454 losing oil pressure

[diesel4me]

I've seen clogged up return holes in the heads let oil pool up in the heads and the delay from it not returning to the pan fast enough starve the oil pump temporarily a few times...though in those cases,the engine smoked too,because the pooled up oil was getting sucked into the intake valve guides and burnt..

 

[sweetk30]

maybe time for a pan swap with one setup with trap doors to keep oil in the spots it needs it for the pump/pickup area .

as said by all the oil color and crap on the bottom of the pan will tell as will cutting open the filter and looking .

i just started to flatten a rod bearing in a built 400 sbc years ago and it had a fixed constant tick and even worse after 2k rpm . so your noise coming and going makes me also think pump / pickup tube related .

 

[skunked]

I've seen clogged up return holes in the heads let oil pool up in the heads and the delay from it not returning to the pan fast enough starve the oil pump temporarily a few times...though in those cases,the engine smoked too,because the pooled up oil was getting sucked into the intake valve guides and burnt..

I had the crank out and heads off a few years ago so I doubt it’s a clogged port. Engine doesn’t smoke or show any signs of burning oil.

 

[skunked]

I found a couple pics of the pump from the tear down and reassembly a few years ago.

 

[skunked]

6 out of the 7 holes on the filter housing were clogged with rubber and cork gasket material. The oil also had some rtv but no metal or glitter.

 

[skunked]

I wasn’t able to see the pickup with my camera so I stuck a dental pick up in there to poke around for anything loose. I thought I felt something move but I couldn’t replicate it. So I found a loose Allen wrench to poke around with and felt something metal slide on the bottom of the oil pan. I was able to drag it close to the oil hole and it appears to be the pickup.

so the question I have now, do I buy a new pump so this crap doesn’t happen again? I’ve noticed some pumps have a strap that’s suppose to support the tube. Some people tack the tube on as well.

 

[nvrenuf]

No matter what I’d get a new pump and pick up but still need to figure out what gasket (?) you found pieces of.

 

[sweetk30]

why all the rtv and gasket material ?

and if you cant see the pickup and had these problems and all the junk in the filter it could be plugged or almost plugged off .

all this to me = pull pan / check over / for piece of mind new meling std pump and a pickup tube and the bolt on clamp thingy or the tack weld option .

better to be safe than sorry .

 

[skunked]

No matter what I’d get a new pump and pick up but still need to figure out what gasket (?) you found pieces of.

with the pump screen not doing it’s job I’m not surprised the gasket material was found in the filter. I used a cork gasket on the pan and I think on the timing cover. Can’t remember what was used on the valve covers.

 

[skunked]

why all the rtv and gasket material ?

and if you cant see the pickup and had these problems and all the junk in the filter it could be plugged or almost plugged off .

all this to me = pull pan / check over / for piece of mind new meling std pump and a pickup tube and the bolt on clamp thingy or the tack weld option .

better to be safe than sorry .

pan is coming off obviously and I’ve made the decision to buy a new pump but I need to figure out which one. I see some that are welded but I need to measure my pan height.

 

[Bent77]

Yeah unsure of the debris. Did you put that pan on or the machine shop?

Either way, I tack weld the pickup with the MIG. Measuring work fine, I usually make it loose enough to barely twist. Bolt the pan down an let the pan move it. Bump it up 3/8" or so after

 

[Fastereddie]

I always run melling pumps. I set the pickup height by tape measure. Then I put a 3/8” tall blob of grease on the pickup and set the pan on to double check I have my gap. Then a nice mig kiss.

 

[Shawn]

Did you weld the oil pick up tube on the pump? I'm not seeing a weld on it. I lost an engine due to not welding my pick up tube on. All my tubes now welded on.

Edit - just noticed you mentioned its not welded. Get that tacked on!

 

[skunked]

Yeah unsure of the debris. Did you put that pan on or the machine shop?

Either way, I tack weld the pickup with the MIG. Measuring work fine, I usually make it loose enough to barely twist. Bolt the pan down an let the pan move it. Bump it up 3/8" or so after

the machine shop just fixed the crank snout and polished the crank. I installed new main and rod bearings and put the old pump and oil pan back on. Also got new head gaskets and a new timing chain in the process.

I just measured the pan and it appears to be a 8.75” pan. I’m a little concerned that a pump with a welded pickup may not be the 1/4”-1/2” clearance target.

 

[skunked]

Did you weld the oil pick up tube on the pump? I'm not seeing a weld on it. I lost an engine due to not welding my pick up tube on. All my tubes now welded on.

no I didn’t weld it.

 

[Wes Harden]

You need to install pick up tube, set the height to your pan, then tack the tube to pump. Weld it yourself.

 

[Bent77]

Guess I'm confused how the oil pan became the dumpster

The pickup part if self explainitory

Check #3 or 4 main, and #5 or 6 rod. See how they look

 

[Shawn]

You can press the tube in a little so it still turns with some force, then use the pan and 1/4 drill bit taped to bottom of the pan to set oil pickup clearance. THen mark it, then weld it off/on the engine.

 

[max 02]

Quite something!

Nice on the no glitter.
Now I want to hear about the pump choice and pick up fix.

I know Martin used a Melling high volume pump on his 396 , says it pins the gauge... not sure if that’s good or not?

I guess if the seals are good I would be happy with that.

 

[Wes Harden]

regular Melling is the way to go. high volume pumps can blow the oil filter, and are for rpm motors, not our torque thumpers.