Hot Rods SBC fuel pump pushrod cavity question

I am a fairly new member, not so active on the posts, but I use this site extensively to help me with my first hot rod project. I'd be going much slower on my build without this site, so a big THANK YOU in advance for the help. The members here are very knowledgeable, and I enjoy the humor (even the edgy ones!)

I'm trying to fire up a 327 that hasn't run for five years. In the course of trying to figure out why I'm not getting fuel to the carb, I've had the fuel pump out several times. I noticed that the cavity where the fuel pump push rod and fuel pump arm resides is dry, even though I've primed the engine repeatedly. I was expecting engine oil in the cavity.

Sorry if this is a dumb question with an obvious answer, but is this normal?

Thanks much --

 

Completely normal. There is no oil supply to the fuel pump pushrod.

 

I have to disagree on no oil, there are 2 threaded holes in the front of the engine on the fuel pump side. If you leave the top bolt(3/8"x1/2") you will pump a LOT of oil out. That hole goes to the pump rod and is used to hole the rod in (with longer bolt) when changing pumps. there should be oil to the pump rod, also check that you don't have a longer bolt in place that is holding the pump rod and not allowing the pump to work.

 

Yes there is oil in the top part that lubes the fuel pump pushrod (hence the gaskets on the fuel pump and the fuel pump plate). It's not full pressure but enough you will need to put a SHORT bolt in the upper hole to keep oil from coming out. The upper hole is there for fuel pump replacement (to hold the pushrod). You put in a longer bolt hand tight, pull the fuel pump off and put the new pump on......the key is to remember to remove the bolt afterwards .

To answer the initial question, I think priming won't do it you need the pushrod moving back and fourth to bring the oil down.

 

Be sure to lube the fuelpump pushrod with grease before you install it, it will be lubed by the engine oil when you fire it up. Also as stated above be sure that the bolt that extends into the push rod cavity isn't touching the rod.

 

My thoughts exactly: A customer was trying to start his newly rebuilt SBC, stock fuel pump...it would run on prime, then die.

I found a 3/4" or 1" bolt in the upper hole, jamming the push rod. Took me about 10 minutes, as I wasn't even thinking of that! (First, fuel line disconnect, check for flow, all the preliminary stuff...

 

It shouldn't be dry but it won't have much oil in there. The oil comes down pump push rod shaft. I left the front bolt out of my block for a very long time (over a month) and was supprised how little oil actually leaked out (less than a quart), and I don't have a mechanical fuel pump, just a block off plate.

 

a big THANK YOU to all who contributed!! And I did get the fuel pump problem fixed - a five year old, unused fuel pump apparently deteriorates quickly. Now on to the carb rebuild ...

 

What happens if you don’t have 2 tapped holes? How do you hold the pushrod to change a pump

 

Use a hacksaw blade.

 

Turn the crank until the pump rod is 'in'. Then put hack saw blade between pump rod and fuel pump lever. Start threading the fuel pump bolts. When both are started, pull out the hack saw blade and tighten the pump bolts.
Done.