It was a new rod, a stock ford rod, and thats what i did yesterday examined the depth the rod was going into both the pump and the dist, which is why i am so confused, they were fine.

 I'm on a Lowwwww Budget

Any chance that something is down there getting to your screen on the pickup tube? Maybe when they sealed up the oil pan there was a piece of gasket in there or something that is eventually blocking oil flow. How long do you prime the pump? I guess it would be a simple check for an intermittently block screen just by running your drill on that hex drive rod for a little while longer, like maybe a couple of minutes, just to let all oil go through the process of running from bottom to the top.

Second, some of the guys hinted on how that dist gear engages your gear on the camshaft. I assume you alright there? I guess an easy check would be to turn the crank dampener a couple of revolutions while watching the rotor on the dizzy turn. But you did not say there were any issues with ignition on startup, so that may not be it either.

Have you tried pulling the oil pump back out altogether? That way you could check your grommet for the pickup tube and you could also check that rod by letting it slip out when the oil pump is removed. While that distributor is out, insert the rod into the end of the distributor and check to see there is no play (think that Hoosier may be talking about that idea).

Hope you find it soon, I know how frustrating this kind of thing can be!  

Daniel Jessup

Lancaster, California

aka "The Hot Rod Reverend"
check out the 1955 Ford Fairlane build at www.hotrodreverend.com

Use the drill to turn the shaft and see if you can duplicate the condition. If not, then I'd suspect something wrong with the distributor. Is the hex partially stripped out of the distributor shaft?

If you can duplicate it, then in addition to what's been mentioned, maybe the oil pump bypass valve is sticking open, in bypass mode.

Just for S&G, buy or borrow another gauge. New does not always equal good or working.


Lawrenceville, GA

At the risk of sounding the fool (all my experience on this subject comes from a 78 dodge van 360) the drill could be spinning the opposite direction of the engine distributor, and if the pump is the flower-kind it might only work in one direction. Then, though, we come to the question of why the pump is meant to spin the wrong way...I never said I had it all worked out...

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People should not be afraid of their government, a government should be afraid of the people.

--Alan Moore

ok my y-guru friends, the drive for the pump is seated correctly in both the dizzy and oil pump. The feed tube is tight and not leaking in either the pan or pump inlet. Re packed the oil pump, and this time didn't run the drill, started the truck. Only had 8lbs of pressure at idle, and as soon as you gave it any gas at all, it dropped to zero. Sighhhhhhhhh

If I found a magic lamp, having this engine running would be the first of the 3 wishes

 I'm on a Lowwwww Budget

have you checked clearence from the sump to the pan? if to close it would restrict flow to the pump and could cause the pump to cavitate and stop pumping. If sump is to high then after a few quarts get pulled out of the pan it becomes exposed to air and starts to cacitate and stop pumping. Both of these would become worse with more RPM.

Sounds like you have a mechanical guage.  I installed one on a small block one time and had no oil pressure.  For some reason the oil never actually made it up to the guage through the plastic tube.  I changed the guage and "bingo".....had oil pressure.

Butch Lawson

Manchester,  TN

Mike

Please answer some questions.

What kind of oil pressure gage and how/where is it connected?

Are you turning the oil shaft counter clockwise with the drill?

Do you have oil flow at the rocker arms?

Have you tried changing the oil filter brand and what type is on it now?

With the drill the crank, cam, etc are not rotating. Try turning the crank and see if that makes a difference.

Get the person who did the rebuild to fix it before you disassemble it.

Did you ever check the bypass valve to see if it is sticking open? Or maybe it's the seventh fetzer.  I'll hang up and wait for your answer.

   God Bless.   Tim                           http://yblockguy.com/

350ci Y-Block FED "Elwood", 301ci Y-Block Unibody LSR "Jake", 312ci Y-Block '58 F-100, 338ci Y-Block powered Model A Tudor

tim@yblockguy.com  Visalia, California    Just west of the Sequoias

It is an auto meter oil pressure gauge, and it does work with the drill , can watch the oil come up the tube with the drill and i get a reading.

changing the crank position has a no change effect.

yes i turned it counter clockwise.

the distributor is new, (msd) , and i checked the fit with a new oil pump rod.

The filter is a Motorcraft FL1a,

 I'm on a Lowwwww Budget