FE Oil Pump Priming

[RSOHC]

The Melling M-57 pump is standard volume and standard pressure.   It comes without a pick up tube.  So I used supplied by the rebuild shop.  Do I need a different pickup tube?

[KR Convertible]

It depends what pick up tube they gave you.  When I install new parts, I break off a piece of my clay bar for paint, and put a piece about 1/2" thick on my pick up.  I install the pan without a gasket and make sure there is at least 1/4" between the bottom of the pan and the pick up.  That should give you about 3/8" with the gasket.

[RSOHC]

Is Melling 57-S1 the correct pickup for my application?  This part appears to be bolted in place.  How is the clearance between the pan and oil pickup changed if it is not correct?

[RSOHC]

I am using a full length factory style wiindage tray.  One pan gasket goes on each side of the windage tray.

[KR Convertible]

It appears to be correct.  The extra gasket and windage tray will give you a little extra clearance between the pan and pick up but shouldn't be a problem.

I assume you are using a drill to spin the pump?  It will have a little resistance before it's primed and then you will feel much more resistance once you build oil pressure.  I don't use the gauge until it's running.

Adding a couple more quarts of oil won't hurt as an experiment.  5 total sounds a little light.   

[pbf777]

Is there an easier way of getting the oil pump primed than to go through the process of removing the oil pan since the engine is in the car?   

      If........ you assembled the pump dry, and for some reason          if filling the oil pan to the appropriate capacity the pump fails to flood upon an engine priming effort         and  you needed to prime the pump, one can remove the oil filter adapter on the side of the block (FE) and squirt some oil in the lower-rear most of the two oil gallery holes visible.  Fill the pathway, then turn the pump (by hand please!) clockwise or backwards a turn or two, and then fill the gallery again, reassemble adapter to block (four bolts and a gasket), now rotate in a counterclockwise direction (by hand, please!), myself preferring a "speed-handle", and shortly you should feel the turning resistance increase notably as pressure is had, don't care what the gauge says!     

      Scott.

[gt350bp]

Good tip!

[KR Convertible]

No it isn't possible. It's only possible if the pickup is blocked. Stop making up stories.

Found this TSB from Hasting Filters about something that's not possible, that I made up.  Maybe you should go argue with Randy some more about drag racing Shelbys.   

http://www.hastingsfilter.com/Literature/TSB/93-1R1.pdf

[pbf777]

      Obviously, any time a scenario of a typical mechanical pump which would be "dry", that is without a fluid medium providing for the sealing of clearances of the mechanical components this aiding in accomplishing the pressure differential across the pump attempting to create the pressure reduction in order to draw, in this example oil, the capability will be greatly reduced and can lead to a failure to "prime" and an inability to pump. 

      And this I feel confident in this case of the FE engine (although not uncommon with others) is one reason the engineers placed the oil pump in the pan's sump, generally submerged in the fluid medium, and this permitting a shorter distance in the requirement of the P.U. tube both in length and vertical depth differential from the pump inlet this aiding in reducing the suction pressure requirement by the pump, and generally given a time element, the flooding of the pump even before any attempt at truly pumping anything as the fluid seeks its' own level throughout as there general presents no great resistance to the escape of the air upward and outward into the crankcase, or even the fact that the pump is not a sealed unit its' self.  But yes, the head pressure is not great from this alone so at times one is going to realize that entrapped air, which I would consider most likely in the case of the FE, that which fails to pass completely thru the filter assembly, as if attached "empty", then this presents a rather large volume to displace, and the "anti-drain-back" valving intention within is probably the greatest culprit in the difficulty this perhaps with an oil sum standing vertically higher with gravity providing sealing pressure.  Note that filling the new to be installed oil filter with at least "some" oil is in my opinion always a good practice, but it is located after the pump, so this is not proving any kind of priming value to the pump, at least in this (FE) installation where the filter is mounted vertically, canister down, therefor oil is not going to drain from this created reservoir volume back into the pump, and the instructional statements made in the TSB from Hastings would be somewhat universal in nature.

     Scott.

[RSOHC]

I need some clarification on the clearance between my oil pan and oil pickup being is 0.75 inches.  This is greater than 1/4 to 3/8 inch. 
What is done done during engine building to change this measurement into spec and do I need to remove the pan to make this adjustment?

[RSOHC]

I filled the oil filter to about 7/8 full when installing the oil filter.

[pbf777]

I need some clarification on the clearance between my oil pan and oil pickup being is 0.75 inches.  This is greater than 1/4 to 3/8 inch. 
What is done done during engine building to change this measurement into spec and do I need to remove the pan to make this adjustment?

     In testing we have done, setting the typical P.U. at less than say, 1/2" begins to effect the feed possibilities to the pump, and the only reason for concern for greater clearance distances is whether the P.U. tube entrance would become uncovered above the oil level in the sump, this either due to high G-forces under acceleration, deceleration, turning or perhaps just pumping the pan dry, for what ever reason these would be somewhat extreme instances for the typical uses applied to these "classic" types of cars.   

     Scott.

[jwtdvm]

I have personally never had trouble getting oil pressure up with a new/dry oil pump in an FE--worked on a mopar set up once and had to pack that pump with grease to get it to prime. I too would not worry about gauge---pull valve cover and spin pump counter clockwise---a drill is quicker but be prepared for a flood of oil on the top end---if no oil then squiting oil back down the oil filter/block holes sounds like a good idea.

[GOAT12]

Are you certain that the oil pump drive has not fallen into the pan, I have seen numerous factory style oil pump drive shafts stick in the distributor shaft and lift as the distributor is removed, then dislodge from the distributor and fall off the the side and into the pan.

[JWH]

RSOHC - in your first post, you mention you are using a modified distributor tool to spin the pump and prime. To me, it is very, very unlikely that there is a problem with the pump itself. And if the dip stick shows oil up to the full line, you should have enough oil in the pan for the pick-up to be submerged. I would check the modified tool you are using to make certain it is seating in the pump and actually spinning the pump. That would be the first thing I would suspect. How much resistance is there when you are spinning the tool to prime? There should be a noticeable amount of resistance after your initial one or two revolutions and then there will be very noticeable resistance by the third of fourth revolution (if turning with a hand tool, you will definitely be putting some muscle into it to spin the pump). If the modified tool is "free spinning," something is not right with the tool.