mudman Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 I recently rebuilt my EA-71. After reinstalling the engine, it cranked right up, and boy does it sound great. I put plenty STP Oil lube on the bearings and cyl walls during rebuild. I put in a new Oil pump. Well I ran it for about 10 minuites, but I have no oil pressure. I ran a direct line from the oil pump to the gauge, so there is no sending unit. The gauge is new and the oil pump is new. Anyway, zero on the oil pressure. I did not prime the oil pump, but there is oil in the filter. I ran the engine for 10 minuites as I said, mostly at Idle, but only brought it up to about 3500 RPM for a minuite, hoping that this would get some oil moving. I hear no noise from the engine, and it sounds super smooth. Why don't I have pressure? Should I try and prime the pump? How do you prime the pump anyway? I know on 350's you take off the distributer and run a rod all the way down to the oil pump, is it the same for a subaru? If so, is this rod available at any auto parts store? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihscout54 Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 I dont think that method will work here. The oil pump is derectly driven by the cam. Where as what you are thinking of the oil pump is driven by the distributor. You probably should have turned it by hand with the spark plugs out first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihscout54 Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 Is the line to the gauge clear? Some cheap gauges have clear hoses. Can you see oil in the line? Im thinking gauge issue. But Ide aviod running it till its solved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudman Posted November 17, 2008 Author Share Posted November 17, 2008 The line is a clear plastic line. There is some oil in the line with air pockets. Is it supposed to have air, or oil in the line? I also spoke with a guy at the local auto parts sotre just a few minuites ago. He told me to take the oil pump off, submerge it in oil and spin it both ways until it is primed. He said that it you don't do that, the pump will always have an air pocket in it and will not pump. It this true, or will the oil pump on a subaru suck up the oil and prime itself? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihscout54 Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 While the engine is running the bubbles in that line should bleed away. Ive heard of submerging a pump in oil befor but check your manual because I dont think it says anything about that. An old-timer recently told me something about packing with petrolium jelly first.... You sure that gauge is good? Harbour Frieght Wal-Mart Autozone.... I got a bad temp gauge once. There is zero sign of life? Is the guage new? Any leaks? -Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subiemech85 Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 from the reading, you did not state that you put oil in the engine...... check the dipstick remove gauge from line, and remove filler cap from fill tube, put line into fill tube and run engine, check for FLOW ALSO, what is the oil viscosity and ambient temp?? frozen tar will not pump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihscout54 Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 Thats what I was getting at but was avoiding any mention of running it. Im hoping that fillen er up with oil was a given. If not you might be able to prime the system by sucking on that clear line till you get a mouth full. mmm non-detergent -Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudman Posted November 17, 2008 Author Share Posted November 17, 2008 Oh, of course I put oil in the engine. I'll try and remove the line from the gauge and see if oil is flowing through it though. I put in 10W30. I live in Louisiana, and when I ran it yesterday, it was about 60 degrees out. I did notice a small leak near the rear engine seal, but it's just a drip and only when the engine is running. I don't think that the leak has anything to do with pressure, or the oil pump, since the timing gears just pickup oil from the pan. I'm going to try and manually prime the pump (which I did not think was necessary) and then use a professional oil pressure test gauge. I hope that this will tell me I have a serious problem or not. I've heard about the grease, or petroleum jelly in the pump, but I believe that it is a very bad idea. Once grease gets hot, it will turn into oil anyway. But when its cold, its back to grease. I don't see how putting grease in an engine is a good idea, especiall after I just cleaned all kind of crud from the inside of it. That stuff will stick to everything ,and change the oil viscosity. Wouldn't the grease plug up holes and tubes that the oil is supposed to go through until it gets hot enough to liquify, maybe even clog up the oil filter? This may cause a starvation of oil to one or more critical places, like inside of the pushrods, crank bearings, etc. I HAVE heard of it, but sorry, I just don't trust the idea. It MAY work, but I don't want to take the risk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zyewdall Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 Even if the guage is bad, if you take it off of the clear line, oil should start pumping out of it (ask me how I know ) If it doesn't... very odd. I've never had to prime the oil pump on a subaru, but then again, I've only replaced one once. I just dunked it in oil before installing it -- and the assembly lube should be the same as that, I would think? Z Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudman Posted November 17, 2008 Author Share Posted November 17, 2008 I didn't even dunk mine. Maybe that's my problem. If you take the line off of the oil gauge, you're correct, there should be 57 lbs of pressure behind that oil. Should shoot out pretty good!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihscout54 Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 I never said I liked the idea either, It was something I heard recently and it made me think there must be a better way. But this discussion reminded me of what I had heard. Im am rebuilding a motor too so youre experiance kinda caught me eye. Let us know what happend -Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudman Posted November 17, 2008 Author Share Posted November 17, 2008 Yeah IHscout54, Oldtimers have all kinds of things that they say will work, but most of them are quick fixes and not exactly the correct way per say. A guy over here told me about the petroleum jelly thing, but I just kept on telling him that he's crazy. Well he kept on telling me that I'm crazy and that they did that sort of thing all of the time. We wnt back and forth forever about it. Probably does work, but I cant imagine even thinking about trying it. I'm just stubborn though and won't try unorthodox methods. I feel safer that way. The wife tells me that dryer sheets will keep gnats off of you, but I won't even try that.: Good luck with you rebuild. The guys over at CCR Engines gave me alot of helpful advice, along with everyone on this forum. Thank God for ultimatesubaru. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihscout54 Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 Have you ever heard the egg in the radiator trick.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudman Posted November 17, 2008 Author Share Posted November 17, 2008 Well, I've got Oil pressure. Maybe too much. I pulled the line from the gauge and when I started it, nothing came out. I took it off of the oil pump and tried to blow through it, but I could not. I put the air compressor on the line and it still wouldn't go through. When I took apart all of the fittings, I found a bunch of gunk in there(I dont know how it got there) Wen I cleared the line the oil pressure reads 60 psi @ 1000 rpm and 65 psi at 2500 rpm. Maybe this will go down as the engine breaks in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihscout54 Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 It will go down once it warms up all the way to opereting temp and then some. Give it a good break in run. At least its solved -Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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