Unable to prime oil pump 3.9 litre V8

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Originally Posted by Richard Kaye

I removed the timing case cover this morning. The gasket doesn't have the extra hole but neither did the block???

It's a 3.9 engine code is 38D, I think that means it's the serpentine belt motor with the crank driven oil pump. When I put the motor in originally about 2 years ago, I used the 3.9 block but everything else, including timing case cover and oil pump, were taken off the 3.5 and bolted to the 3.9. The provision for the extra hole for the oil pump is in the timing case cover, but no corresponding hole in the block.

Don't understand why it got oil pressure straight away last time I put it in, now I can't get anything.

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Hole is in the cover because the pump is on the cover, later cover doesn't have provision for the pump.

Should there be a passage in the block Attachment 181393corresponding to the hole in the gasket (green hole in the picture)

Attachment 181394

I have had a look at the oil pump and measured the clearance between the gears and oil pump with some plastigauge. The measurement came to 2.5-3.0 thou.
Also ordered the correct timing case cover gasket. Checked the pickup to make sure it wasn't blocked, and the passage in the timing case cover from where the pickup runs into the oil pump. I will come up with a method to check the output from the oil pump to the block oil galleries to make sure there is no obstruction in there.

Ended up putting a new timing case cover gasket and put the sump and oil pickup back on. I filled the oil pump with Vaseline (again) and filled the oil filter with oil. Got the 240-volt drill onto the oil pump drive. Took about 5 seconds to get oil pressure, left drill going for about 2 minutes.

I don't know what changed, the timing case cover gasket I put on had the same holes as the one I took off. I think I may have had an air leak where the oil pickup bolts to the block.

Probably never know why.

Glad to see you resolved the issue.
Nothing worse than faffing about without getting a solution.

Got the Range Rover started this morning, instant oil pressure as it was cranking. Now to tune it, went from 8.13:1 compression to 9.8:1 compression (That was the point of the whole exercise). I have a BLOS LPG mixer and a CB Blackbox programable ignition with 411 boxes to be filled with timing figures for rpm vs intake vacuum.