Oil PSI help

[Savage_Messiah]

1) freshly rebuilt engine, but sat for a year-ish

2) no oil PSI through electrical gauge or mechanical - but didn't leave the car running long since I'm not sure if that would do anything in terms of building up pressure or w/e.

What's a recommnded course of action?

[LTb1ow]

Did you prime the engine first?

Is the oil drive shaft installed?

What motor is it anyway?

[Savage_Messiah]

3.8 v6


engine was put together by a machine shop. Not sure what's involved in priming it.....?

[chrisfrom nj]

you have a bad oil pump

[Tru2Chevy]

Not sure how to prime the SII 3.8....on a SBC they make a tool that you stick down the distributor hole that you attach to your drill to manually spin the oil pump and pressurize the motor before your first start. Not sure if there is something you can do for the 3.8 that's the same.

How long did you let it run for? Even on a fresh rebuild I would think that you should see pressure on a mechanical gauge in less than 10 seconds if everything is in good working order.

- Justin

[LTb1ow]

Or you can tap in a pressure container to force oil through the engine.

[Savage_Messiah]

Or you can tap in a pressure container to force oil through the engine.

elaborate please?

[LTb1ow]

Well like on an LT1, you can either tap into the oil pressure fitting or the plug on the side of the block, and you use like a tank that you fill with oil and pressurize. Not really sure the technical name for it, but you use it to fill the oil galleys, bearings, pump etc, before starting the motor.

[sweetbmxrider]

yes you fill the container with some oil and pressurize it with compressed air. you release a lever forcing oil through the motor. this way you don't worry about a dry start. could have a pump/pickup issue.