No oil pressure.. followed forum advice no dice...

[JeffreyE]

Hello All,
This is my first post. I have come here often for help but this particular issue I didnt find completely helpful.

vehicle: cj2a 1949 with L134 engine.

Background: I basically replaced my tcase-tranny this summer but I noticed that the rear oil seal on the engine was leakin as well so I tried to replace that. It was a pain with the crank in the way so I dropped the crank and removed the head and took out the pistons.
So I clean everything up, head, crank bearings. I put assembly lube on everything that moves and basically tried to clean up the inside as much as possible. the oil left over was thick as 90 weight oil (exaduration) but It was nasty inside.

I put it all together again with tranny / tcase and all and I run the engine.

after about 10 seconds there is no oil pressure and so I shut her down.

My next step is to take all the oil out of the engine and pipe the entire 4 quarts through the oil filter line into the gallery so I pump 3 quarts in and I have my wife take a look at the oil pressure guage and it is reading about 5 psi while i pump.
So for the last quart I pump and she runs the engine. I can maintain it at about 5psi and did so for the duration of the last quart (maybe 30 seconds). And boy it sounds great.... but still once I stop pushing in oil my pressure goes to absolutly nothing.

I can verify also that the lubrication valve by the timing gears is in.

This photo is a pic of my oil pumping rig..



Do I have to replace the oil pump? It worked before albiet with terrible thick nasty oil.

Any tips?

[wesk]

Quite often when we disturb the gunk buildup in a old engine the pieces of gunk manage to plug orifices and screens they never bothered before. Did you remove and soak the oil pump pickup screen? When you say oil valve by the timing gears I assume you are referring to the oil squirt nozzle at the front of the block on the passenger side. If you did not soak and clean that pickup screen then pull the pan and "Git'er done". If the screen is clean then you may have lost your prime on a weak oil pump. That will require removing the pump and soak it in oil and try it again.

[JeffreyE]

Alright thanks for the help
I hoped for a magic bullet solution but yours seems realistic.
It is always frusterating to have your project delayed but hey, we need oil pressure.

Thanks from Michigan

Jeffrey C Elzinga

[artificer]

Ensure the pick up is mounted to the engine block & sealed tightly otherwise you will be sucking air & will not lift oil to the pump.

[JeffreyE]

It was indeed the pickup I think.
I dropped the pan, cleaned out screen
but I also removed the pump and checked its clearences... All nice and tight.
Just the same I got new gaskets for it andreinstalled and presto! Oil pressure

Also, pumping oil directly into the galleries worked great to prime it. I saw that bit of advice somewhere in these forums.

Anyway thanks a ton you guys...

-Jeff