help needed with oil pump

[dangeeeeerousss]

hi all
ive tried priming the oil pump by taking the plugs out and spinning the engine over after 2-3 mins no joy the oil is just aboive the low mark does it need to be full to work
its all the oil i had and with it being sat outside at the minute i didnt want it to seize up
can anyone help
plz
cheers

[5000SE]

hi all
ive tried priming the oil pump by taking the plugs out and spinning the engine over after 2-3 mins no joy the oil is just aboive the low mark does it need to be full to work
its all the oil i had and with it being sat outside at the minute i didnt want it to seize up
can anyone help
plz
cheers

Have you just rebuilt your engine? If so, I think you'll find that you need to pack the pump with vaseline when you assemble it to make sure it will prime, or have a priming tool to stick down the dizzy drive and spin the pump up. Don't just keep spinning the engine over unless you want to rebuild it again, because all that metal on metal will be running dry!

[JP.]

There's a quite simple trick that does the job within a minute.
Just trie and see:

Just overfill your engine with about two litres of fresh engine oil above maximum on your dipstick. With this the oil level gets above the oilpump.

Now prime your engine without an oilfilter fitted and when the oil is getting out of the oilfilter housing your oil pump is primed and air free.

Release the extra amount of oil, fit an oilfilter and prime your engine again till oilpresure is on your gauge.

Job done

This trick works for years now..

[dangeeeeerousss]

There's a quite simple trick that does the job within a minute.
Just trie and see:

Just overfill your engine with about two litres of fresh engine oil above maximum on your dipstick. With this the oil level gets above the oilpump.

Now prime your engine without an oilfilter fitted and when the oil is getting out of the oilfilter housing your oil pump is primed and air free.

Release the extra amount of oil, fit an oilfilter and prime your engine again till oilpresure is on your gauge.

Job done

This trick works for years now..

thanks jp ill give that a try

no ive not rebuilt the engine.
all ive done is stripped the rocker covers off and the sump and cleaned the engine

[dangeeeeerousss]

hi jp
is that with or without the plugs in ive just tried it with no joy.
i also put a bit down each barrel to lubricate them a bit.

when i got the engine it was running and had good oil pressure.
it was then drained and flushed and has stood for 9 months outside but i have been turning it over by hand every other day
any ideas?

[davemgb]

If you search back through the archves of this site there really is no substitute for priming the oil pump by turning the oil pump directly at speed as 5000SE suggests.

Over filling the sump just wastes oil and persistantly running the start risks ruining the bearings and starter. Make, buy or borrow a pump priming tool and use a decent power drill to get the oil pressure up then try starting the engine.

Dave

[tetlow]

I made a primer tool

Old large flat screwdriver, cut off handle. Push blade up a piece of thick hose leaving tip 10mm inside of end of hose. Spin with lecky drill.

Worked for me.

Dave

PS Don't forget to take off the Dizzy first

[Ian Anderson]

I;ll second that

We battled for 2 weeks trying vaseline and everyhting

Finally bought the tool from real steel about £10 and 30 seconds on the drill, had pressure

Beg borrow steal a priming tool and get the drill on it

You will not regret it

Ian

[sidecar]

I'll third that!

I think that cranking the motor with no oil pressure is not a good idea even if the spark plugs are removed. The crank is quite a lump to be spinning around on soft white metal bearings with no oil between the bearing and the crank. I can't see the bearing taking that sort of abuse for long before it "picks up"

The priming tool works a treat!

All JMHO.

Pete

[Paul B]

I'll third that!

I think that cranking the motor with no oil pressure is not a good idea even if the spark plugs are removed. The crank is quite a lump to be spinning around on soft white metal bearings with no oil between the bearing and the crank. I can't see the bearing taking that sort of abuse for long before it "picks up"

The priming tool works a treat!

All JMHO.

Pete

I tried the vaseline trick, after my motor had stood for a couple of years, but it still didn't pressure up cranking on the starter, so I pulled the two plugs/fittings out of the pump and squirted a goodly shot of engine oil down each one, then fired the motor up, and pressure was there instantly.

The problem with the Rover oil pump is that it is above the oil level, and if worn it does not seal well enough to suck hard enough to pull oil up the couple of inches necessary to wet itself.