Thread: SBC Oil Pressure Problem

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I am helping a friend build a 350, nothing really special. We had it machined, new rings, bearings, gaskets, pistons, etc..... We went to prime the pump with a drill and got it to 50 PSI. The problem was that there was no oil getting to the top end. We pulled the pump, checked for missing plugs, and checked the sump, but nothing. It will read 50 PSI on the gauge, but it won't oil the top end.


The only thing that we did find, is that when we would use a drill, oil would come pouring out from the hole in the back that directly faces the distributor shaft. It is the same hole that you put a plug in at the back of the engine (the 3 above the cam soft plug.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Dan

IT sounds like the only problem is A missing plug,oil PSI 50 ok but turrning the oil pump with a drill won't pump oil through lifters and push rods engine must be started and running to pump up lifters.

On a Chevy, you must use a primer drive, like a distributor with no drive gear on it. The dist. body routes the oil that flows to the top end, without it the oil just flows into the crankcase uncontained. There's nothing wrong with your engine, just your procedure.

Pick one up like this one from Summit . Part # SUM-901010 $17.95

Wow, now I feel dumb
Thanks for the advise. I thought it would be something really simple.

Dan

I might suggest you rotate the crankshaft 90 degrees at a time as you prime the system. This allows Hyd. lifters and all pages to fill. I had the drill reversed 1 time making myself just shake my head.