Hi guys,

I have a '95 E250 Van.

Oil pan was leaking, so we dropped it and while we had it down to replace it, we also figured we'd replace the oil filter as well.

New filter in, new oil pan, new gasket, what could go wrong.

We pulled the distributor, spun the oil pump rod and couldn't get oil pressure. Finally after cracking the oil filter loose and letting g oil pump out of the block, we then tightened up the oil filter and were able to get pressure on the Guage by spinning the pump with a small battery drill.

Did tune-up, plugs, wires, cap, rotor. Start the van and there's no oil pressure. We shut it down, remove oil filter, fill oil filter with oil and restart the motor. Voila, we have pressure.......for a few seconds........then it's gone. Fill the filter again, same story, momentary pressure, then gone.

Not sure where to go from here. Anyone ever experience this before?

 

My guess would be either your pick up tube might be tight against the oil pan sump. Or there might be an issue with your filter. I'd pick up a different oil filter and try that first. If that doesn't fix it, then you are probably going to have to drop the pan.

 

We already tried a 2nd oil filter, but same problem.

I'm afraid we're going to have to drop the pan again too. I was just wondering if there was something we were missing or something else we could try.

 

Not a whole lot to do with out dropping the pan.

Are you just going by the stock gauge? Have you tried hooking up a mechanical oil pressure gauge to confirm you don't have any oil pressure?

When you pulled the pan did you pull the oil pump pick tube?

 

Yes, using the stock guage. Always worked fine before and shows pressure when we fill the filter.

We pulled the pump and the tube. Replaced the pump and reused the tube.

 

Either oil pickup is to close to the pan or you have a hole in the pickup and it is sucking air. Or the flange on the pickup is not sealing against the pump again sucking air.

 

I had an engine lose pressure on one of my race cars. I had told my driver previously if he ever loses oil pressure kill the engine instantly regardless of where he is on the track. He did. When we disassembled the engine the only thing we could find was there were TWO gaskets between the pickup and pump. They must have collapsed / compressed over time and allowed the pump to draw in air. Replaced gasket.
Problem solved.

 

FOUND IT......My buddy installed the pickup tube gasket backwards, such that the inlet to the oil pump was about 90% blocked!!!


Luckily we were able to get the pump out and back in without having to slide the pan out, we just dropped it.


Thanks for the replies guys!!!!