8BA first startup no oil pressure

thunderbirdesq said:
Yep, you won't notice a leak unless you pull the cover...

Are you using the stock fuel pump? If, by chance, someone removed the pump rod bushing when running an electric pump, pressure would be very low/nonexistant.
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When I removed the fuel pump push rod (not the bushing) on my 8BA 10 years ago the oil pressure did not change. Still has 30# at idle and 50 on the road. There has been considerable discussion on this topic. Do a search on "fuel pump push rod".
 
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Automotive Stud said:
Me and my dad are having the same problem with his fresh 8ba. We pulled the timing cover today and the plug is in place. What should we check next? It has a new melling high volume oil pump. Thanks
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Great discussion on this on the HAMB a while back about tolerences and fits on some of the Melling pumps. Here's a link but you may have to register on the HAMB to read it.

Jim

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=310089&highlight=flathead+oil+pump
 
I know this is going to sound weird, but I bought a melling pump from Speedway a few years back, put it in a brand new motor I had just built. Fired it up and no pressure. checked all the usual stuff, so I pulled the pump, put it in oil and tried to turn it to see if oil was flowing out of it and it was damn near locked up, you could barely turn it, it was hydro locking, the oil had no where to go. I took the pump apart and this is no B.S., it had a pipe plug in the oil passage. I have no idea how it got there, but someone at some point at the melling factory, tapped that hole and put a plug in it. I could'nt get it out because it was just a little behind the driven gear and there a pain to get apart. I called speedway and they offered no help, just said thats weird, so I put in a NOS ford pump I had and 60# right away. I still have that pump, good conversation piece that could have ruined a very expensive motor.
 
pangrenade said:
I know this is going to sound weird, but I bought a melling pump from Speedway a few years back, put it in a brand new motor I had just built. Fired it up and no pressure. checked all the usual stuff, so I pulled the pump, put it in oil and tried to turn it to see if oil was flowing out of it and it was damn near locked up, you could barely turn it, it was hydro locking, the oil had no where to go. I took the pump apart and this is no B.S., it had a pipe plug in the oil passage. I have no idea how it got there, but someone at some point at the melling factory, tapped that hole and put a plug in it. I could'nt get it out because it was just a little behind the driven gear and there a pain to get apart. I called speedway and they offered no help, just said thats weird, so I put in a NOS ford pump I had and 60# right away. I still have that pump, good conversation piece that could have ruined a very expensive motor.
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Funny you say that, how long ago was this? This motor was put together about ten years ago but never run and I wouldn't be suprised if the pump came from speedway as they were one of the few offering this kind of stuff at the time.
 
10 years ago I had a bunch of trouble with Mellings pumps. Even told them some of the problems we had, but they wern't interested. Haven't used one since. Most 8bA pumps never ware out, be careful when you rebuild them, Mellings makea the rebuild kits. More junk.
 
speedway have really dropped the ball for some reason,this is not the only complaint i have heard about this product from them...sorry to hijack the topic,,,continue.
 
I rpime the pump with Vaseline...yes Vaseline.

The pump doesnt suck air upon fire up and oil pressure is guranteed. As the oil heads up the Vaseline dissolves. It will get dumped after cam break in anyway along with the cam lube which tends to block the oil filter.

Never had a problem with this.

BFD
 
i prime with vaseline also,,PATRICKS AZ make their own pumps now i have 1 installed in 8ba works great i to had trouble with mellings pumps PATRICKS have a great deal on these ,,1 of the mellings i had the valve was off centered wouldnt seat properly
 
I overhauled the pump on my LB engine myself with new bushings and gears, then packed it with engine reassembly grease. After resolving the issue of the oil galley plug missing at the front of the engine (nothing to do with the oil pump), the engine pumped oil right away and has 40 psi on idle.

So far, so good.
 
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