no oil pressure after timing chain install

[bogie1]

I bought a new timing chain cover with H/V oil pump. Not a spacer but built into the cover. packed vaseline between gears filled oil cooler line with oil and turned engine backwards till no more bubbles. Took drill with bit and ran for about a minute or so. It felt like the oil pump gear was rising up against the drill. Cranked the starter with the ECM disco'd off and on untill the battery sounded low. Hooked up ECM and started car. It sounded like a coin sorting machine! no oil pressue, the oil pressure light did not go out. Shut car down after 15 -20 sec. Tried cranking with ECM off so it wouldn't start for a long time. Started car and same thing very noisey engine with oil pressure light still on. I shut it down after about 15 sec again.

Anybody ever had this happen? Any ideas. I done for tonight. I need some ideas.

 

[buickboy]

Most likely a casting issue with the front cover (oil passage) was not machined out and is blocking oil delivery. Remove cover and check passages.
Mitch

 

[Red Regal T]

Invest in an oil pressure gauge while your at it. Not a good thing to start the engine when you're not sure if you have oil pressure.

 

[TurboShane]

Are you turning the pump the right way? Should prime if all else is right witht the cover. And I would not try to start it till you can hear it pumping oil your drill should have a hard time turning it once it builds pressure.

 

[bogie1]

I made a better tool to put in the drill and primed it again. This time I drilled it until the oil light went out. repeated for 5 more min and as soon as the drill started cranking the oil light goes out. I cranked it with the ecm discor'd. I did this off and on for 5 min. The oil light never when out with the starter motor. I started the car and the oil light stayed on --I shut it down after 5 secs. How can I be getting oil pressure with the drill and not with the car running? I am stumped.

 

[MSDGN]

When you install the cam sensor are you sure it's fully seated into the timing cover engaging the cam gear and the oil pump shaft...if not the oil pump gears will not spin...

 

[NC87GN]

Hey bogie,
Check some things out first. The 'new' oil pump gears must sit almost flush to the front face of the pump cover. With the aftermarket TA covers they usually send the taller gears with it. If the gears are recessed inside the cover about 1/4 - 1/2" you have the stock ones. It will make very little to no oil pressure if the wrong gears are installed. HTH

Mike Banas
87GN

 

[bogie1]

Tks for the replies guys
--I lined up the slot in the oil pump gear shaft with the driver in the cam sensor. I don't think you could get the sensor all the way in if you did not have them lined up. I have the larger gears also. I happened to have had a new stock set of gears to compare them to. There are almost flush with the deck. If you crank you motor with the orange ECN wire off (so car won't start) does your oil light go out? I don't want to start the car again until I figure this out. Was just wondering if a normal GN had enough oil pressure while cranking to turn off the oil light. Anybody care to test it for me
Thanks,
Rich

 

[TurboBuickSix]

I always was able to get the light to go out after an oil change by cranking with the fuel pump fuse pulled.This was with a motor that had loose bearings and low oil pressure too.What direction are you turning the pump while priming?

 

[bogie1]

I am cranking the drill Clock wise. Like you are drilling ahole. The oil light goes out with the drill but not when you crank or start the car. I have had the cam sensor in and out 6 times because I keep trying to prime it more. I know even if I was unlucky I would have got the drive key in the oil pump gear once.

Thanks

 

[Red Regal T]

When you engage the drill motor, it spins free for a second and when it's starts pumping oil, the speed of the drill pulls down quite a bit. If the drill is spinning as though not under load, you're not pumping any oil. Get yourself an oil pressure gauge.

 

[bogie1]

Thanks John

It looks to me like it's time to pull the cover back off. Either a gasket slipped and is covering an oil passage or the aftermarket timing chain cover is no good--can't be anything else. If I have enough oil pressure to turn the oil light off with the drill (it is spinning a lot faster than the starter motor) and i don't at idle then I have even marginal pressue with the drill. And yes I need to install an oil pressue gauge to see exactly whats up. When I get it fixed I will post so it will be logged for some other poor slug.


Thanks all,
Rich

 

[bogie1]

Does GM still make the stock timing chain cover? I think I would like now to use GM parts--the original lasted me 18 years with no trouble--I don't really care about the " High Volume anymore" I just want some volume.

 

[Red Regal T]

Originally posted by bogie1
packed vaseline between gears filled oil cooler line with oil and turned engine backwards till no more bubbles. .

I haven't done this for a while, but rather than having bubbles, while drilling counterclockwise, shouldn't the oil in the line be sucked in, thus, filling the pump gear cavity? Then you reattach the hose and adjust the drill to clockwise and prime the motor. Look into this. Maybe I'm wrong, can't remember exactly.

 

[turbofrank]

Good idea to purchase GM steel chain and cover that's what i
did.

 

[scottyb]

I also think that the cam sensor may not be fully engaged to the pump. Your oil light goes off when you run the drill, but won't when you crank the motor. I'll bet the awful noise is oil pump against the cam sensor incorrectly.

 

[gmpower6]

back off the oil filter a little then start your drill could have some air in there.

Sean.

 

[tc86gn]

you had oil pressure before. problem is definitely in pump or cover. I haven't done this in a year or so but I do not remember you mentioning measuring any clearances. like from gear to cover or in the gear cavity. have you checked any of this? Maybe Go back to the instructions and see if you may have missed something. I have always just packed the cavity w/vaseline and turned with a drill till I got 20 psi. which at that point you can hear the oil draining back into the pan. As red said. Oil Pressure gauge. just a 5 dollar special to hook up under the hood for this purpose would be worth it.

 

[n20junkie]

i know a guy that bought a new cover and the oil passage was not drilled correctly, and he ate the engine, it sucks when you get new parts and that happens, he took a dremmel to the passage and the thing works like a champ now, i bet thats it.
Grant

 

[Blown&Injected]

To directly answer some questions:

Yes the oil light will go out with just the starter moter. Even with dead crank bearings and a low battery my light goes out and gauge will show 20 psi.

Oil with drill but not with engine running sounds like it could only be, as mentioned, cam sensor not engauging the oil pump drive gear.

Also as mentioned, the drill will bog down as soon as the oil starts to flow - it will almost jerk the drill out of your hand when the oil pump begins to flow. If this is not happening, I would suspect that the pump gears are not properly fitted to the housing. I believe there sould be about .002 between the filter housing and the end/face of the gears - about the same for the tips of the teeth to the walls of the housing.

Look at the passages in the old housing and compare to the new for the casting problems that others mentioned.

BTW, I have never packed the gears with anything, nor have I filled the oil cooler line and back fill the pump - the drill will start to prime in about ten seconds. After the first prime it takes about two seconds to feel the drill bog down as the oil flows.

HTH