Technical New FH build, no oil pressure

Hi, been working on getting my car together after a fresh Fh build. Today I spent hours trying to get oil pressure while cycling/priming the engine with the distributor disconnected.
The Stewart Warner oil gauge, sender,, wiring, fuse, etc are all brand new and it's wired correctly.

I've watched every video and read every thread online and I'm spent.

I tried priming the oil pump and engine by running a quart or more through the block at the brass plug fitting on the bell housing. I used the 2 gallon tank sprayer trick.

I turned the key and cranked it for 20-30 seconds and the oil pressure gauge needle moves from its resting position to ZERO on the gauge.

without tearing the engine apart and checking the oil pump (brand new) and other areas, have any suggestions on what to do next?


And yes that's a cigarette lighter in the dash. No idea why the previous owner did that. I installed a hidden a usb phone charger outlet in it now though.

 

The electric gauge makes me nervous, especially the way you say it is reacting. Try a mechanical gauge. If that doesn't work, remove the plug and see if any oil comes out.

 

I'd try a different gauge. Mechanical.

 

I put a mechanical gauge in my ‘42, if memory serves drivers side of the engine, behind the intake. I had to use short NPT pipe, a 45, to clear the firewall.

 

You can do what I did when I had a zero reading gauge. Disconnect the sender and turn the engine over and watch oil spray to the other side of the garage.

 

Thanks. I will try everything mentioned above tomorrow and let you know

 

Good morning. I took the sender off, connected a barber fitting with a flex hose into a Water bottle. Cranked the engine and I got a slow flow of oil out of the tube.
Photo attached. I can't seem to upload the video.
This flow normal? I assumed it would squirt with a lot more excitement than this?

if anyone is interested, I can email or text the 3 second video for diagnosis. Not sure video uploads are allowed here other than external links.

thanks to all, j

 

Heading to store for mechanical gauge fittings now. Thanks again.

 

Sanity check: Have you fitted the plug in the gallery behind the timing gear? There can be a problem at the other end too if you don't have a fuel pump push rod in, but I believe that only happens on 8BA types.

 

Hi. My engine builder was supposed to do all that work. I really don't know where this plug is behind the timing gear.
I do not have the oil pump push rod in either.

the engine was built in CA and I since moved to CO so I'm on my own figuring this out.
Thanks for the help.

 

Did you remember the galley plug in the rear? You’d probably see oil coming out between the transmission and engine

 

Hi. I didn't build the engine, I paid an engine builder in SoCal to build a short block. When I picked up the engine, the engine was closed up, timing cover, oil pan, etc. Cost me a pile of money. I'm going to call him to see if he has any photos of the front and rear of the block.
Thanks.

 

You cannot directly upload video files to the HAMB.

The simplest method is to first upload your video clip to YouTube. Then copy the link (URL) to your video and post a link to it in this thread on the HAMB.

I'd assume that the cigarette lighter was installed by a previous owner who was a smoker. Or maybe was just used as a power port for his cell phone or GPS.

 

Fuel pump push rod is needed for oil pressure

 

Like said previously if you have an electric fuel pump, and aren’t using the pushrod that rides on the cam to run the mechanical pump, you need to plug that hole. My current 8ba utilizes a copper plug I cobbled together from plumbing stuff at the hardware store

 

It sounds like the oil pump is putting out, but most of the oil is going elsewhere. It looks like a teardown is in order.

 

As others have mentioned, go out and buy a mechanical gauge. That will verify if you have a problem or not.

 

Easy stuff first. Like sunbeam said, you need a fuel pump push rod or a plug in the hole. Next, with the intake off, look at the front of the galley.... there is a hex plug that has a spring and plunger under it. Is that there? IF not, no oil pressure. Both easy to check.

 

While you are at it, drain the oil, stick an inspection camera in the drain hole and see if where the pick up is located vs the dipstick. The guy that built mine was a pro and left eh pickup too high in the pan. The dipstick was down in the oil so it read full when the pick up was barely in the oil.

 

Thanks. I put a mechanical pressure gauge on it and I'm getting 10psi while cranking the engine with the Dist disconnected. Is this too low to try to start the engine still?

 

I’d start it. It should increase when running. Cold oil as well.
Never had a fresh flathead, so can’t comment on running pressures, but 10 PSI during cranking it wouldn’t concern me.

 

If it doesn't come way up almost immediately, I'd still be concerned. Engines like yours will most likely have a late model (8BA) oil pump. The only spec I've been ever able to find on these is that they should put out 57 psi at speed. (This number is published in contemporary Motors manuals, which were the standard back in the day.) If you aren't close to that. you have a problem. Several years ago I built an 8BA and installed a new Speedway Motors" oil pump because it was new and reasonably priced. It barely put out 45 psi at speed. I replaced it with a good used Ford pump and it came right back to 57 psi.

Oil pumps in these engines are a little complicated. The early pumps used straight cut gear and were rated at 50 psi maximum. The later pumps have spur gears and are rated at 80 psi. The pre-'49 engines had the oil pressure regulated externally (by the spring under the cap in the valley) as stated by "Mike in Tucson". The later (8BA type) pumps are internally regulated by a spring right in the pump. As I stated earlier, it is quite common to install 8BA oil pumps in any top end flathead build as they will bolt right in and are of a superior design. (There may be problems fitting the oil pickup to the oil pan.) In such a case, the external pressure regulation could be a problem as it is no longer necessary.

From what you are saying here, I agree that it's time for an in depth discussion with whoever built the engine and find out exactly what you have and exactly what was done.

This looks like a new engine, so don't fall for any of this "20 pounds is plenty" BS we used to accept back in the day of used engines straight out of the junkyard. A new engine should perform to factory specifications. Period.

 

They aren’t know for high oil pressure to begin with. If you can get 10# out of it cranking I’d fire it up with the oil pressure gauge in one hand and the key in the other

 

I'd start it and see what happens. I'll bet you are okay if you get 10 psi cranking.

 

Pardon me. This looks like a NEW engine, and the late model flatheads ARE known for high oil pressure (57 psi as stated). They run significantly higher oil pressure than an SBC. Look at the gauges; a 40's-'50' Ford oil pressure gauge maxed out at 80 PSI. On C2/C3 Corvettes, only the Solid lifter cars and high performance big blocks had 80 pound gauges. The garden variety models had 60 pound gauges.

I wish people would stop spreading these rumors.

 

Any thoughts on the cranking PSI?

 

I don’t see an upgraded filter system so guessing there isn’t any upgraded oiling system. Stock pump on a fresh Flathead would be 40 psi.

 

The presence or absence of an oil filter has nothing to do with the pump or relief system. Personally, I like the stock bypass filter systems, especially the way these cars are maintained and used these days.

Take a look at that engine; it is nowhere near a stock rebuild. If I had spent as much money on an engine as the O/P obviously did, I'd make damn sure it had the best oiling system possible.

 

I never looked. If I have the time and inclination, I may just pull the coil wire on the fresh rebuild I have on the stand, crank it over, and watch the gauge (mechanical). It might be interesting to know.