I am finally at the point where I can turn over my rebuilt engine. Discovered straight up that I had no oil pressure. Pulled the top off the oil pump and found it dry inside. This is a new pump, cloverleaf style. Pulled the pump and checked the orifice to the scavenge pipe, and it is not blocked. It looks like this pump is just unable to suck air hard enough to prime itself. Is there a priming procedure I should be following here?
BTW, this is an '82 225 hydraulic in a W-150 truck.

Fill the pump with Vasolene or.....fill it with motor oil and re install.

While its out check the oil pump drive gear....

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Yeah....Im the one who destroyed this rare, vintage automobile.....

He'll probably cheat and pull the cover plate bolts and lay in a finger of vasoline or multipurpose grease....

I also would put a couple of "glugs" from the oil bottle into the filter itself and screw it back on the stand pipe.

Then try it again...

I have not had good luck with new Melling pumps (about 50-66% might work, sometimes)

-D.Idiot

Thanks for the tips, guys. I just came upon a similar thread from about 2005 that recommends either vaseline or assembly lube. I think I still have a few ounces of assembly lube somewher in the shop. I'll try that first, along with two fingers of oil in the filter. The pump is already out, so I can pack it completely. Stay tuned.

Picked up another tip - with the pump on the engine and the filter off it, take a plastic syringe and suck up an ounce or two of oil and slowly inject it in the small hole to the right (not the bigger center one). Once the oil starts to overflow the hole stop - the pump's primed.

I usually 1/2 fill the filter with oil, quickly invert and install (drain pan underneath), and have never had trouble.

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

Thanks for all the tips. Using a combination of Vaseline and motor oil, the pump started working and the hateful red light on the dash went out. Remarkable how a little Vaseline, applied to the proper area, can make pumping much more smooth and effective. Reminds me of an old girlfriend....