No oil pressure

[eggman]

So here is my story. I was given a 1971 Series 2A that hasn't been run since 1979. I have replaced all the fluids, all rubber hoses, new spark plugs, wires, condenser, distributor cap, rotor and points. New tires. New fuel tank, hoses, filter and rebuilt fuel pump. Now I have got it running but very rough (probably need to rebuild carb), but I get nothing on the oil pressure gauge. Before I go any further tuning it up I need to know I am getting oil around the engine. Is there any way to check at the oil filter pressure transmitter if I am getting oil to the engine? By the way I m new here and have lurking since April and have got a lot of good info from all the posts. Thanks to all!

Dan

[Broadstone]

Is thre green light illuminating in the speedo gauge when you start it and then go dark after about 5 seconds?

[east high]

Did you prime the pump? Check for leaks around pressure sending unit? Were sIIa still shipping in '71? I thought they were sIII by then.

[eggman]

Is thre green light illuminating in the speedo gauge when you start it and then go dark after about 5 seconds?

Yes it is! I guess I was assuming it meant something else and I was going to address that later. Is this an indication of oil pressure?

Thanks

[eggman]

Did you prime the pump? Check for leaks around pressure sending unit? Were sIIa still shipping in '71? I thought they were sIII by then.

Yeah it is kinda of a bastardized series 2A, plastic grill, two line brake master cylinder but the plate on the door says 2A. How do I prime the pump? I am assuming you are talking oil not gas as I have primed the fuel and thats not an issue. I hand cranked the engine with the start lever in the grill just to make sure I got the engine lubed. What do I need to do to prime the oil?

Thanks,
Dan

[Apis Mellifera]

Obviously, before you run the engine for any reason, first make sure the oil pump is actually pumping. Then you can determine why there is no indicated pressure. In other words; don't run the engine without oil pressure.

The easiest way to check for oil pressure is to remove the plugs, disconnect the power from the coil, loosen the oil pressure sender and crank the engine. If oil comes out, the pump is pumping. Tighten the sender and remove the valve cover. Crank the engine and look for oil dripping from the rocker shaft. If you have oil there, reassemble and you're probably good to go. You could still have a clogged oil gallery and starve a bearing, but not likely.

Once you know you have pressure, move on to tuning. Basic DVM testing will show you whether your no indicated pressure is the sender of the gauge.

PS: Don't run the engine without oil pressure.

[Apis Mellifera]

You can prime the pump by doing the plugs out and cranking thing I mentioned above. You may need to remove the oil sender and squirt oil in by hand if the pump is really dry.

If the green light comes on when the key is on and then goes a few seconds after the engine starts (as it should normally-indicating oil pressure above 20? psi), you probably have pressure, and therefore either a faulty gauge, faulty sender, or faulty wiring between them.