Engine 2.0 76
Rebuilt engine and should start it today. Pulled the plugs and filled oil. Cranked engine to get oil pressure but nothing. Pulled pressure switch and tested with compressed air works fine. Loosened oil filter and cranked again oil ran from filter, tightened filter and tried again.... Nothing.


Oil type 20W 50

Need some advice on what to check to find source or problem.... It's just a Pita

You could pull a valve cover and see if oil has gotten up there. . If so, then you know the cam is lubricated and the crank should be also. .
Will make a mess but you can pull the oil pressure sender, crank as see if oil come out. .
How are you measuring oil pressure? to an idiot light or a gauge?
Might be that you have pressure but the indicator isn't working properly.

Pressure idiot light sender working ok. Removed idiot light sender and cranked engine some oil is coming up but its not exactly gushing.

Any ideas as what to do next?

Did you pre-fill the filter with oil? If so, you may have hurt your cause. I have had success in that situation by using a turkey baster to squirt oil up into the pickup tube (yes, it's a mess!) to get enough in there to prime it.

--DD

It seems to take forever for a fresh T4 to get oil pressure.

Was the oil cooler new? Are you sure the big oil pressure piston is in place?

It just occurred to me that 'pinning' the big oil pressure relief piston shut might improve oil filling time. High oil pressure will bleed off back to the sump...

Dave,

I did not pre-fill the filter. Which pick up tube are refering too (I am a newbie) do you mean one in sump?

I dont care about making a mess I just got to get this mother fired up!

Thanks

Yes the oil cooler is new. The piston moved freely when I installed it and I even installed the spring, joking aside I appreciate the help

What you mean is that the oil cold and at high pressure so is being diverted by the pressure piston and is therefore not building pressure under the idiot sender?

It's a possibility. If you pull the big piston back out and use a length of rod in place of the spring, you can keep the oil from bypassing. The motor shouldn't run the way though.

Sorry but I don't think this is right, if the pressure is high enough to open the bypass valve then the sender should show oil pressure. Check out the diagram from the WSM

Does anyone have any way to test if the pump is pumping oil att pressure?

yeah, good point.

Just my 2 cents, but I couldn't build oil pressure with just the starter turning the motor. When I removed the oil pressure gage oil was in the boss so I figured oil was in the system since I did no priming.

Started the motor and oil pressure came to specified range immediately. I've started the motor twice and ran the cam break in procedure, but have yet to install, so the verdict is still out on my engine:)

Thanks Highlander,

If there are no more ideas from members as what to do then I will probably go that route.

I would fire it for a second. Then Pull the coil wire and see if the light goes out when cranking it with the starter. Is your battery fully charged? Engine cranking normally?

The light goes out when the wire is pulled. I have put the battery on charge. There is oil in the gallery so I guess the pump is working. I will see if I can get pressure with a fresh battery. I may just throw caution to the wind and fire it up, I don't really see what my other options are? As you will understand I am a bit anxious as I have been rebuilding the engine since september and have put a lot of work and $ into it. The thought of it seizing is just too much.

Fire up and shut down 5 times in succession. Let it run less than 1 second and shut it off.

I always pack the oil pump full of vaseline when assembling and the engine will usually get OP in 5 seconds.

I build 2 engines a year and start them on an engine stand outside the car. I always install a direct reading oil pressure guage. I crank them on the starter with the plugs out. I 1/2 fill the oil filter and sometime I can't get any pressure so I remove the filter and let some oil run out of the filter housing under cranking . Then reinstall the filter , crank the engine and I usually get 40 + PSI with the plugs out. It takes a while to fill the valve assembly. Best advise is to listen to Jake.

Why is it recommended NOT to fill the oil filter when trying to build up oil pressure???

To prime this system, the pump needs to pull oil up from the sump.
While it is doing this (for the very first time) the pump only has air to use as the "pumping medium".
This is why it takes so long to prime.

IF you are asking the pump to prime itself WHILE trying to push oil OUT of the filter, it will take longer.
I think the best idea is to leave the filter off, and prime till oil is coming out of the filter bracket.
Then you can put the filter on (ful OR empty) and continue to prime until you get pressure.

Thanks to everyone for helping me out I appreciate it. I will let you know how it goes.