Oil pressure..

[swervin]

Just finished rebuilding the top end on my 1990 gmc k2500 with a 5.7 tbi, after reassembling almost everything I wanted to make sure I was getting oil everywhere so I removed a valve cover and tried cranking it with the fuel pump relay unplugged and the main spark plug wire to the distributor from the condenser and watched to see if oil would come up the pushrods.. I cranked it for atleast a few minutes and nothing came up.. I forgot to check the oil pressure gauge though. Would knowing if the gauge read something help to diagnose this or is the problem already obvious

 

[Supercharged111]

Just finished rebuilding the top end on my 1990 gmc k2500 with a 5.7 tbi, after reassembling almost everything I wanted to make sure I was getting oil everywhere so I removed a valve cover and tried cranking it with the fuel pump relay unplugged and the main spark plug wire to the distributor from the condenser and watched to see if oil would come up the pushrods.. I cranked it for atleast a few minutes and nothing came up.. I forgot to check the oil pressure gauge though. Would knowing if the gauge read something help to diagnose this or is the problem already obvious

It won't crank fast enough to pump oil out the top. You either need to prime the pump for that or just fire it up, sometimes they take a minute or 2 to get going.

 

[Schurkey]

I hope you remembered to lube the rocker arms, pushrod ends, and valve tips before grinding away on the starter.

Start the engine with the valve cover bolts out. When the engine is running, lift off the cover. If you get sprayed with oil from all eight pushrods...you're all set. Repeat on the other side.

Yeah, it can take awhile even with the engine running.

 

[97C1500TJ]

Cold weather can also thicken the oil. Doubt that’s it though.

 

[Supercharged111]

I hope you remembered to lube the rocker arms, pushrod ends, and valve tips before grinding away on the starter.

Start the engine with the valve cover bolts out. When the engine is running, lift off the cover. If you get sprayed with oil from all eight pushrods...you're all set. Repeat on the other side.

Yeah, it can take awhile even with the engine running.

Last time I went through this I tried priming to no avail with an old gutted distributor. I'd lubed everything with this camel snot before I got stuff moving.

https://www.amazon.com/Brad-Penn-Oil-571-7105-Assembly/dp/B009M1KDNC

Took a minute or so for a few straggler pushrods to move oil. I've built a number of engines with this stuff and never had an issue with a dry start.

 

[swervin]

It won't crank fast enough to pump oil out the top. You either need to prime the pump for that or just fire it up, sometimes they take a minute or 2 to get going.

Ok, makes sense thanks! How would I go about priming the pump? Is that what chopping up an old distributor to get it on a drill does? If so is that not the same as just cranking it or is the point of that to spin in faster with the drill then cranking it would?

 

[swervin]

I hope you remembered to lube the rocker arms, pushrod ends, and valve tips before grinding away on the starter.

Start the engine with the valve cover bolts out. When the engine is running, lift off the cover. If you get sprayed with oil from all eight pushrods...you're all set. Repeat on the other side.

Yeah, it can take awhile even with the engine running.

Yes, I used assembly lube on all of those components. How long should I run it without the possibility of oil spraying up before damage can occur?

 

[swervin]

Cold weather can also thicken the oil. Doubt that’s it though.

That's true didnt really think about that, idk if that would be a reason for no oil flow but that could deffinatly slow it down, thanks

 

[Supercharged111]

Ok, makes sense thanks! How would I go about priming the pump? Is that what chopping up an old distributor to get it on a drill does? If so is that not the same as just cranking it or is the point of that to spin in faster with the drill then cranking it would?

They make 2 kinds of priming tools: the one I bought then returned because it didn't seal off the distributor area so didn't build pressure and the kind that does, hence the borrowing of an old, gutted distributor. If they don't come along after a minute or 2 then I'd be concerned.

 

[swervin]

Just in case not everyones reading the replies.. how long can I run the motor with out oil before doing major damage? I was hoping to try this out today if possible. Last time I started the truck was probably around 2 years ago (if that makes any difference), been a long time coming... and I've also applied assembly lube to the lifters, pushrod tips, rockers, ect.. and before I reassembled everything I poured most of the motor oil over the heads trying cover the rockers, valve springs ect..