Prime oil pump?

[Mikevan10]

After I thoroughly clean and dry the oil pump, do I need to prime it somehow before reinstallation? Seem like it is expecting alot for this thing to pull oil up from the sump through that big passage!

[idosubaru]

no priming needed. just install it and go. the only thing you wouldn't want to do is clean the pump and install it all dry. be nice to coat the rotating parts of the pump with oil.

 

you can disconnect the igniter or plugs and crank the engine a few times if you want to be sure about it.

[Mikevan10]

Thanks GG. I will try to coat rotating parts with oil but the trick will be to do this without getting any trace of oil on the flange sealing surfaces...

 

I will definitely crank the engine with igniter disconnected before starting it up.

 

Mike

[idosubaru]

There's no need to oil the pump body, it doesn't move. The only parts that need oil are the shaft and "rotor"...the round thing, whatever it's called, parts that move. Moving parts don't need RTV and still parts don't need oil, so it's rather simple.

 

Light oil and fire it up. I never "prime" or "pump" or anything. Install the pump and go for it.

 

I've turned over engines before by "hand" with oil ports exposed, you'd be surprised how quickly it self primes and moves oil.

 

There's really nothing special to do here, at most it's a mental exercise to do anything more.

[avk]

Mike: since you found loose screws, maybe you removed the cover and cleaned the gears before re-assembling? In that case, assembly lubricant could be used but motor oil should be fine.

[Mikevan10]

Hi guys,

 

I did not remove the oil pump rear cover. I removed screws individually, cleaned male and female threads with brake cleaner, blew out with compressed air, applied red Loctite and screwed them back in.

 

I cleaned the mating surfaces and applied a bead of Ultra Grey to the oil pump flange, installed the new O-ring (which in fact is BLUE) using Vasoline to hold it in place and remounted the oil pump. Now I am worried about Ultra Grey getting squeezed into the internals, blocking a passage, the engine starving for oil and self destructing! I only ran a thin bead but I did see some squeeze out externally so........

 

I also just installed a new crank main seal. Now on to the cam seals.

 

Film at 11.

 

Mike

[idosubaru]

Now I am worried about Ultra Grey getting squeezed into the internals, blocking a passage, the engine starving for oil and self destructing! I only ran a thin bead but I did see some squeeze out externally so.......

that's why i use anaerobic sealant, it is the best to use for that reason. but RTV is fine, pretty much ever sealed surface i've ever seen has some "squished out" so i'm sure you're fine.

 

i know someone that disassembled an engine that had just that happen - a "blob" of sealant got sucked into the valve train passages and restricted flow. fortunately for them it didn't damage anything, it only resulted in VERY loud valve train. they actually took a picture of the blob and where it was, i've posted it before.

[avk]

I wouldn't sweat it too much because all oil leaving the pump goes straight into the filter. There is a chance to block the small return hole on the right (facing the engine) or even the pick-ip, but that would really be hard to do. FWIW, factory ThreeBond is not anaerobic.

[Olnick]

FWIW, factory ThreeBond is not anaerobic.

 

Well, you just blew my mind. For years I had thought that the recommended ThreeBond (1215?) was anaerobic. So I went to their product chart and, as you said, it's not! Their 1300 series sealants are, but I don't know what they're recommended for.

 

Thanks for the info.