Hi, I have a freshly rebuilt Flathead (51 truck motor) complete with offy heads, three twos, and isky 400 jr cam. Started right up first time but mechanical oil pressure guage (good) is still reading 0. Anything to look for? New high volume oil pump. Any good way to prime the pump? Any help is greatly appreciated. Haven't run it sense, and winter puts things on the back burner, but good time to do reaserch. Thanks again!

 

Pack the pump with Vaseline, or engine assembly lube, and take the spark plugs out turn the motor over fast with the starter. If that isn't it, either the relief valve on the pump is bad, or your have a blockage.

 

if you have a way to pump oil into the oil gallery [drill pump might work ]then pump a couple of quarts of oil into the engine. this will prelube the engine and prime the engine at the same time. i use a small gear pump driven with a drill. tim

 

There is no easy way to do it, like removing the distributor and using a drill with a small block. Lots of good advice, though. I'll get it, one of these days when I have free time I'll spend a whole day on it. I had already tried using compressed air to speed it along, but it probably ended up forcing the oil OUT of the pump. Oh well, I'll get 'er.

 

Nick,
Check out this page from the flathead techno page - linked to the msn flathead board. These guys have been saving old posted information for quite awhile.

Think I'd try a pressured oil supply to the pressure sending unit tap. It's covered on this page.

[http://www.btc-bci.com/~billben/preoil.htm]

At the bottom of this page you'll find a 'return to index page' link - it's worth the time to look.

 

Thanks for the tip!:-X12 Merry cristmas!

 

I don't suppose that you forgot to put the pump drive gear on the back of the cam or forget to put the idler in the back of the block, did ya? I wouldn't think so, but I only ask because I've seen it done. Amazing what we forget when we hurry!

 

Hi. Am in the process of a flatty rebuild myself. If you aren't using the stock machanical fuel pump, the hole that the rod went through is now open and will allow oil to flow freely into the valve area. So that hole must be plugged. Maybe you have all ready done this, or maybe not.

 

Yep, got that plugged. Havn't had a chance to mess with it. Probably come spring I'll check stuff out. Garage is heated, but not THAT warm.