Last year I posted about the rear galley expansion plug popping out when I started the motor.

I reinstalled it, tapped the edge with a screw driver to help hold it in. I started it up again last month when I had the guages installed. The oil pressure guaged spiked to 60 pounds then went to zero. I shut the engine off. I have installed dakota digital and in the test mode for the oil pressure it was reading .45 amp so it was zero when i was cranking it over with out power to the coil.

question is did the expansion plug pop out of the oil galley again, due to not hitting it down hard enough.
thanks for all help.

 

Is this the rear cam plug? If it is, correct installation is such that the "cup" on the plug goes to the inside of the engine. Also, it's not a normal "freeze" type plug......and if it's installed backwards it'll pop out.

Any oil leaks down by the rear main/metal spacer plate?

 

I have only started the engine twice, and have not yet even timed it. I bought the motor as a low mileage short block. The first start i had some water leaking from the thermostat and noted the thermostat was not seated properly. I did a re and re on the intake and was when i noticed the rear oil galley expansion plug was on the windage tray. I replaced the plug in this position "U" with one that is the same as the one that is on the windage tray in the above picture. ( like the expansion plug close to the distributor ), and restarted the motor several moths later when I had the gauges in place and that was when the oil pressure upon start up went to 60 pounds then dropped to zero.


So far it seems i have installed the plug 180 degrees incorrectly with the wrong plug.

I have not noticed oil at the back of the block, is that where i would find the rear main/metal spacer plate.

This is the first fe block i have tinkered with.

thanks for the help.

 

My mistake....I misunderstood which plug you were addressing.

The one you're talking about does go in like the others.

Maybe a different size....a little bigger?

Are there not threads in that hole? I thought most all FE engines had the screw in type plugs - 10 of 'em to be exact.

Do you have enough meat on the block to tap some threads in there and use the screw in type plugs? I'll take a 0.25" NPT. If not, or you don't want to do it, I suggest putting in a new plug and staking the edges in a few places to keep it in.

http://stores.precisionoilpumps.com/...0-cj-lr-heads/

 

What oil pump are you running? Did the bypass in the pump get shimmed? Did you by chance install a 57HP oil pump? I always stay away from that unless you have lots of bearing clearance. These engines need flow and for that I recommend the 57HV pumps.

 

I do not know what type of oil pump I have. It is an older rebuild low mileage 1968 galaxie block, ( so i was told).
everything seemed ok. except the oil galley plug. If that is the problem. Have to wait to the weekend to re and re the intake.

thanks for the help.

 

I do not recall seeing threads on the plug hole. I'm a bit reluctant to thread the hole as i am concerned about the shaving from tapping. If i wind up having this engine rebuilt i would do it.
It looks like i am pulling the manifold to see if that is the problem.

Thanks for the help.

 

If you're worried about metal filings, chase the hole several times with a fishing magnet after you tap it.

 

I would just pull the dist. first and run the pump with a priming rod. See what happens. That's a real pia to remove the intake.