Question. I’m rebuilding a 455. Tested the new oil pump using hand drill before installing it. Worked smooth and quiet. Installed it, bolted on pan, added oil and primed using hand drill. Felt it bog down with oil, as it should, but a “knocking” noise came from the oil pan. Assumed it was from the original, dented oil pan touching the bottom of the non-stock HV pump. Drained oil and used a home made tool to reach into the drain hole and pop the pan down, creating better clearance between the pump and pan. Tested pump with pan empty – whisper quiet. Refilled oil, primed pump – noise returned. Can feel vibration on driver’s side of pan. Pump works fine – plenty of oil to rockers. This is my first rebuild-ever. Is this normal? Is it just the HV pump spraying the oil? Thanks for the help.

Curt

 

you really oughta have a known standoff from the bottom of the pan. no closer than 1/4 inch, no further than half and if you are using an hv pump factor the typically longer gears in either with a different pickup or tilt it. and make sure its tacked in or really pressed in, if all that is ok and you have oil pressure - the heck with stray noises, they will be lost in the shuffle once the recip mass starts a moving

 

Thanks quaddriver. Yeah, the standoff is good. The pick up is a non-adjustable/bolt on style, and the oil pressure's good. This is the second pump. The gears in first pump made noise right out of the box. I installed it and could hear them and the noise I just described. I took it out and returned it. When I demonstrated it to the guy at the counter, he made a face and said, "That's not supposed to sound like that." Being a newbie at this I'm a little nervous about doing something wrong and throwing a lot of money away. Everything but the block, heads, pan and rocker arms is new.

 

Gears is gears, its just 2 gears unless this is some new flippy pump that has more moving parts. and its lubed by, well, oil that is it pumping. do use the hardened drive shaft tho...summit racing should have them in stock.

did you pre-pack it with petroleum jelly? I never ever do since I drill prime

 

no fancy new pump. just a Melling. no jelly. just drill primed. and yes, i have a new shaft. can't wait to get it going/hear it, but my project still has a long way to go before i can put it back in. have a great 4th.