trying to get the old girl running, have rebuilt both heads (hardened seats on exhaust), heads bolted on, head gaskets on right(can see the square tang on both at the front). now I am trying to prime the oil pump since this engine has been sitting for 5 years (in the truck, in garage)
I put new oil in and switched to a spin on filter.
I am using the original oil pump, since it had great pressure before.

trying to prime pump with drill and 1/4 inch hex extension for screwdriver attachment, but still no oil

?? possibly the pump bad after sitting, or clogged?

the oil filter assembly seems idiot proof

I also know that the rocker arms are on correctly.

any input??

 

Are you spinning the drill counter clock wise? Also if you have the cross drilled cam shaft you may need to turn the engine to get the oil up to the rockers.

 

it is the original factory cam. Shoud I be running the drill clockwise or counterclockwise?

 

You should run the drill counterclockwise. The oil passage to the rockers goes throu the cam the older cams were cross drilled and eather needed to be runing or just in the rite spot for the oil to flow up to the rockers. The newer cams use a slot instead. So if you are getting oil pressure and no oil to the rockers just try turning the engine.

 

John, you were right, I had to have the distributor back in for the pump to work., however I can't get in that last 1/4 inch. (please no sick jokes)lol

Marc

 

If you are having trouble getting the distributor to drop onto the drive shaft, have someone bump the starter while you are holding the distributor in position. It should drop down and engage. Make sure the coil wire is disconnected.

 

Here's what most professionals do and two of them i saw recently in here i think are the webmasters for this site, also and what i learned in mechanics vocational school many years ago after the hundreds of rebuilds we did, we simply cranked rebuilt engines up with valve covers off and waited a while for the oil to get to the rockers (not more than two minutes, maybe even less), but being that you have already tried a drill and make sure you're going counter clockwise, i would think you should get oil now, but if not, just start it and give it no more than two minutes, that's what the pros do, they simply start it first, then worry about it if they don't see oil get to the rockers, also on the spin on filter, make sure it isn't a pressure regulated AC filter, uhhh, i've seen people mess up bad there on Fords, use a simple type screw spin on filter, like a motorcraft, that has oil return slots instead of a few holes, that oil pump is a real simple gear setup with a plate to even change the gears away from the engine, check on the spin on filter first. My last engine i rebuilt was a 1975- 302 ford V8, and by hand i just used a socket and allen wrench on the pump drive and it oiled the rockers big time, but had it been in the car already i would have just cranked it and waited a few minutes, but this rebuild was to go out to a customer, and i was "Not" installing it, and wanted to safely know and be able to put the valve covers on and complete it and say, it will work!.......Janet

 

it was on the drive shaft, but wouldn't set down the last 1/4 inch, was able to set with a soft blow from a small rubber mallot. Good oil pressure now

Thanks everyone

Marc