Really close to giving up on this shit

[jkgaddis]

so, my sr swap project has been a crappy one. i've just ran into alot of problems. well, the final straw was last night, with the engine finally in, i went to crank the engine to get oil pressure and..... none. ive tried everything i can think of and have found by searching. i cant get pressure. i checked the pump when the engine was out and it was fine and within spec. i tryed priming the lower turbo oil line (the one that is below the p/s pump). i tried cranking 20 secs, like 7 times now. and most of all, i checked the pan and even though there were no dents, i took it off and banged it out anyways. still. nothing. monday is the end of my winter break and the start of my next semester of college, so, i really have no more time for this shit.
so, i ask you guys for help. any more ideas. anything.
thank you in advance.
oh yeah, if anyone in the tampa/clearwater/ or st petersburg area wants to be awesome and come try to give me a hand, i can supply alcohol and food.

[rim_bender]

7 times might not be enough, sometimes it does take while to get pressure. Just keep cranking it, and put like 5 qts of oil in it just for start up to try and help gain suction.

On one of my motors i coldnt get pressure by jsut cranking it, so i started it up and after sjut a few seconds of the car idling the pressure jumped up, but idk if i would do that i yo dont have a oil pres gauge.

[Dr.Baby]

pull your sparkplugs out, hook up a battery pack/charger to the starter altenator and crank for about 10 seconds stop 10 seconds stop. all the while looking in where your oil filler goes on the cam lobe for oil dripping out. you'll have to do that for a whileeeeeeee.

if you dont get oil pressure. then check if your oil pan is dented. if it is, take ti off bang it out and make sure your oil pick up is good.

DO NOT START THE CAR WITHOUT GETTNG GOOD OIL PRESSURE.

[jkgaddis]

yup, ive done all that. i actually have the entire valve cover off right now. cranked enough to drain my battery twice. no oil. i mean, the only things i can come up with at this point is clogged oil passage or the pump is done. but i checked the pump before the install and the sensor is right after the filter which is the first place the oil goes, so that means im not getting oil at all. i did a visual of the oil pickup when i took the pan off to bang it out (even though it was all ready fine) and it appeared to be free of debris. but im still hoping that the pump just isnt priming. but i tried priming it already as described in the heavy throttle faq. no go. is there another good way to try and prime the pump? and ive read that packing a dry pump with vasoline will help it prime right away (even though i would imagine assembly lube would be a better choice) so if i end up getting a new pump ill do that. but i seriously did a complete inspection of the pump before the engine was installed. im calling it a night though. i got work in the morning. after work ill be back at it.
keep the ideas coming and thanks for those who have already givin me some.

[ladiesman8527]

time for a new oil pump. u might go ahead and change the timing chain while youre at it.

[rican_nick]

Hmmm, like suggested above.. remove ur plugs (less strain on starter) and crank her over a bit more.. short 10 sec intervals.

it took my first swap a while to build up pressure.. also make sure the oil level is good if you only put in 4 quarts on a dry start up it may be 1 quart low going through the oil galleys/turbo etc.

If u dont build pressure, then yep oil pump replacing time and then i would the motor provider a bag of dog poop.

http://www.mailpoop.com/

[Dream240]

If you've still got the oil pan off pull the strainer and turn it upside down. Then get some fresh oil and slowly pour oil in trough the pick up side. If no oil comes out of the other end then you've got a clog. Replace it. A visual inspection is about as efficient as trying to take a shit standing up. Messy.

If that flows fine then it's your oil pump as previously mentioned. Have fun!!!

[jkgaddis]

right on. im gonna pull the pan back off and try that. and the poop link is awesome. thanks. ill tell you guys how it goes.

[jkgaddis]

so, i pulled the pickup and checked and oil IS going through. so, i guess its the pump. however, i did notice that theinside of where the pickup mounts was completely dry, i would think that, even if the pump is shot, oil would fill up inside the pickup that high and it should have been wet. so that has me wondering if i need to dent my pan out even more and that my problem. i mean, i dented the pan so it has a concave in it already but maybe not enough? i dont know. anybody know where i can get a high flow oil pump for the sr? if im gonna replace what i got i might as well upgrade.

[redsuns3838]

http://phase2motorsports.stores.yahoo.net/sr20detoemoi.html

OEM SR oil pump.
I havent heard of a high flow oil pump for SRs..only the N1 for RB26dett...
unless your really pushing high #s: http://phase2motorsports.stores.yahoo.net/nicooilpu.html

[jkgaddis]

dude that heavy duty one is crazy expensive. i think ill snag one from enjuku. i still dont understand how the pump went bad. it was within tolerances and looked great. oh well.

[jkgaddis]

i think i figured it out. i must have applied slightly too wide bead of rtv around the front cover because when i pulled it there was rtv in the the groove that the fsm says "never apply liquid gasket to the groove" about. im gonne tear the pump assmbly down and clean it and blow out the oil passages with compressed air and see if its good to go. can anyone explain what that groove is for though. im curious. i know the hole next to it is the high side of the oil pump and i know the relive valve is in there, but what is the grrove for and how does getting rtv in there render the pump inoperable?

[fliprayzin240sx]

Also when you put in the sump back on, sometimes the lil rubber gasket comes loose. Thats enough for your pressure not to build.

[Wes_s13]

let me know what happens..im having the same exact problem..cant get any oil pressure. Did you pull out your oil pan with the motor in the car? or you took the motor out?