New crate motor, lost pressure after first run

[Daniel Walsh]

I have the axact same motor as your Sonoma series, and used your videos to help boost me in the right direction on swapping out with a crate motor from AutoZone. I have just finished completing the swap, and did everything like you did. Had a plugin issue at first startup. Found it, and corrected it. Finely got to the startup procedure,and everything went well, had oil pressure, temps looked great, purred like a kitten. Checked for leaks, and any engine noises. Nothing, everything seemed to be great. So I decided to take it for a spin down the road. Drove it about a 2 or 3 miles away from the house, down a back road. Gauges looked good. Pulled into a driveway and turned around to head back home. About a mile heading back, I get check gauge’s light, and oil pressure went to nothing. Did not move at all. So babied the throttle to get it home. Got home, and motor still sounded good. Couldn’t get a oil pressure gauge. So to rule out oil pressure sensor, I bought one, and put it in. Still no pressure, and now it sounds like the lifters are ticking a little. I’m wondering if the oil pump went bad. I would like to mention, that I did forget to prime the oil pump like you did, watched some other videos and primed through the drive shaft with a drill, since I already had the motor in the car when I thought about it. I just hope I didn’t screw this motor up, I do have a 4 year warranty on it. But no telling when I will get another one. All help appreciated. Daniel

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[EricTheCarGuy]

I really can’t say why you don’t have oil pressure, but that does seem to be the issue. Oil pumps do not create oil pressure. They create a volume of oil that is sent into the engine. It’s actually the bearing clearances, and the outlet valve of the oil pump that create the oil pressure. I would contact Autozone to see what they recommend you do.

Good hunting.

[Daniel Walsh]

Ok so I cleared out the path to the top of the motor. Took out the drive system for oil pump. Used a drill to see if the oil pump was functioning, and it is not. No load at all on the pump. So apparently I did something wrong when priming the pump. I think it was cause it was dry at the get go. I’m pulling the motor back out to inspect it further. Motor sounds to good to be bad. I did watch your video on oil pressure, and I’m not a professional by any means. I would think that if it’s not getting oil. It’s not going to build pressure. What are the odds of a crate motor being bad. Especially if it sounded as good as it did. I’m worried if I put a pressure gauge on it and start up the motor again, I’m going to do more damage to the motor. Please bare with me, I am a machinist by trade, and I do know how to tear things down, and put them back together. But when it comes to the internals of an engine. I still have a major learning curve. I have been reading and watching videos for quite some time now to get information. But to me, you seem to be one person I trust for this input, because of the many hours you have in this field. If a failed oil pump. Would not create loss of oil pressure. Then I might look into returning this motor, while I have it out, and look into getting another motor. Thanks for your help, it been a heck of a journey for me. I just couldn’t see paying someone to do this job. When I could do it myself. I did get it running. To me, that’s a heck of an accomplishment.

[EricTheCarGuy]

The only way you’ll know anything is by hooking up an oil pressure gauge and checking the actual pressure. Based on your description, the damage would already be done if the engine doesn’t have oil pressure.

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