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318 no oil pressure

Posted: Wed Sep 18, 2019 9:40 pm
by mpjosh2001
Hey guys,
I have a 79 f26 with a Chrysler 318. Earlier this year had a head gasket blow. Removed heads and had them checked, wrapped and cracked like an egg between the valves. Found new heads. While engine was apart I put in hydraulic lifters and rods thinking it would help things lube better. I had no oil pressure. Pulled the engine and put in a milling hv pump. Still no pressure. I have a mechanical gauge at the block that reads 0 and the one on the dash flutters every once in a while. I've talked to 2 buddies that are auto mechanics and neither one has any idea. I'm running 10w40 conventional oil. Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Josh

Re: 318 no oil pressure

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2019 6:35 am
by prowlersfish
It could be a cracked pick up . Did you prime the new pump ?

Re: 318 no oil pressure

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2019 7:32 am
by mpjosh2001
I did not. But oil is flowing through the system. Just not enough to register pressure. When I disconnect the line from the back of the mechanical gauge, oil comes out. It's been ran enough to be primed by now. I have a cheap oil filter on it. I'm gonna get a better quality filter this afternoon and try that.

Re: 318 no oil pressure

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2019 1:58 pm
by mikeandanne
If the new oil filter doesn't fix it , have a look at the pump drive, thats the distributor gear and drive, make sure you got the right one and its mated properly.

Before the work was done was there also no pressure ?

Re: 318 no oil pressure

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2019 3:37 pm
by prowlersfish
mikeandanne wrote: Thu Sep 19, 2019 1:58 pm If the new oil filter doesn't fix it , have a look at the pump drive, thats the distributor gear and drive, make sure you got the right one and its mated properly.

Before the work was done was there also no pressure ?
X2 and look for wear on the drive .

Re: 318 no oil pressure

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2019 5:29 pm
by mpjosh2001
Before I did the work I had oil pressure. Biggest change I made was going to the hydraulic lifters. I figured I needed more oil through the system because I was now showing zero after the change. Put in the HV pump and still nothing.

Re: 318 no oil pressure

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2019 5:57 pm
by mpjosh2001
The shaft looked fine when I put the new pump in and the pump spun freely.

Re: 318 no oil pressure

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2019 6:27 pm
by mikeandanne
mpjosh2001 wrote: Thu Sep 19, 2019 5:57 pm The shaft looked fine when I put the new pump in and the pump spun freely.
An oil pump pumping oil will not spin freely, very hard to turn, you can get a drill to smoke turning the oil pump with a remote shaft. Some of the pump drive shafts were different lengths so check with your old pump and see if all is the same. The other thing is the size of the lifters, reason is because some blocks have had oversize lifter bores from the factory so check your old lifters against the new ones. If that was the case , and you installed the factory size, which is smaller then there would be a huge loss in oil pressure in the galley.

Re: 318 no oil pressure

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2019 6:49 pm
by mpjosh2001
The pump spun freely before I installed it. The new lifters were the same size as the old ones.

Re: 318 no oil pressure

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2019 7:31 pm
by prowlersfish
Why did you change the lifters ?

mpjosh2001 wrote: Thu Sep 19, 2019 6:49 pm The pump spun freely before I installed it. The new lifters were the same size as the old ones.
Why did you change them ?

Re: 318 no oil pressure

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2019 7:38 pm
by mpjosh2001
Also, new, higher quality, filter didnt improve anything.

Re: 318 no oil pressure

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2019 7:41 pm
by mpjosh2001
I changed them because I thought that hydraulic lifters and hollow pushrod would improve lubrication.
prowlersfish wrote: Thu Sep 19, 2019 7:31 pm Why did you change the lifters ?

Why did you change them ?

Re: 318 no oil pressure

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2019 7:45 pm
by prowlersfish
mpjosh2001 wrote: Thu Sep 19, 2019 7:41 pm I changed them because I thought that hydraulic lifters and hollow pushrod would improve lubrication.
prowlersfish wrote: Thu Sep 19, 2019 7:31 pm Why did you change the lifters ?

Why did you change them ?

I believe the LM318 had hydraulic lifters to begin with . About 99% sure on this

Re: 318 no oil pressure

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2019 7:50 pm
by prowlersfish
Hollow push rods ? That sir is a part of your issue

Re: 318 no oil pressure

Posted: Thu Sep 19, 2019 8:08 pm
by mpjosh2001
prowlersfish wrote: Thu Sep 19, 2019 7:50 pm Hollow push rods ? That sir is a part of your issue
Then how does the top end get oil? The chevy 350s, 396, and 496 all had them to oil the head. Does it come in through a port and you hope it runs all the way down to the back end?