Bravo28 Posted January 31 Share Posted January 31 Assembled and ready for break-in. Sent 2 qts (10w-30 w/zdp additive) through oil pressure line that filled pump, oil filter "housing", and added another 3 qts into filler tube. Ran motor 2-3 mins but could only get a little spitting of oil out of the oil pressure guage tube. Oil pump consistently seems to empty out. New gears in pump, strainer cleaned up, machine shop handled internals. Engine is on a stand with equal angle as if in hull. It is a Letter Kenny rebuild '55. Any ideas regarding oil pressure? TIA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M29C3284 Posted January 31 Share Posted January 31 On mine after rebuild I had same issue, after doing the same as you (filled oil filter housing, pumped oil into the oil passage connected to the oil pump). But after filling the oil pressure guage line I got oil pressure a reading on the gauge. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-D Zernia Posted January 31 Share Posted January 31 When we primed the oil system the oil entered through a tee fitting in the oil pressure line right under the gauge. While pushing the oil in I slowly turned the crankshaft. While priming, oil pressure showed on the gauge. The brass fitting in the oil gallery to the oil filter is not full diameter. There is a restriction. The oil filter fitting is full size. The proper size part is listed in the parts book. I paid close attention to which fitting went where. If you did not have the restrictive fitting with the engine I learned it can be difficult to find the right one. It may be possible the oil is flowing through the filter too fast. Next I learned from speaking to members of the Studebaker club that a restrictor is required before the oil pressure gauge. My gauge happened to have the proper restriction built into it but I added a restriction fitting regardless after being told extra will not hurt. I hope this helps and possibly some one else has more information. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bravo28 Posted February 1 Author Share Posted February 1 Thanks for the tips. Doesn't appear to have any restriction from block to filter (see elbow pix). Pumped oil into oil pressure tube from block side to guage and guage registered. Removed, cleaned oil pressure relief valve(nothing noted). Added oil to fill up the pump, ran motor a few seconds, pump empties but doesn't seem to push oil up the tube so no pressure at guage. Seems pump (new gears) isn't either picking up and/or not pumping?? Outside of non-restrictive elbow from block to filter - (will try to find), not sure what's next. Will try the T-fitting to fill oil pressure tube, but seems oil eventually drains out as well as at pump. Thanks for your correspondence and further help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-D Zernia Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 I looked in the parts manual ORD 9 SNL G-179 page 41. Part A307776 Elbow, flair……………….0.063 restriction….. the restriction is on the male thread side. To find out if this is the problem you may replace the elbow with a plug and run the engine. My engine had no oil filter when purchased. I took the filter off another engine and then noticed the difference in parts. Some Studebaker car owners don’t use a filter. They change oil very often and feel it isn’t needed. And since some of these cars were delivered without a filter they feel it is authentic if left off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M29C3284 Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 The oil filter restriction should not cause the oil pump to bleed out. Could one of the oil gallery plugs be missing or leaking? The oil filter in these old engines is not fully filtering the oil as in modern ones, only a quarter or so of the oil is filtered at any time. That is why you should not use modern engine oils in old engines which suspend the dirt in the oil. Old engines where designed so most of the dirt would settle in the bottom of the oil sump. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OZM29C Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 @Bravo28 Just another quick check. Can you confirm that your oil pan dipstick (oil gauge) is indeed a weasel one? Although the Car and weasel share the same overall dipstick, the actual oil level markings do differ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OZM29C Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 @Bravo28 Another quick thought, have you primed the oil pump using the as pictured? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bravo28 Posted February 2 Author Share Posted February 2 Thanks for the tips. Doesn't appear to have any restriction from block to filter (see elbow pix). Pumped oil into oil pressure tube from block side to guage and guage registered. Removed, cleaned oil pressure relief valve(nothing noted). Added oil to fill up the pump, ran motor a few seconds, pump empties but doesn't seem to push oil up the tube so no pressure at guage. Seems pump (new gears) isn't either picking up and/or not pumping?? Outside of non-restrictive elbow from block to filter - (will try to find), not sure what's next. Will try the T-fitting to fill oil pressure tube, but seems oil eventually drains out as well as at pump. Thanks for your correspondence and further help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bravo28 Posted February 2 Author Share Posted February 2 Beginning to think a major operator malfunction of some sort. Primed pump through top hole. Wasn't getting oil to pressure line with the filter line plugged. Had both filter port and pressure line port on block completely open and not a drop. I can see gears in pump spinning. Sent air through the oil pressure line port and can see oil spraying around inside pump. Don't think the lines are plugged. Just doesn't seem to be picking up oil. ? Here are pictures of pump and dip stick. This motor was rebuilt in 1955 ( Letter Kenny) Not sure if this would affect the 5 quart capacity. Dip stick measures right at the 5 qts. Again, thank you all for taking time out of your day to help me.🙏 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Browning Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 At the very front of the oil gallery bore is a threaded plug. It is behind the camshaft gear inside the gear cover. If that’s missing you’ll have that exact problem. Don’t ask me how I know. 😬 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Browning Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 At least you can get to it. Mine was in the vehicle already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bravo28 Posted February 2 Author Share Posted February 2 Is there anyway to i.d. the plug on this picture? I'm going to check with machine shop- he said he had taken pictures during assembly. Hoping he might have on of the front plate before timing gears were installed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Browning Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Browning Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Tipton Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 Did you replace the oil pressure relief valve? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bravo28 Posted February 3 Author Share Posted February 3 Was hopeful machine shop would have pictures of front plate and timing gears, but no dice. May have to disassemble to check for that plug. Seems gear cover pretty snug against water pump. The pressure relief valve- looked at original. Bolt, spring, and valve came right out- passage was clean. Only thing noted when removed was the leading end has a pin hole; trailing end has larger opening. Chance it is backward? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Tipton Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 9 hours ago, Bravo28 said: Chance it is backward? Unfortunately, pin hole goes in...not the problem. I agree at this point, pull the timing chain cover and see the plug was left out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Browning Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 Seems like the machine shop should send a guy over to do that for you. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bravo28 Posted February 3 Author Share Posted February 3 Visited machine shop and they actually had this. Barely noticeable, but would shiny element be the plug? Recommended lubricate to get pump coated perhaps to create some pressure within galleries? I think I messed up by not initially priming the pump. Would I be able to correct that as it sits? Owner agreed to swing by and take a look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bravo28 Posted February 3 Author Share Posted February 3 Correction. Shop uses this. They suggested filling the pump with it and turning the engine to help getting oil up and into the pickup tube. Thoughts? Assuming the plug behind camshaft gear is indeed in place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Browning Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 Ive never had to prime an oil pump on any engine Ive rebuilt. They should suck up the oil. Its hard to tell anything by that picture. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bravo28 Posted February 3 Author Share Posted February 3 Before the lubriplate is added: So ignition timing was established with the no.1 on compression etc. (The engine idles ok) However the timing was set AFTER the pump/distributor shafts were joined onto the camshaft. I have no clue what direction the (keyway on the drive shaft) is pointing. Is my "diagram" correct? Would that be the keyway as mentioned? The keyway direction obviously a factor, but to cause no oil pickup? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Browning Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 I dont think the position of the key way will have any affect on the oil pump. The rotor in the distributor will be 180 degrees off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Tipton Posted February 4 Share Posted February 4 2 hours ago, Jesse Browning said: Ive never had to prime an oil pump on any engine Ive rebuilt. They should suck up the oil. Its hard to tell anything by that picture. I always use liberal amounts of assembly grease....but don't pack the oil pump with grease or do anything else special to prime it..... Not science but I've never had an engine run for more than maybe 15 seconds on the first start before I had oil pressure. Pull that front timing cover and make sure the oil galleys are properly plugged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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