Help, new 327 has little oil flow to top end

[Scott Marzahl]

I finished putting together my 327, I tried priming the pump with an old distributor and I can feel and hear the oil pump load up. The mechanical oil pressure guage I have hooked is reading 60 psi, however I can not get any oil to flow out of the fitting at the top rear of the block to the guage. I removed the valve cover gaskets and there is little to no oil flow coming to the top end. I removed the oil filter housing from the block and ran the oil pump. I am getting plenty of oil to the filter. I've never had this problem before, all bearing oil passages are lined up, all plugs are installed in the block. Any ideas?

Thanks,
Scott Marzahl

[William Clupper (618)]

Re: Help, new 327 has little oil flow to top end

How long did you run the pump? Sometimes it takes a LOOONG time to get cold oil to the top end in a new engine

[Roy Braatz]

Re: Help, new 327 has little oil flow to top end

To get the oil to fill the lifter galley then fill or load up your hydraulic lifters and push rods with out turning over the engine cant be done. The lifters need to move up and down, to a-line up with the oil galley holes.

[Rich Puleo]

Re: Help, new 327 has little oil flow to top end

I sometimes have to roll the motor 180 degrees, spin the oil pump a few minutes, then roll it again, spin the pump, I do this a few times. Hook the oil gauge up to the port at the rear of the intake, & take your reading. If you had new cam bearings installed in the block, a low pressure reading here could mean the rear cam bearing wasn't installed propperly. I've also seen an incorrect distributor installed without an oil groove that will starve the motor. Try rolling the motor first.
Good luck