no oil pressure

[Hans Efde]

Dear all,
My engine is ready to rock and roll, but I am not getting oil pressure. It has been out of the car for a new diff. I have installed a new oil filter with oil in it. New oil in the engine as well. I am turning it over on the starter motor with the ignition disconnected. But after 2x 30 seconds still nothing.
Can you give me a few quick tips to check or do?
Cheers, Hans

[Stuart]

I had the same problem. I solved it by removing the oil sensor and then turning the engine over with the plugs out until oil was seen spraying out of the open hole.

[rocketron]

Dear Hans. Had this problem several times, the last was an engine which had been standing idle for several years. I took out the pressure relief valve, spring and bucket, squirted at least a cupful of engine oil down the hole. Then rotated the engine backwards a couple of turns, put more oil down the hole and then spun the engine over, with the spark plugs out, on the starter motor until oil came out of the uncovered pressure relief hole. The bucket, spring and cap were replaced, assuming all's well with them, then engine spun over until oil pressure was seen. Replace spark plugs and then "Bingo": job sorted. The last thing to do is thrash it for being naughty!
Question? Had you forgotten to prime/load up the oil pump before fitting because you're not allowed to do that........ that's my trick!
Regards, Ron.

[Hans Efde]

Well, I got my engine working! Don't know what actualy cured it. I did not want to remove the oil pressure sensor (ala Stuart's advice) because on my car that's a big christmas tree which also supplies oil to the turbo and the pressure gauge in the cabin.
I did remove the sparkplugs. I did not know what the reason for that was, but now I know it's because then the engine can spin around without the bearings being loaded. And oh boy it spins like a sewing machine.
Then I checked the oil pressure regulator, removed it, put some oil in the hole, rotated the engine backwards. Then spin the engine on the starter, but no oil spitting out.
I then closed everything up and disconnected the oil thermostat. Usually a copper tube runs in front of the engine for the oil filter housing to the oil adaptor plug. But on my car I have replaced it with hoses that run to an oil thermostat, which can direct hot oil to the oil cooler in the bumper.
I disconnected a hose and poored some oil in. A few air bubbles and then the thermostat was filled. I spun the engine with the idea the oil would get sucked into the engine. But it turns out the oil flow runs the other way (from the adaptor point towards the oil filter) because it started vomitting oil out of the hose. So every installed and I got oil pressure!
At least I got that working, but now the disturbing thought is that I have fitted my oil thermostat with the inlet and outlet switched. Until now it worked and my engine oil stays around 75 degrees, so I intend to keep it this way because there is plenty of other things to do. Like solving a few water leaks!