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Tips

TR6 TR250 TR6 no oil pressure after rebuild

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glemon

glemon

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I filled the engine with oil and cranked her with the plugs out for quite some time, not trace of oil pressure or flow to the rocker shaft.

While I charge the battery back up any suggestions or tricks?

New oil pump, 20w/50 Brad Penn in car, is there an access point I can dump some oil down into the pump from to get it primed better, it was last fall when I buttoned her up, but I believe I primed the thing with some STP when I installed it.

I have rebuilt a few engines, but not a lot of them, first time I have had this problem. Any suggestions welcome, thanks, Greg
 
Yeah......I've had issues in the past with some other brand engines that would not prime.

You can pull the oil pressure sender, and apply vacuum to it until you get oil, turning the engine over a couple of times, or........and you gotta be careful...remove the sender, fire up the air compressor, if you can crank the pressure down to 20PSI or so, do it, put a nozzle on the end of the hose, roll a CLEAN shop rag up in a long roll, wrap it around the nozzle, remove the oil fill cap, jam it into the oil fill hole (the rag keeps a constant bleed-off of air as you cannot get it really tight), apply air while an assistant cranks it and you watch the oil port.

IF the problem is no prime, that'll do it.
If it doesn't, you left the pickup tube off.

I've even had some older engines that would not pick up oil after a change, that did it every time.

You don't want to pop a seal or gasket....I do it without regulating the pressure down but I've done it so many times you get a feel for it.
 
or pull the distributor, get old regular screw driver cut the handle off put it in a drill, stick it down in the distributor hold engage the oil pump shaft, I believe you run the drill in reverse and you can run the oil pump till it primes every thing, I believe you should also see the oil pressure gauge move too if the oil pump is working

since the distributor drives the oip pump are you sure the distributor shaft droped into the oil pump shaft notch? if not it wont turn the oil pump

Hondo
 
STP is an oil supplement, it is not an oil. Make sure you have pressure for enough time to flush the STP off of the bearings prior to installing the spark plugs and starting the engine. I tried this and my engine lasted for about a minute and I had to replace the bearings.
 
I used the STP to simply coat the pump to promote pressure (or actually vacuum I think) until the oil gets in there, did not forget the pickup, but that would certainly be a problem,

I made sure the distributor drive mated with the oil pump drive when I installed it.

I may give it a couple more spins, but if nothing happens pretty quickly I will try removing the distributor and spinning the pump with a drill.

As I have in the past, I have the oil pressure line off the guage and a rag so that it can be "burped" of air and also no air pressure build up in the line to work against the oil pressure build up.

Thanks for the tips, keep them coming, won't get back out to the garage until after work.
 
I know you said you installed a new pump... I just wonder if one or more of the vanes are stuck?
 
hondo402000 said:
or pull the distributor, get old regular screw driver cut the handle off put it in a drill, stick it down in the distributor hold engage the oil pump shaft, I believe you run the drill in reverse and you can run the oil pump till it primes every thing
Click to expand...

I think the fitting is actually the opposite if a screwdriver tip. If I remember right, I took a steel rod and cut a slot in the end to fit. In other words, make a female fitting, not a male.
 
Lewis, you are right, I looked at an oil pump and the distributor shaft does have a notch in it so go down to lowes and get an aluminum rod and cut a notch and you will be good to go

Hondo
 
Referring to the Bentley manual, from the oil pump, the next stop is the oil pressure relief valve (on the block, just below the distributor). I'd pull that off, crank it and see if oil comes out. If not, the oil pump is the problem. If oil comes out, the oil filter is next.
 
Unless the distributor drive gear is removed, not only will he be trying to spin the oil pump, but the cam, timing chain, crankshaft, etc,
 
If I had turned the engine over that long with no oil pressure I would have a sick feeling in my stomach. Darned if I don't think I would pull the oil pan and have a look see. Check the pump and the bearings. Typically you should spin the oil pump through the distributor drive to build up pressure before you turn the engine over. I've been studying on developing a way to inject oil through an oil galley plug or something on my 1500 engine before I start it.
 
billspit said:
If I had turned the engine over that long with no oil pressure I would have a sick feeling in my stomach. Darned if I don't think I would pull the oil pan and have a look see. Check the pump and the bearings.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't worry about the bearings. The starter turns the engine at a relatively low speed and as long as the engine hasn't fired yet, the bearings haven't seen any real heat or stress. Any assembly lube will lubricate sufficiently until the engine fires. At that point we hope the oil pump will take over.
 
I had the same problem when I replaced the oil pump on my 6. I went through all the sickening feelings about ruined bearings, pulling the oil pan, etc. I can't recall if I did it initially or after the problem but I did pack the pump with vaseline. I ended up taking a piece of hardware store threaded rod (1/2" maybe)and cutting an offset slot in one end. I used a drill for what seemed like forever before I finally got oil pressure.

Of course I then reinstalled the distributor 180 out.
 
Good news, I found an attachment that would spin the pump from my cordless drill, as stated I had to reverse the drill to go in the right direction. I go oil in little time, maybe it spun just a little faster or something or I could spin it a little longer than I would with the starter, but it lubed up in no time at all.

So I buttoned her back up, then spun it on the starter. I got over 50 lbs spinning on the starter so it appears we are in good shape.

THANKS

Next round of questions to come when I actually start the thing.

Greg
 
When you start it, keep in mind that, even though the radiator is full, the cooling system is not. Keep an eye on the temp gauge. When it starts to climb above normal, shut off the engine, let it cool enough that you can open the radiator and top it off.
 
Just take the thermostat out pour coolant into the head directly where the thermostat was then put the thermostat back in button it up and you should be ok, cool on the oil pressure

Hondo
 
I know the feeling, had about the same problem on a fresh build XKE motor. I was sweating bullets but its been running great for the last 8 years.

Marv
 
A rebuild with issues on a TR6 engine is one thing, but having that experience on a fresh XKE engine is a whole different class of worry!

Glad it worked out Marv.
 
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