440, no issues at all last year.
pop a valve cover and see. did the valve train quiet down, if so I would suspect your gauge or the line clogged over the winter.
Posted By: ademon
Re: zero oil pressure - 03/29/15 09:37 PM
pull the dist and have a look, maybe spin the pump with a drill.
Posted By: WV Runner
Re: zero oil pressure - 03/29/15 09:56 PM
I pulled a valve cover, there is oil. The noise never quieted down it only ran 15sec.
Posted By: mikemee1331
Re: zero oil pressure - 03/29/15 10:01 PM
Quote:
pull the dist and have a look, maybe spin the pump with a drill.
this would be my next step, with the cover off. or pull the coil wire out and crank it while watching for oiling.
Posted By: BigBlockMopar
Re: zero oil pressure - 03/29/15 10:03 PM
Pull both covers and check for a loose rocker and (bent) pushrod.
If a pushrod is somehow forced out between a lifter and rocker, the cam will knock the lifter up out of it's bore and you'll loose oilpressure.
There will still be a weak flow of oil near the crank but no pressure higher up or at the gauge.
Has happened 2 or 3 times to me over the years.
This, or the oil pump's pressure control valve is hanging open. Same deal, some flow is present, but hardly no pressure.
Posted By: mikemee1331
Re: zero oil pressure - 03/29/15 10:12 PM
Quote:
Pull both covers and check for a loose rocker and (bent) pushrod.
If a pushrod is somehow forced out between a lifter and rocker, the cam will knock the lifter up out of it's bore and you'll loose oilpressure.
There will still be a weak flow of oil near the crank but no pressure higher up or at the gauge.
Has happened 2 or 3 times with me over the years.
This, or the oil pump's pressure control valve is hanging open. Same deal, some flow is present, but hardly no pressure.
I had forgotten he had changed heads. there might even be a pushrod not put back right.
Posted By: WV Runner
Re: zero oil pressure - 03/29/15 10:34 PM
ok my bad guys sorry. I was lazy and pulled the drivers side earlier, there was oil, that's the side I put oil in. I had a brain fart. I just pulled the passenger side, bone dry. all the pushrods and rockers are fine.
Posted By: mikemee1331
Re: zero oil pressure - 03/29/15 10:49 PM
Quote:
ok my bad guys sorry. I was lazy and pulled the drivers side earlier, there was oil, that's the side I put oil in. I had a brain fart. I just pulled the passenger side, bone dry. all the pushrods and rockers are fine.
well, that eliminates about 95% of the guess work. can you spin your rotor by hand? try that and work down from there, not much left...
quick edit - now is the time to get #1 cylinder at the top!
Posted By: WV Runner
Re: zero oil pressure - 03/29/15 10:57 PM
ok I tried turning the rotor by hand, it doesn't turn.
Posted By: mikemee1331
Re: zero oil pressure - 03/29/15 11:13 PM
Quote:
ok I tried turning the rotor by hand, it doesn't turn.
well, if it had turned freely your issue might have been as simple as the oil pump drive or bearing. you're gonna have to pull the dizzy either way. get your #1 cylinder up to the top, pull the dizzy and check the oil pump drive. if all looks in order then it's your pump. the only other thing I can think of is the oil holes in the heads and gasket aren't lined up. and that, my friend, would suck! but it is the only change you made.......
Posted By: RapidRobert
Re: zero oil pressure - 03/29/15 11:32 PM
If I'm reading this right the oil you saw in the one head was oil that you added thru the valve cover filler neck? So both heads are dry right? I'm thinking drainback on the filter/suction side. You might pull the filter/cover the filter round flange with a baggie & drill prime it CCW. If still no go I'd pull the pump & see if you can dribble some oil into the in/out block holes to try & help it prime & maybe even pull the pump flat cover & add a bit there too. the heads oil with #6 and #8 at TDC. turning till the rotor is at #8 then pulling the dist/intergear & preoiling right there will take care of that one and then moving 3/4 turn CW to get to the TDC slit (#6 compression) will take care of the other head. I forget which is to which bank but you need both oiled. holler how it goes. EDIT when squared away turn the crank slightly CCW to 15 BTDC (#6 compression) and set the magnet dead even with the reluctor tooth and the rotor under the #6 plug wire cap & clocking the inter gear anywhere so the wires are in their OE location is a good plan (iirc #6 is sideways toward pass fender but check on that). some dists have different top rotor to bottom tang clocking to each other (than an OE dist)
Posted By: Lee446
Re: zero oil pressure - 03/30/15 02:38 AM
Don't some of the Indy heads like the SR's use external oil lines from the oil pressure galley to the head?
Posted By: dvw
Re: zero oil pressure - 03/30/15 03:04 AM
It's rattling, gauge shows no pressure, and the top end is dry. Pure and simple it has no oil flow. Pull the distributor and the drive. Is the drive hex sheared? If it's OK then spin the pump with a hex drive and a drill. No pressure? Pull the relief valve, is it stuck? If no pull the pump and inspect. I'll bet by now you will have found the problem.
Doug
Posted By: GTX MATT
Re: zero oil pressure - 03/30/15 07:48 AM
Quote:
Don't some of the Indy heads like the SR's use external oil lines from the oil pressure galley to the head?
Yes, which heads did you install OP?
Posted By: buildanother
Re: zero oil pressure - 03/30/15 02:19 PM
If all the lifters are in place, there should be some pressure as the readings should come from the main galleys. I'd be priming the heck out of it with good drill.
Posted By: MoparforLife
Re: zero oil pressure - 03/30/15 02:30 PM
Could be as simple as an air locked oil filter. Find TDC mark rotor position and pull distributor and intermediate shaft. Crack filter open and prime. See if oil floods out of open filter.
Posted By: WV Runner
Re: zero oil pressure - 03/31/15 01:08 AM
They are Indy 440-sez. I pulled the distributor and the shaft, the shaft looks fine, Its not stripped. I had to order a priming shaft, I should have it tomorrow? I'm gonna prime the hell out of it and see what happens, I will let you guys know.
Posted By: Supercuda
Re: zero oil pressure - 03/31/15 01:25 AM
Quote:
They are Indy 440-sez. I pulled the distributor and the shaft, the shaft looks fine, Its not stripped. I had to order a priming shaft, I should have it tomorrow? I'm gonna prime the hell out of it and see what happens, I will let you guys know.
CCW rotation on a B/RB.
Posted By: mikemee1331
Re: zero oil pressure - 03/31/15 01:44 AM
Quote:
They are Indy 440-sez. I pulled the distributor and the shaft, the shaft looks fine, Its not stripped. I had to order a priming shaft, I should have it tomorrow? I'm gonna prime the hell out of it and see what happens, I will let you guys know.
you are a patient man! 
I would been rigging up a cutoff screwdriver or something and really making a mess out of things! kudos for doing it the RIGHT way...
Posted By: Supercuda
Re: zero oil pressure - 03/31/15 01:47 AM
Quote:
you are a patient man! I would been rigging up a cutoff screwdriver or something and really making a mess out of things! kudos for doing it the RIGHT way...
Be a trick since it's a 5/16" hex socket not a slot like a chubby. Don't know too many cheap screwdrivers with a big enough shank to make a 5/16" hex out of. Be better off going to Home Depot and getting some 3/8" square stock to grind down, but then you'd need to pull the oil pump to test fit, then it's likely not fit thru the bushing int he block.
Posted By: RapidRobert
Re: zero oil pressure - 03/31/15 02:43 AM
iirc someone mentioned that Lowes has a paint stirrer rod that is a 5/16" hex but it might not be long enough (iirc). If you have a junk intergear you can grind the teeth down on your bench grinder & the teeth are soft & grind down pretty fast. EDIT then a speed handle/screwdriver bit
Posted By: skicker
Re: zero oil pressure - 03/31/15 04:13 AM
I use one that I robbed out of an ??? engine over the years... I have no idea what I took it out of but its a production oil pump drive shaft from something. Its about 12" long 6 cyl GM maybe???
Posted By: WV Runner
Re: zero oil pressure - 04/01/15 02:19 AM
Quote:
Quote:
They are Indy 440-sez. I pulled the distributor and the shaft, the shaft looks fine, Its not stripped. I had to order a priming shaft, I should have it tomorrow? I'm gonna prime the hell out of it and see what happens, I will let you guys know.
you are a patient man! I would been rigging up a cutoff screwdriver or something and really making a mess out of things! kudos for doing it the RIGHT way...
Thanks man! I love the car and hate when its broke, but its March still and I have a 2011 Challenger in the garage beside the Road Runner. Its not worth screwing up the motor up over. Sadly the priming rod didn't come to today, I checked the tracking number and I should have it tomorrow.
Posted By: Twostick
Re: zero oil pressure - 04/01/15 09:41 PM
Make sure you spin it the right direction. Counterclockwise.
Kevin
Posted By: WV Runner
Re: zero oil pressure - 04/02/15 12:44 AM
Ok I got the priming rod, I've been turning it with my drill counter clockwise. I've got no oil yet and no resistance on the drill, feels like I'm not turning anything. About how long does it typically take? maybe I'm not waiting long enough? or does it mean other problems?
Posted By: GTX MATT
Re: zero oil pressure - 04/02/15 01:05 AM
Usually only takes 10 seconds or so, but I've had it take closer to a minute. If nothing after a minute you've got an issue.
Try loosening the oil filter and priming it. You should get oil coming out of where the filter mounts.
Posted By: WV Runner
Re: zero oil pressure - 04/02/15 01:38 AM
Quote:
Usually only takes 10 seconds or so, but I've had it take closer to a minute. If nothing after a minute you've got an issue.
Try loosening the oil filter and priming it. You should get oil coming out of where the filter mounts.
I ran it for almost 2min earlier, I loosened the filter and primed and almost immediately oil started gushing out, I re-tightened it and started priming again and I got pressure, and at first it made a lot of bubbling sounds from air, but I got pressure now. Thanks Guys! Could it of been air in the pump of something like that? 
Posted By: feets
Re: zero oil pressure - 04/02/15 07:50 PM
Yep. Your pump wouldn't prime.
It happens on occasion.
Good to know it was an easy fix.
Posted By: BigBlockMopar
Re: zero oil pressure - 04/04/15 11:59 AM
In a way gray past, I had a 383 engine in a daily that would loose prime on hard acceleration.
Shutting it off and restarting didn't help. Only way to get pressure again was to rev the engine in idle.
One of those few times I actually heard the crankshaft spinning in the bearings...
Topping off the engine with an extra 1.5 quart of oil above the Full-mark usually took care of that issue for awhile until the oilpump was changed for a HV one.