318 no oil pressure

[mikeandanne]

Josh, before you spend more money on changing the lifters, make sure that is the problem first, it may not be. Take the intake off and check the diameter of the lifter bores and compare to the diameter of the lifters you installed.

Post the results of your measurements, this needs to be fairly exact, so dial/digital calipers or micrometer only in thousanths. Sorry man but this is THE only way to be sure what is what.

The lifters can be ordered in oversize ranges as the clearance is critical for oil control. Please double check all this as I am going by memory here.

Also because Mopar uses a rocker shaft , the only adjustment for the lifter compression is the pushrod, the length is critical to get the right lifter compression.
Engines are engines, good luck man.

[mpjosh2001]

Are you raw water cooled or do you have coolant ?

Its raw water cooled.

[Tight Fittn]

First off I'm not a mopar guy, the 318 in my Trojan is my entrance into the mopar world. However, I have experienced this very issue with a small block Ford. The symptoms were exactly the same as yours, oil present in all galleys and bearings however no pressure. The cause ended up being an oil galley plug that wasn't set correctly and let loose on initial startup. I have no idea were Chrysler put there oil galley plugs but that's what I would look for.
Keep us posted.

[mrjake56]

Small block Chryslers have a “hidden” oil galley plug at the back end of the left bank oil galley that feeds the lifters. On the rear of the block, where you might expect the galley plug to be, is a large threaded plug. If you remove the distributor and look in the hole where the large was removed you should see a smaller plug in the end of the oil galley that gets installed from the rear before the large plug is installed. I have seen Ford and Chevy guys leave this plug out and the same problem you describe. It should not be an issue unless you tore the engine completely down and sent the engine block to be cleaned. I’m not sure if you can see the plug by looking in the distributor hole or if the intake manifold woul need to be removed.

[mpjosh2001]

So, I ended up having to do a complete rebuild. When I was pulling the engine apart one of the main caps came off in 2 pieces. Instead of spending hundreds in a new set of caps and cost to machine, I was able to find a newer block that had low miles. I refused my cam for the reverse rotation.

I still dont have oil pressure except when I'm priming with a drill. I get 25 psi. I have the melling hv pump in it. Consensus seems to be that the shaft might not be long enough to drive the pump. I put some light paint on the end of the shaft and it appears there is contact. Is it possible that the engine just isnt going to work with an hv pump? Is there an extended length shaft I can get and try that? I cant seem to find a marine extended length shaft. Thanks guys. I really appreciate it.

[prowlersfish]

Do you have the stock distributor ? I believe the RH is different or uses a spacer . Also maybe a different drive . I will do some checking or remember after some coffee .

[mpjosh2001]

Using the same distributor that was on it when I got the boat. It worked fine then.

[mpjosh2001]

Decided to pull the engine tomorrow amd change back to a stock pump. There is nothing else that it could be. I've asked 3 mechanics and they cant come up with anything but that.

[prowlersfish]

Do you have this below your distributor ? it keeps the dive gear from rising on a RH turn engine .

IMG_5580.JPG (79.01 KiB) Viewed 9232 times

I assume you have had it running ? As cranking speeds may not read pressure . The drill can spin the pump faster .

[mpjosh2001]

I do have that collar. It's in place. I swapped the pump today. Used a cordless drill and spun the pump at a low speed and still got atleast 20 psi. I started the engine and let it run for a about 30 seconds and got no pressure. Maybe I just need to let it run a bit longer. I dont know what else to do the than try a new shaft.

[mpjosh2001]

Do you happen to know the pn for the shaft? I cant seem to find one anywhere. Maybe I'm just doing the wrong search.

[prowlersfish]

Beacon marine

[mikeandanne]

Check the gear on the intermediate shaft...... seems to me there was a roll pin.....perhaps the pin is broken.

[mpjosh2001]

The standard rotation shaft has a pin. This one seems to be pressed on. I placed it in a voice and attempted to turn the shaft with a wrench. It didnt move. I'm wondering I'd I just need to let it run a skotch longer. I'm gonna try that this afternoon. I'll post how it turns out.

[mpjosh2001]

Get this, the lines on my remote oil filter set up were switched. It was fine when I got the boat 2 years ago. And fine at the beginning of last season. I think I was sabotaged. Because the only thing I did with it was change the filter. I never messed with the lines. So, I removed the set up amd put the filter right on the block. I had changed the filter a couple times thinking I had a bad filter, but 2 in a row isnt common. On a whim I pulled the filter amd barely any oil came out. That's when I figured it had to be the issue. When I put the new filter on and started it I got 45psi. I feel like a moron but there were 3 other mechanics that I am friends with trying to figure it out.