Engine: No oil pressure

[Guest]

Hi good Stude people. First post to this forum. I bought a 63 Avanti almost a year ago and am plagued with a consistant oil pressure problem - there isn't any or very little. Initally, I added a second guage just to be sure the guage on the instrument panel wasn't just faulty - nope. Assuming something afoul, I pulled the oil pan and replaced main bearings, rod bearings and installed an oil pump rebuild kit. The inside of the engine looks pristine and the old bearings hardly show any wear. I reassembled everything and - no oil pressure ( 5 lbs) and does not increase with increased RPM. I pulled out the oil pressure relief valve - cleaned and checked , all ok. I stretched the spring a little although the manual says not to, (from 50 years ago). No good. I pulled the pan again thinking I must have missed something and noticed the bottom was crunched from driving over a curb or something . Thinking I had discovered the problem, I pounded it out until the screen had about 1/4inch clearence and reassembled. No change. Anyone have any ideas. Thanks Ed

[jd-stude]

If the engine has been rebuilt it could be missing a plug in the distributor area inside the engine. I had trouble with with oil in my engine and I had forgotten to put the bolts in the camshaft thrust plate. I still had more than 5 lbs of pressure when running. If there isn't a major error then there is excessive clearances somewhere. When tracking down my problem I was running the oil pump with an electric drill and removing covers to see where the oil was escaping. I hope this helps and I'm sure others will give you more and better answers.

Ken

[Chicken Hawk]

As mentioned by Ken, I would bet whoever rebuilt the engine left that plug out. If you pull the distributor, crawl up where you can use a flashlight and look down the distributor hole there should be a plug in front of where the distributor sets a couple inches below the top of the block. It is hard to see but can be done especially using a small mirrow on a wire.

Another easy way to tell is if you have a long rod with a slot on the end (like the distributor drive has) and fit it into the oil pump and turn the pump with a reversible drill and look down the hole you will see the oil flowing out of that left lifter gallery.

There are four of these plugs, two in back of the timing gear, one at the right rear of the block on the outside and the hidden one we're talking about. If one was left out this is the likely one. There is a 1 1/4" expansion plug at the back of the block and the gallery plug is about four inches inside the block.

The bad news is if it is missing that plug you about have to pull the engine from the bell housing to be able to replace it. It has been done without doing this but I don't think I would attempt it as I'm sure I would drop the plug into the pan.

I would assume since the rod and main bearings were so good, more than likely the cam bearings are ok too as worn cam bearings can cause low oil pressure also but not likely that low. Good Luck!

Ted

Hi good Stude people. First post to this forum. I bought a 63 Avanti almost a year ago and am plagued with a consistant oil pressure problem - there isn't any or very little. Initally, I added a second guage just to be sure the guage on the instrument panel wasn't just faulty - nope. Assuming something afoul, I pulled the oil pan and replaced main bearings, rod bearings and installed an oil pump rebuild kit. The inside of the engine looks pristine and the old bearings hardly show any wear. I reassembled everything and - no oil pressure ( 5 lbs) and does not increase with increased RPM. I pulled out the oil pressure relief valve - cleaned and checked , all ok. I stretched the spring a little although the manual says not to, (from 50 years ago). No good. I pulled the pan again thinking I must have missed something and noticed the bottom was crunched from driving over a curb or something . Thinking I had discovered the problem, I pounded it out until the screen had about 1/4inch clearence and reassembled. No change. Anyone have any ideas. Thanks Ed

[wdills]

When my engine was rebuilt the plug in the distributor tower was left out. When started cold it would build about 15 psi but fall to nothing as the engine warmed up. To check if the plug is in place, remove the distributor and run the oil pump with a drill and extension shaft. While running the pump look down the distributor hole. If the plug is missing you should see a substantial flow of oil coming into the distributor tower from the front of the engine about 3 or 4 inches down the hole. The other option is to probe around with some stiff wire to see if there is a open hole where the plug should be. The good news is, if the plug is missing, it can be installed without puling the engine apart.

Good luck
Wayne

[rockne10]

Agree with all. Mine had no registered pressure when installed. The plug was missing and managed to replace without major dissassembly. As Ted indicated, dropping the plug is a real probability but, why not try first?

[wdills]

I guess Ted and I were typing at the same time. I installed my plug without pulling the engine. To make sure I didn't drop the plug down the hole I just stuffed a rag in to block the distributor towere just below the hole where the plug goes.

Wayne

[Guest]

Ken - Ted Thank you for your responses. If that distributor plug is missing would the oil be going into the bell housing or back into the crankcase?

[PackardV8]

If that distributor plug is missing would the oil be going into the bell housing or back into the crankcase?

Crankcase. If it were the external plug, the pan would pump dry and you'd have five quarts on your garage floor within a minute.

jack vines

[Guest]

Thanks all. You guys are great. I'll try that tomorrow, I bet that's it . Unfourtunatly, I have the oil pan about 1/2 off now so I can't do the drill trick, but I can pull the distributor and see if I can find the hole before I go any further. Thanks again Ed

[whacker]

I seem to remember someone else having this problem on the old alt.autos.studebaker newsgroup. I remember the solution he used was to purchase a 1/4 inch drive 90 degree elbow rachet. He then used a 1/8 NPT hex head pipe plug and a hex drive socket. He mounted the plug to the tool with grease, and when it went down the hole, there was not enough space for the pipe plug to fall off. Once he got it into the hole and wrenched down tight, he was able to disengage the socket and remove the tool. Don't remember much more than that, but maybe it will get you going.

[Guest]

Thanks all. I did take the distributor out and guess what there's a hole there, just opposite the welch plug on the back side of the block. Of course the welch plug is inside the bellhousing. The hole is pretty big are you sure it's 1/8 NPT? I will go to Loews and see what one looks like. I will keep you posted as to my progress in a week or so as I work about 9 days out of the week. That's got to be it.
Thanks Ed

[64V-K7]

Here's the article where Kelly marion replaced the plug, etc

http://www.studebaker-info.org/text3/oilgalleryplugs.html

[JoeHall]

Thanks all. I did take the distributor out and guess what there's a hole there, just opposite the welch plug on the back side of the block. Of course the welch plug is inside the bellhousing. The hole is pretty big are you sure it's 1/8 NPT? I will go to Loews and see what one looks like. I will keep you posted as to my progress in a week or so as I work about 9 days out of the week. That's got to be it.
Thanks Ed

It is 3/8 pipe thread.

[wdills]

I installed my plug as described in the Kelly Marion post. The sidewinder ratchet was hard to find. Below is a link to where I bought mine.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/topages/sidewinderwrench.php

Wayne