Dumb Timing belt mistake = Oil Pump trouble

[Riff]

Larry:

The pump gear of the oil pump surrounds the crankshaft and is driven by two flats machined on the crank. I don't think the pump can be installed flush against the block unless the pump gear is properly engaged with the crank. Then the front oil seal goes on followed by the crank timing gear, which IS held by a woodruff key.

Petros:
Do you remember how long you had to crank the motor before developing any oil pressure? I made a gasket for the pick up tube, replaced it and the pan, but didn't prime the pump with vaseline. Filled with oil and cranked the thing over but the oil light would not go off. I checked the oil filter and there was no new oil in it so I'm inclined to trust the oil light. I am reluctant to spin it very much without any oil pressure, on the hope that some will finally show up, maybe I needed to be more patient.

Anyway, I took the pan back off--I am getting much quicker at this (3rd time). I've confirmed the relief valve is closed, and since it is a new pump I won't pull it apart. Also, I attempted to prime the pump with vaseline by pushing it into the pickup tube opening. I've jammed as much as will go in there and turned the crank by hand but it will not pull any up. I'm inclined to tear everything back out and disassemble the pump, maybe it is missing something internally. I'd be surprised if that is the case, since it is brand new and showed up it a fancy box, but I do have the old pump with a hole in it to pull internals from. Maybe I can still get it all back together tomorrow.

[Petros]

It takes anywhere from 30 sec to a min of cranking. So you have to have a good battery. You might pull the filter off and stand there and watch the filter fitting for oil squiring out while someone else cranks the engine over. It there a way to connect an oil supply to the pump inlet and crank the engine with the pan off, that way you do not have to remove it again.

It seems unlikely the pump is faulty, but it is possible. if the gear was missing you would not see the two flats where the pump engages the crank flats, IOW you would notice it since the flats are on the inside of the big oil pump gear, they are one peice.

I you can not get oil to pump than you may have no choice but to pull the pump. Is it possible the new gasket did not have the correct cut-out for the oil galley? Anything is possible.

I have gotten in the habit of double checking the function of each new part before I install it, many of the new parts are junk right out of the box. I would trust a used part from a wrecking yard more than one out of a new box, the one out of the wrecking yard more likely came out of a running car before it got wrecked.

[Riff]

Petros guessed it.

I pulled the pump off last weekend and found that the problem was one I made for myself. No gasket had come with the pump so I cut out a paper one, but in trying to finish before the sun went down, I neglected to cut a hole for the oil passage into the block. I have now replaced the gasket with one that has enough holes in the right places. Everything is back together and I have oil pressure again.

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions, I guess I need to slow down a little in order to get it right the first time and spend less time overall.

[Petros]

It is always fastest, and cheapest, to do a job once. easy mistake to make, I bet you were feeling like an idiot. I have done similar mistakes. I had installed an oil pump after I took it all apart to make sure it was in good condition, but I forgot to install the oil pressure releif before I installed it. so the oil was just dumping back into the pan after I started the engine. I felt stupid, and I also got to replace the bearings too!