Priming An Oil Pump
Discussion
Help please...i did something very silly. 
I thought it would be a breaze to change the oil on my pre-serp Griff500, and wasnt.
I managed to allow the oil out of the pump and i cant get it primed.
Does anyone have experience of this problem as i am now pulling what few hairs i have left out
I thought it would be a breaze to change the oil on my pre-serp Griff500, and wasnt.
I managed to allow the oil out of the pump and i cant get it primed.
Does anyone have experience of this problem as i am now pulling what few hairs i have left out
Real Steel make a tool for this job.I personally always do it this way,then there are no mistakes.
Remove distributor(marking its position first)insert the tool onto the end of the pump shaft.Spin the pump and tool on the end of a electric drill and you can pressurise the system without any movement of the engine.You can tell when the pump is primed as the drill starts to load up as is pumps oil and the pressure increases.As an extra precaution,attatch a gauge to the oil switch or use the original in the vehicle if its reliable.
Refit Distributor.
Remove distributor(marking its position first)insert the tool onto the end of the pump shaft.Spin the pump and tool on the end of a electric drill and you can pressurise the system without any movement of the engine.You can tell when the pump is primed as the drill starts to load up as is pumps oil and the pressure increases.As an extra precaution,attatch a gauge to the oil switch or use the original in the vehicle if its reliable.
Refit Distributor.
Ok.....skinned my wrists and knuckles trying to turn the crank pulley to to line up timing marks.....whos silly idea was it to put the cat right in front of the pully, i couldn't get the wratchet drive on to it properly.
Dizzy out and spun the pump (clockwise) but could not get the oil pressure light to go out, and didnt feel any noticeable back pressure on drill.... so i guess its still not primed.
If i remove the oil filter and spin the pump would that remove the air vacuum and allow the pump to suck oil up from the sump? 
Dizzy out and spun the pump (clockwise) but could not get the oil pressure light to go out, and didnt feel any noticeable back pressure on drill.... so i guess its still not primed.
If i remove the oil filter and spin the pump would that remove the air vacuum and allow the pump to suck oil up from the sump? Spinning the pump without vaseline/grease inside doesn't work - the only way to build up pressure is to give the pump something to work with. We managed to remove the oil pump cover without damaging the gasket to pack it, but having a spare gasket to hand might be useful.
We had the filter on (and full of oil).
Priming's still possible without the proper priming tool - you need approx 10mm diameter bar in a drill, with a notch cut out of the end of the bar to match the dizzy connector-wotsit and someone inside the car as you spin it - from memory on mine the light went out, but there was barely a flicker on the pressure gauge. Its tricky doing it 'freehand' with a bar, but will work with patience (or maybe a bearing/tapered bush to locate the bar in the dizzy mounting hole, if you follow me) Enjoy
>> Edited by andy43 on Wednesday 22 September 20:06
We had the filter on (and full of oil).
Priming's still possible without the proper priming tool - you need approx 10mm diameter bar in a drill, with a notch cut out of the end of the bar to match the dizzy connector-wotsit and someone inside the car as you spin it - from memory on mine the light went out, but there was barely a flicker on the pressure gauge. Its tricky doing it 'freehand' with a bar, but will work with patience (or maybe a bearing/tapered bush to locate the bar in the dizzy mounting hole, if you follow me) Enjoy
>> Edited by andy43 on Wednesday 22 September 20:06
STOP Spinning the pump this will dry out and dammage the impellors (lack of oil comes to mind, take of the cover and pack it with vasoline, its not a big problem, the aid of the vasoline is to protect the pump and at the same time create a vacume. 
seriously depressed from Wiltshire..... Having tried all the other methods in the Bible and the kind suggestions here,I took the pump apart and packed it with Petrolium jelly and the pump will not prime.
We tried it twice, and both times it will squirt about an inch of PJ into the void above the oil filter and then nothing, i even tried it a third time with the filter off and got the same result.
What other causes could there be for the pump not picking up the oil?
Has anyone else ever had a pump do this to them?
When I did this it was on a fairly cold day over the Christmas period and the cold made the vaseline very solid,this in turn blocked the filter so that the pump couldnt prime properly as the oil couldnt move through the filter, once i'd changed the filter for a new one it primed ok.I also made sure that the entire pump space was filled with vaseline by dropping the driven cog/gear slightly so as to be able to fill in behind it then squeeze the cog back in and removing the excess with a clean rag.
Im not saying that this is the reason your's doesn't prime but it doesn't help once youve packed the pump 2 or 3 times with vaseline as it has to go through the filter.When you have the pump housing off next time have a look at your pressure relief valve and make sure its in its closed position and hasn't for some reason stuck open.
My guess is the filters blocked.
h
Im not saying that this is the reason your's doesn't prime but it doesn't help once youve packed the pump 2 or 3 times with vaseline as it has to go through the filter.When you have the pump housing off next time have a look at your pressure relief valve and make sure its in its closed position and hasn't for some reason stuck open.
My guess is the filters blocked.
h
Ok as long as the oil is on the max on the dip stick get a new filter fill this with oil to the top be patient it will take a few fills to fill the filter, screw it on, remove the side of the pump remove the impeller and pack it with bp totaly, make sure their are no pipes /fittings off etc, with the dizzy off and out using tool primer give it the berrys for around 2 mims should do it, re- fit dizzy and start car watch oil guage should be ok, if not stop engine.
remove sump your oil pick-up/strainer may be off.
Steve.............
remove sump your oil pick-up/strainer may be off. Steve.............
The filter is still clean and full of oil, as the PJ isnt being pushed through. i have spun the pump for 2mins with a drill to no effect..
I did have a sudden thought just now, that maybe the pressure relieve valve is stuck open, as even with the filter off after the first couple of turns of the pump there is absolutely nothing.
I did have a sudden thought just now, that maybe the pressure relieve valve is stuck open, as even with the filter off after the first couple of turns of the pump there is absolutely nothing.
I would be careful,if you have put a great deal of PJ in the engine/pump there is always a chance of blocking the oil ways.If you think the pressure relief valve is at all suspect,replace the whole unit.The pump body wears and the piston sticks!I have a friend who had something very similar happen to his 4.3,and ended up with no oil pressure.Fortunately the engine was at idle,and he switched the car off straight away and no damage occurred.It is a well known fault with the pre serp V8's.Worst case senario would be at a higher than idle engine speed and no pressure.Result=potential serious damage to mains and big ends.If you lived nearer,I would do it for you,I hate to see these things happen to any one.Mail me if you want to chat about it,I will gladly help you if I can.
>> Edited by mickypee on Sunday 26th September 14:07
>> Edited by mickypee on Sunday 26th September 14:07
Thanks all for your help and advise. it was greatly appreciated. 
We eventually succeeded.
We ended up stripping the pump housing cleaning all sensors and plugs and replacing with new seals, also discovered that at some time in its past someone bodged the pressure relief spring...
The spring was too short and they had put a loose grub screw on the end of it to make up the length (what they didnt realise is the spring was originally the right length, its shot and has lost its elasticity) so new spring in and the Tsunami is back on the road.
Only took two and a half days for an oil change! I think Penninsula can do it next time..lol
Once again for the help chaps
We eventually succeeded. We ended up stripping the pump housing cleaning all sensors and plugs and replacing with new seals, also discovered that at some time in its past someone bodged the pressure relief spring...
The spring was too short and they had put a loose grub screw on the end of it to make up the length (what they didnt realise is the spring was originally the right length, its shot and has lost its elasticity) so new spring in and the Tsunami is back on the road.
Only took two and a half days for an oil change! I think Penninsula can do it next time..lol
Once again for the help chaps
well it seems like this story has a happy ending.
There must be a recognised method of changing the oil without getting into these kind of problems....I find it difficult to believe that Peninsula and David Gerald's etc have to go through this palava every time they change oil.
It seems clear that you have to change the oil without allowing the oil to completely drain from the pump, and the pipe between the sump and the pump.
So is it best to first drain the oil from the sump (leaving the filter in at this stage), allowing it to drain for just a minute, then refill the engine, then remove and replace the filter very quickly with a pre-filled new filter.
The reason I say this is because it may be that if you remove the filter, and drain the engine at the same time, the air will be able to enter the pump from the filter connection thus allowing the oil to fall back from the pump into the sump. However, if you leave the filter on whilst the sump is draining, a vacuum will be created which will tend to prevent the pump from draining.
What dya think?
There must be a recognised method of changing the oil without getting into these kind of problems....I find it difficult to believe that Peninsula and David Gerald's etc have to go through this palava every time they change oil.
It seems clear that you have to change the oil without allowing the oil to completely drain from the pump, and the pipe between the sump and the pump.
So is it best to first drain the oil from the sump (leaving the filter in at this stage), allowing it to drain for just a minute, then refill the engine, then remove and replace the filter very quickly with a pre-filled new filter.
The reason I say this is because it may be that if you remove the filter, and drain the engine at the same time, the air will be able to enter the pump from the filter connection thus allowing the oil to fall back from the pump into the sump. However, if you leave the filter on whilst the sump is draining, a vacuum will be created which will tend to prevent the pump from draining.
What dya think?
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