oil pump priming

[Guest]

how can i prime my oil pump using a primer extention tool? After removing my oil pump cover i have been having trouble with my oil pressure. i installed an autometer gauge and was run 45-50 psi all day for the past 4 months, but i had a slow leak around the oil pump cover. now that i have corrected the leak the pressure is down to 0-idle, and about 25@3000rpm.!.!.! i played with the pressure regulator, nothing. but when i unscrewed the press. reg. plug and moved the spring and inner-cap around the pressure went to a constant 25pis which was low for this motor. the gears could stand to be replaced, but I don't think it will be necessary it never was a problem in the past. I'm afraid that with all of this fooling around i may have lost the prime in the pump because the pressure is back to 0psi. so at this point i don't want to pull the oil cover off(very messy) i would rather prime it by some other method but do not know how. where do you place the priming extention tool? can it be connected to a electric drill? how much do they cost?<BR>

[Guest]

tray, what year engine is it???? If is'a a 350 or 455, you just pull the distributer and the shaft is looking up at you. I took an old distributer and used the end of the shaft and welded a rod to it. Prior to that I just got a piece of 1/2" copper pipe (about 4" long) and drilled a hole through the both ends of it (yes, both sides, too) and put a 10/32 bolt thru one end of it and a piece of 3/8" bolt rod on the other end. The bolt rod will have to be drilled (about an inch from the end). Yes, it will wobble, but it can be steadied with your free hand (be very carefull). <P>I packed the pump with petrolium jelly first. put the bolt rod assembly in a 1/2" drill and cranked away. You'll know whether it's pumping by the force. BRACE YOURSELF FOR IT. It can suprise you and hurt your wrist when it does catch the prime. I forget whether I was in forward or reverse with the drill. Doesn't matter though, if after a min or so you get no action, go the other way. lol<P>Maybe someone else knows the proper direction. <P>------------------<BR>George C. Thomas<BR>70 GS 455 12.teens<BR>86 GN Low 13's/ high 12's

[The Old Guy]

If you have oil pressure ,the pump is primed! A problem with pressure after you disassembled the pump would make me suspect that you replaced the gasket with one that was thicker than the one you removed. Did you check the plate for flatness? You should also check the clearance between the gears and the pump body. If it is more than .005 you will be losing pressure there. The pump must be turned clockwise to prime.

[Guest]

You can get an adjustable oil pressure regulator from TA performance. <P>Tomsriv

[Guest]

The Old Guy is right its gasket thickness/gear to plate clearance that makes/holds pressure. Oil pressure at any rpm means the pump is primed. Any chance the bypass piston is in backwards? It should still make pressure. Are the lifters bleeding off at idle i.e.major ticking? if not be sure nothing is blocking sender/tube like a small piece of gasket. good luck JIM

[Guest]

its a 350 j engine code. the pressure regulator cap is in correct. gasket thickness could be it. there is lifter chatter when the car is at low rpms, in neutral sounds great NO NOISE about 1300-1800rpm, but in gear no gas/braking at a light there is valve noise enough to get annoyed. during acceleration little or no valve noise. i packed the pump with petrol jelly so that it would prime after i replaced the gasket. it made 35psi when i fired it up after that but after a drive across town when i got off the highway i could tell that the pressure had fallen and when i checked once i was home it was a 0psi at idle. i made a gasket out of the heavy paper from autozone and never thought that it's thickness would effect the pressure. sounds like i need to remove the gasket and use some goo sealer to correct any leaks. i just don't feel like dealing with the mess that is why i wanted to see if i could prime up the pressure without removing the oil cover.

[The Old Guy]

If you can't find an original gasket, check to see if you have clearance between the case and gears .If you have clearance ,put some RTV on the edge ,and lock it down

[Guest]

I would not recommend RTV anywhere near the oil pump (sorry The Old Guy). The rubber chunks could block some of the passages.<BR>I took a 455 apart once that someone had used the blue stuff on the timing cover gasket. It blocked almost 50% of the suction hole and sent some of it into the lifter galley.<BR>What you may want to do at this point is find a thrust plate kit. It should include the correct gaskets and give you a metal plate to go between oil filter housing and timing cover. You will then have a score free surface for the gears to run against.<BR>Hope this helps,<BR>Mark

[The Old Guy]

You are right! I always use no.2 permatex,but most people have never even heard of permatex because they all use RTV. Thank you for the reality check! RTV is useful, but not in oil pump areas.