Blocked V8 oil gallery.

[SLloyd]

I am in the process of restarting an engine that has been idle for a while. It cranks over easily and i am now ensuring that oil is getting to everything before i add fuel and try to get it to run. When cranking their was no oil appearing under the rocker covers so i have gone hunting.
What i have found.

oil filter was dry (now filled as much as possible before reinstalling)
oil galleries come out into the right hand rocker cover through the first and fourth post that supports the rocker shaft.(only undone the right at present)
compressed air blown through the front hole comes out the oil filter threaded connection, air will not blow through the rear hole.
A wire passed down the front hole travells about a foot. down the rear hole it travells about 8cm and feel like it hits steel.
I have injected about 200ml of oil down the front galley in the hope of filling the filter further and/or hopefully priming the pump.

my questions to the collective knowledge are.

should air blow easily through the rear gallery?
is what i am hitting with the wire just a sharp bend in the gallery?
is their anything more i can do to prime the oil pump?
how much oil should i see coming into the rocker cover when cranking the engine?
If the rear gallery is blocked how do i clear it out?

Thankyou in the antisipation of being educated by those in the know.

[p38arover]

is their anything more i can do to prime the oil pump.

The usual recommendation is to pack the oil pump with vaseline to ensure a good prime. Yes, I know it sounds odd, but that's correct.

Ron

[LRHybrid100]

as far as I am aware the pump has not been taken off?

I saw the vehicle run about 4 years ago and had been laid up since, would this allow the oil to no prime?

LRH

[rangieman]

another method if its a rover engine is to remove the distributer and get a old long screw driver cut it of near the handle

the piece you cut off you place in a drill then put in down the hole in which the dizzy came out of there is a slotted rod which drivers the dizzy from the oil pump

just turn the drill on a varible drill is best start off slow you can even turn ignition on and get some one to watch for the oil light to go out

[PhilipA]

Each head has only one oil hole and they are interchangeable so one is at the front (The RH ie Australian drivers side ) and the other is at the rear.
The pedestals ditto. The holes meet the main bearing oil gallery at right angles so a wire will stop there even if you have the correct pedestal.

The oil pump needs priming so completely fill it with vaseline, before starting. maybe fill the filter about half full with oil also, too much and it spills.
very little oil will ber in the Rocker cover when cranking. If the bushes in the roickers are good there will not be much oil about as they are pressurised so only enough should leak out to lubricate the pushrod socket..
Regards Philip A

[p38arover]

as far as I am aware the pump has not been taken off?

I saw the vehicle run about 4 years ago and had been laid up since, would this allow the oil to no prime?

Apparently, yes. I recall the recommendation was to not drain the sump and the oil filter at the same time if you wanted the pump to stay primed.

Rom

[SLloyd]

Thanks all. I will fill the pump with vasoline and i might even give the screwdriver job a go, that sounds like a very safe way to ensure pressure is up before starting. For the record i have had the sump and filter off at the same time for a few months.
Thanks again.

[DEFENDERZOOK]

its obvious you have the the rocker cover off......
just pour some oil over everything that moves under there.....then refit the cover and start the engine......
cranking speed is not enough to prime the pump........


PS.....make sure there is oil in the sump.......

[LandyAndy]

Another think I would do is remove all the spark plugs and wind the motor over several times to ensure oil pressure is happening on the dash light/gauge.
Dont over do the starter motor cranking,just several short blasts to ensure you dont overheat it.
Andrew

[loanrangie]

The usual recommendation is to pack the oil pump with vaseline to ensure a good prime. Yes, I know it sounds odd, but that's correct.

Ron

This the best way to prime the oil pump and will work every time, if it hasnt been sarted for a while then oil will drain from the pump and galleries.

[loanrangie]

Thanks all. I will fill the pump with vasoline and i might even give the screwdriver job a go, that sounds like a very safe way to ensure pressure is up before starting. For the record i have had the sump and filter off at the same time for a few months.
Thanks again.

Dont bother trying to use the screwdriver to prime if you fill the pump with vaseline, just pour oil over the rocker gear and start, you will know within a minute if it primes, engine will go quiet (hopefully).

[rangieman]

hey beleave me the screw driver thing works and your not turning the motor over to stuff bearings which will be dry or the bore which will all so be dry

hey presto instant oil pressure

[loanrangie]

It will work with oil, but not when you are trying to prime using vaseline.
I have used vas twice and it primes within 10-15 seconds after starting.

[rangieman]

it will work with vas and oil and as i said before you are not turning the motor over and this is the most important part after rebuilding a motor the first 10 seconds
no oil = a ****ed motor in no time

so if you can get oil to all the important parts berfore it fires or turns over you are a lot better off

[DMG]

Its been my experiece that a new oil pump cover gasket and pack the pump with vas is the best fix. The gaskets seem to go and allow the oil to drain back to sump. This is a good hit if your lifters are unexpectantly noisy also. Aeriated oil. Good luck.

Dave