Today i finally started my Trans Am with the new motor in it and it sounded really great. Then i shut it off and took off the valve cover and there was no oil on the rockers or anything. I primed the oil pump way before i started it and i found a leak at the front of the block i fixed immediately. Why am i not getting any oil up where the rockers are? should i prime it again and wait til i see oil get to the rockers? Please Help! Thanx in advance.

 

How long did you let it run for, when I built my motor, it ran for about 10 minutes before it started to oil the rockers, that was with a high volume oil pump with 60 lbs of oil pressure. I primed mine about two weeks before I put it in the car and ran it.

 

I ran it for a few minutes and then my dad told me to shut it off cause he heard a loose rocker which i fixed real quick. when we took off the cover to fix it, we noticed that nothing was lubicated.

 

I wouldn't be woried if you only ran it for a few minutes, IMO I would take the valve covers off when you start it next time and watch the rocker arms, you should watch for them to start oiling and when about half of them start oiling I would put the valve covers back on. You could re-prime the motor but I dont think it's worth the time of taking the distributor back out, just let it run for a little while and keep an eye on the rocker arms. If it runs for more than 10-15 minutes and shows no signs of getting oil to the rocker arms, then you might consider priming it, but I think it just needs a little more run time.

 

I would like to run it longer but i am worried about burning up the new motor. Will it hurt the motor to run that long without oil to the rockers or springs?

 

Also.. A little secret would be to start it for a split second and shut it off fairly fast... Do this 4 or 5 times will help to pump up the lifters more quickly to help send the oil upstream to the rockers

He's right though, run it with the valve covers off and watch for oil. as it runs you will just start to see trickles from the rockers but it will take some run time. As long as you have oil pressure your cool.

 

Thanx alot for the advice guys.

 

As long as the rocker covers are off, you can manually oil the rockers and pivot ***** for safety. A little 20W in a pump oiler is great to have around, for that kind of thing, door hinges, latches, electric motor bushings, general purposes.

 

Did you check the oil pressure while you primed the pump?
You should have had 40 or 50 lbs. of pressure. Could an oil
gallery plug behind the cam gear been left out ? . Or the
one below the oil pressure sender?

 

all plugs are in but the oil gauge does not work cause the sender is broken. However oil is coming up to the rocker arms now. Thanx.