Zero oil pressure after oil pump install

[WhiteKnight1LE]

Firstly, hello! New to the forums.

Secondly, please help lol.

I have a 2014 1LE that I just rebuilt the top-end (PAC springs, Johnson lifters, pushrods, Trunnions, cam, timing set, Melling oil pump) and after the rebuild it has zero oil pressure. Primed the oil pump before it was put back together, it didn't really want to take oil. Turned it over a few times with the plugwires off to see if it built any pressure, it didn't.

Pulled the valve covers off to see if oil was reaching the tops of the heads, it is not. Disassembled everything again, and pulled the pump. O-ring was fine, and not pinched or messed up in any way. Primed the pump with oil, turned the engine over a few times, and it pushed oil back up the funnel.

The only possible thing I can think off is the relief valve in the pan for AFM is stuck open and venting?

I drove the car 10 minutes to my buddy's garage to work on it, and oil pressure was normal (28ish, I can't remember off the top of my head) and now there is nothing.

I'm at a loss. I'm 24, mechanical inclined, but this is by far the most in-depth thing I've ever done. At this point I'm pulling the engine just to get to the pan.

Can't be the sensor, it isn't getting oil to the top-end.
Isn't the oil pump, pushes oil.
Not O-ring or pickup tube

Thanks for the insight and help!

[Russell James]

I would prime the oil system using a pressurized tank at a oil galley plug. Summit or Jegs sells oil preluber tanks. And there are adapters that go into various oil galley plugs. I think for LS it is in the front of the block.

Pressurizing the oil system from a galley plug will then give you plenty of cranking time to really see if the pump is building pressure. Without worrying about extended cranking on drying bearings.

Maybe you just haven't cranked it long enough. Oil priming off the starter takes a long time. Seeing oil at the top of the PRs takes a long time.

If you know for sure you used the right oil pump pick up tube O-ring - follow directions that came with pump. And you know for sure the pressure relief valve in the pump is not stuck open. You didn't touch the bearings.... Should build pressure. There is a screen on AFM engines under the pressure sensor, make sure that is not clogged.

But, my hunch is it needs more cranking time or prelubed off a pressure tank.

You can verify that the pickup O ring is sealing by putting a few extra quarts of oil in the oil pan and jacking the back of car way up. This floods that O ring in oil. Then crank with ignition disabled. If all the sudden you have oil pressure, that O ring is sucking air when the oil is at normal level and vehicle level.

The pickup tube needs to push on farely firmly. If it just falls into place super easy, maybe wrong O ring. Those are my guesses... wrong O ring, stuck relief valve in the new pump, or just hasn't cranked long enough.

[ariZona28]

Saw this cool "primer socket" in the Summit catalogue. I was thinking that if I ever did a pump it would be a good excuse to add to the tool box. If your timing set has a removable oil pump drive gear (as stated) it may be well worth the purchase price.

[eLeSthree]

Have you actually started the car yet?

On my recent dart build I cranked it over with the starter for bursts of 20 seconds for a total of about 2 minutes. It never did show a drop of oil at the rockers. I relayed this info to my engine builder and they said it was normal. However the dart block oils the mains as a priority and top end is secondary. You may not build enough pressure with the starter to register on HPtuners or other gauges, but if you are sure you used the right color o-ring and its not pinched, oil pump was shimmed right (and if the oil pan was removed, you ensured pan to pickup clearance), then prime it again for 30 seconds, slap the plugs in and fire it up.

should have pressure in 2-3 seconds. If not shut it off.

Nice tool arizona.

[HOJO]

My did the same as eLe's after a cam swap. I cranked it several times at about 20 seconds each, could not get the oil pressure gauge to move. Valve covers were already on so I could not see the rockers. I knew it worked fine when I pulled it apart and all the new parts were coated with assembly lube so i just started it realizing I may need to shut it down quickly. I started her up and BAM oil pressure. I'm pretty sure you are not building enough pressure by cranking it with the starter. Good luck!!

[WhiteKnight1LE]

I've had it started twice. No oil pressure after 20 seconds. I've tried both the OE pump and the Melling on the car with the same results.

[eLeSthree]

Originally Posted by WhiteKnight1LE

I've had it started twice. No oil pressure after 20 seconds. I've tried both the OE pump and the Melling on the car with the same results.

What color o ring did you use?

Oil pressure sensor harness isnt damaged?

What are you using to see oil pressure? Hptuners?

You may need to put a mechanical gauge on it to rule out the sensor and wiring. But I guess its too late for that if you are pulling the motor already.

Still running the stock ls3 timing belt tensioner? Those have been known to break and get sucked against the pickup tube screen. Just throwing ideas out there...

[xdamxincx]

you cant really prime an oil pump before its put back together.. the grease or vasoline method doesnt always work u need to prime the motor with pressure... theres a cpl youtube vids with some cheap setups.. oil pressure starts at the pump and sends it to the oil filter.... take off the oil filter and turn the motor over .. if its not spitting oil out there than most likely the problem is either not primed or pick up tube issues ..

[bottletalk]

I went through the possibilities in this thread, check it out and hopefully it helps, problem was found.. dont mind the title, it has nothing to do with it.
https://www.camaro5.com/forums/showt...t=oil+pressure

[eLeSthree]

Originally Posted by bottletalk

I went through the possibilities in this thread, check it out and hopefully it helps, problem was found.. dont mind the title, it has nothing to do with it.
https://www.camaro5.com/forums/showt...t=oil+pressure

Summary of that link:

Dont block a main oil passage with a home made gasket/plate and wonder why you have no oil pressure. The oil cooler block off plate needs to maintain an oil passage.

Highly unlikely the OP of this thread has made the same mistake. The diagram in the link is helpful though.

[bottletalk]

Originally Posted by eLeSthree

Summary of that link:

Dont block a main oil passage with a home made gasket/plate and wonder why you have no oil pressure. The oil cooler block off plate needs to maintain an oil passage.

Highly unlikely the OP of this thread has made the same mistake. The diagram in the link is helpful though.

understand that the op hasn't stopped flow with a gasket but the thread does cover the bases of how and where to start looking. it was frustrating trying to explain this throughout the thread .
since then I now cut my hair short enough so thats its at a non pull able length.

Op: Soo since its been over a week what was it?

[xdamxincx]

Originally Posted by bottletalk

understand that the op hasn't stopped flow with a gasket but the thread does cover the bases of how and where to start looking. it was frustrating trying to explain this throughout the thread .
since then I now cut my hair short enough so thats its at a non pull able length.

Op: Soo since its been over a week what was it?

i think using the word " possibilities" was a bad choice of word .. there are a lot of reasons you can have no oil pressure.. and most of them aint in your thread...