I just installed a new oil pump in my 92 Nissan PU
Then after I installed it, a thought occured to me, that thing is fulla air and probably won't develop enough negative pressure to suck the oil.
So I very caustiously started the motor and killed it after ten seconds when the oil light didn't go out.
I'm guessing it might need to be primed with oil first?
If so, will I need to remove it to do this, or will some oil find it's way into the pump if I pour some into the fill hole on the valve cover ?
On a side note, a shop had already replaced the bad stuff that usually goes wrong with the timing chain guides and tensioner. But, after we got it back, sometimes the oil light would come on and the performance would drop.
The original mechanics told me that there was a pressure regulating bypass valve in the oil pump that was probably sticking. Based on their advice I bought the new oil pump.
Yet, a buddy of mine told me that sometimes when people work on the timing chains, they goop on too much gasket compound and block some of the oil passages. Does this sound reasonable?
Interestingly enough, after I finished inatalling the oil pump, I noticed a small rubber part laying on thte ground. Oh crap I thought, I left some part out, but after I picked up the "forgotten" part and inspected it, I noticed that it was a sort of silicone rubber plug and it looked to be very close to the size of one of the oil passages.
It's really looking like perhaps my buddy may well have made the right call.
Thanks for any advice
--Dave Moore--