no oil pressure

[Salty87]

87 saltare with 454...lots of saltare time on the board lately, i like it!

i recently put a new distributor in and now i have no oil pressure. this was the first test run after swapping them out. i tested the gauge and its fine, sounds like there's no oil though.

did the distributor have anything to do with it? i'd rather not have to pull the engine in august!

stuff's been breaking left and right lately, i let her sit for a few months and am paying for it now.

thanks

[OUI]

The oil pump is in the oil pan and you have to pull the motor to get to it. Unlikely that the distributor caused the problem. Can you hear noisey lifts? Did you check the sending unit?

[KenG]

On GM small blocks and big blocks, the distributor also drives the oil pump.

--KG--

[Salty87]

lifters are a bit noisy.

ken g...tell me more. how can i fix it?

thanks

[KenG]

Salty,

I think for your application, the bottom of the distributor shaft is shaped sort of like a large screwdriver blade and it fits into the notch in the oil pump drive gear shaft. Frequently while installing the distributor, you most rotate the engine at least a little to get everything lined up. It is almost impossible to get the distributor base to seat properly on the intake manifold when the bottom of the distributor shaft is not seated into the oil pump.

I suppose the first thing is to remove the distributor and check for damage to the end of the distributor shaft.

I do not recall if this is even possible, but maybe the shaft on your new distributor is too short to engage the oil pump, can you compare the shaft length to your old distributor?


This is a long shot, but the oil pump could be out of position, I think only one bolt holds it in place.

It might be worth a phone call to the place where you bought the distributor or the distributor manufacturer and explain your problem.

Just curious, why did you replace the distributor to begin with?

--KG--

[OUI]

KG is right. I pulled my distributor this spring and put in a new one. At the end of the distributor there is a bushing that has a piece of metal in it, and that matches up with the slot at the end of the distributor -- the other end of the bushing fits into the slot in the oil pump shaft. When you pulled the old distibutor the old bushing may have stuck to the end of the distributor shaft and now there is nothing to turn the oil pump shaft.

KG -- good tip on backing up the crank a little, I didn't do that and it was a bi*ch to get it back in.

[Salty87]

hmm, i don't recall anything on the bottom of the old distributor shaft. i'll have to take a closer look after work. and compare the 2 dist's.

thanks, that all makes sense. i'm surprised mallory's instrux didn't say anything about the oil pump, at least a disclaimer that it needs attention.

ken g- my timing was all jacked up. even a pertronix electronic ignition conversion ran like crap. my old distributor was very rusty where the weights and springs are. it would bog down terribly under load.

thanks for the pointers! my boat hasn't run good yet this year, it would be awesome to get some rides in.

[OUI]

My advance mechanism was the same way accept it was so rusted that it finally gave way, locked up the distributor and spun it in place. Turned my cap and plug wires into a spagetti factory. With you new one, don't forget to spray a little WD-40 through the screen doors twice a year.

[Salty87]

oil pressure is back! the new distributor was the right size, i didn't have it seated into the pump. it took about 5 mins to get it lined up and slid into the right spot. another 5 mins of cranking the starter and she fired up without all the lifter noise. i set the timing and let her run for about 10 mins, sounded great.

thanks for the pointers. i can't wait to take it down to the ramp.

i still need to address hard cold starting issues and move the pertronix from the old cap to the new one. maybe that will help with the cold starts.

thanks!

oh yeah...i hadn't heard or read about the wd40 but i'll remember it.

[skiman_61]

Screen doors? What you talkin' bout, Willis?

[OUI]

Mallory distributors have round breather holes in the side with a screen mesh over them to keep anything from going in there. Others have their breather holes in the bottom of the distributor.

[skiman_61]

OK, thanks. I have a recollection of the screens. Never heard the WD-40 prophallactic tho.:)

[Salty87]

lake test checked out, boat hauls butt now. i have an ohm buzzer driving me crazy now but i'll start another thread.

thanks for the help!

[OUI]

Ohm buzzer!? Is that the idiot light warning buzzer? If it is, mine did the same thing after putting in my new distributor and it turned out to be a bad connection at the big plugin behind the dash for the idiot lights. I just pulled it apart and cleaned the contacts.