I'm a dumb ass. I assembled this pump about 9 months age. Just looked at a google pic of a pump. The service manual pic sucks. I put the core plug in backwards. The plug in that position depressed the spring approximately 1/4" + .100" shim. The spring is tensioned about 3/8" deeper than the factory position. Been doing this stuff 40 + years and still find ways o make mistakes. Fortunately I'm still smart enough not to start it until the issue is resolved.
Doug
don't feel bad. i did the same thing on a 2.2 engine one time. those have the same pump relief spring as a small block.
when i fired it up, the wix filter [the 51515 standard size] and almost all the oil got pumped onto the ground.
not sure why i put the cup in backward, but i did, and i had a 1/4" shim with it, so a MESS it made.
oil pressure gauge was pegged WAY past high.
