[T3] No oil pressure

[David Sanderson]

Hi Folks

I'm seeking some help as I have run out of ideas regarding my newly built motor -  a motor with no oil pressure. In all the VW engines that I've built I have never had an issue with oil pressure but I have one now. After all the careful work assembling the engine I put it in the car and with some excitement worked on starting it. Well, it started fine but there was no oil pressure. I turned it off and looked at everything but could not find anything obviously wrong. I tried a couple more times - it starts and runs but the oil pressure idiot light won't go out. I know this light and sensor work because there were in the old engine and worked fine.

I am at a loss to figure out the problem. The engine is relatively stock, a new dual relief case, 1776 with a full-flow system, 26 mm oil pump and a deep sump. Here's what I have done so far. During the build, I blew air though all the galleys and lines to make sure everything was clear and clean and then assembled the engine with much care.

Since I had no oil pressure and was not willing to continuing running it, so I pulled the engine out of the car and set it on a stand where I could turn it over with a battery and starter and look for problems. I am assuming that with some cranking there should be enough oil pressure to turn the light off. Thinking that perhaps I have made a stupid goof and forgot to put the gears in the oil pump I removed the cover but they were there and everything seemed fine. Turn the engine over and the pump gears move. I then went through a number of steps, including removing the deep oil sump (thinking there was a pickup problem), changed out the Gene Berg oil pump cover plate and used a Scat version, finally swapping out the 26 mm pump and installing a stock 21 mm pump - none of these had any impact. There is still no oil pressure. I installed a t-connector on the oil sending unit situated on top of the oil cooler and installed a mechanical pressure guage and it confirmed, no oil pressure.

During this process, I have also separated the oil lines to the full flow system so that I could see the output of the pump directly, into a container. These engines should generate considerable oil pressure at start up and yet I get only a dribble out of the hose.

I am at a loss as to what to do. It's like the pump doesn't pump or get oil and yet I know there is lots of oil in the case. I could begin to disassemble the engine but I am not sure what I would be looking for. I had thought with your broader experience at these engines someone might have a suggestion.

Any thoughts, questions or advice would certainly be appreciated.

Thanks.

Dave
-------------------------------------
1977 911S
1965 Sunroof Notch
1958 Karmann Ghia
http://www.sandersonmotorsports.com
Notch build thread here:http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482533&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0&sid=fa176f0eb3dd02b8f3152e46fa22221b

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