Thread: No oil pressure!! Need help quick!

Yeah I always crank the engine over without fuel/spark to get the oil pumped
up to the top first (look under valve cover)

I'm from the filter filler camp. I've never had a 3800 apart. But in the 90s I replaced the timing chain on an older Buick 231 V6 which is of the same configuration and same as the Buick V8s also. The manual I was using indicated that if the oil pump is dry it may not pump. It suggested that the pump be primed with wheel bearing grease around the gears to form an initial fluid seal so theres suction at the pickup. Worked for me, and thats all I got. Good luck!

Yup x2
some even use Vaseline

well that sucks. other then doing the grease or Vaseline deal im out of ideas.

I'm suprised that cranking the engine over without fuel/spark has not brought any oil up to the top yet ....

Removing the plugs lets it spin faster while cranking. If the pump can't create suction, it won't matter how fast it spins or for how long. But it sounds like most folks don't have this trouble after having the pump out. FWIW, that odd-fire V6 I did the timing chain lived on just fine after having run a few seconds with the lifters dry.

If it is a pump priming issue just fill the crankcase with an additional four quarts of oil in. the oil will get all the way up the sump tube to the pump Inlet passage at the cover make sure you drain it before you actually start it

Originally Posted by ericspecullaas

uhhh you touched it

Hahaha, beat me to it, and still made me lol... Is the way it is!

I would never let the car run / idle whatever to prime the pump.
It's a hell of a lot easier on the engine to crank it over without fuel/ spark

yes add oil to the crankcase as well

the only time ive taken off a timing cover was on the engine i re gasketed, did the same as you took it off cleaned the gasket surface on the cover and block, and put it back on.

all i did was crank the piss out of it and then fired it up. been fine. that was on a 110,000 mile 1996 l36 engine that i top swapped with ported heads and rockers.

I pull the fuse for the fuel pump and crank it over a few times.. Never hurts.


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spark plugs out it will crank twice as fast really. and not wear on the battery as much.

Soo ... Any luck

Make shure the oil filter adapter gasket is sealing correctly. One section of the adapter just seals the passage were oil is sucked into the pump, if it leaks, it will suck air and not prime.

not a whole lot, a rocker on each side moving, and a poor view really. if you see oil dripping off the rockers thats a plus.