2006 GM series III 3800 oil pump priming

[Vegas Earl]

Hello ya all. Too many different and conflicting AI search answers for this. 2006 series III 3800 oil pump prime issue (Buick Lacrosse cx). Vasoline, fill oil filter, fill sensor hole, and pump still not working. Worked just fine before changing torque converter though. Yeah, I mistakenly took off the oil filter housing listening to a few vids to get the job done. So, what really is the simplest way to prime the oil pump? Or, is there the slightest change the hardly noticable curvature in oil pan from jacking engine a bit has messed with the oil pump pickup tube filter? Dropping the pan to investigate is the last option, however, do I need to do it? I ask because the engine needs to be raised a little and subframe lowered a little just to wiggle off the pan- not so fun and quite time consuming.

 

[ls1mike]

Yeah the oil pan is no fun in any of those. So the way I read this is you start it and have no pressure?

 

[Trav]

Hello ya all. Too many different and conflicting AI search answers for this. 2006 series III 3800 oil pump prime issue (Buick Lacrosse cx). Vasoline, fill oil filter, fill sensor hole, and pump still not working. Worked just fine before changing torque converter though. Yeah, I mistakenly took off the oil filter housing listening to a few vids to get the job done. So, what really is the simplest way to prime the oil pump? Or, is there the slightest change the hardly noticable curvature in oil pan from jacking engine a bit has messed with the oil pump pickup tube filter? Dropping the pan to investigate is the last option, however, do I need to do it? I ask because the engine needs to be raised a little and subframe lowered a little just to wiggle off the pan- not so fun and quite time consuming.

Priming them on this is not usually an issue unless something is not fitted properly. If its all good the easiest way is to pressure prime it using a pre lube oiler tank.
Basically drain the oil and replace the drain plug, connect the primer hose where the oil pressure sender goes and pump the appropriate fill amount in with the tank, this primes the whole system. You may be able to rent one?

Pre Oil Tank

 

[Cujet]

I prelube new engines with the plastic oil fill pump used to fill differentials and outboard engine lower units. Simply unscrew the oil pressure sending unit, thread in a hose barb and pump a quart or two of oil in. However, if you have an anti drainback valve on your oil filter, it may prevent oil from reaching the pump. In that case, a little ingenuity is required. Hold open the drain back valve, find an oil galley that you can tap into or bypass the filter.

 

[CleanSump]

You say packed the pump and the pickup tube with Vaseline and it still didn't prime?
Maybe the pickup tube isn't on tight/bad gasket/o-ring.

 

[Vegas Earl]

Didn't pack pump gears or tube. Neither are exposed without taking off chain cover and pan. Worked just fine before torque converter job. My guess is the fill tube filter, so, that's on the agenda today.

 

[Vegas Earl]

Yeah the oil pan is no fun in any of those. So the way I read this is you start it and have no pressure?

Correct. Even taking off filter and pumping the housing doesn't work. So, today, I'm dropping the pan. I think my buddy that jacked up engine without a 2x4 made the center of the pan arch, which, lo and behold is location of the fill tube filter! Will give update...

 

[Vegas Earl]

So, oil pan dropping, new pickup and pan gasket didn't work to prime. Next, I filled with 10 quarts of oil! Well, gravity dictated the air cavity vanished! However, oil pump gears still not working. That said, took off all the stuff needed to remove timing cover. Left the water pump and oil filter housing on. Loosened the 13mm bolts on water pump but just how many bolts do I need to take off? The gasket kit shows many holes- ugh. Do I really need to take off the water pump completely?

 

[Vegas Earl]

UPdate== timing chain cover finally off!. FYI - water pump does not need to be completely taken off, just the 3 13mm bolts. Didn't even need to take off the oil filter housing neither. So, will measure gerotor gears with new ones at parts store- they look fine at the moment. Hopefully just need new gasket set and O rings, pack the gears on install, totally overfill oil again, crank without starting until oil spirts out of oil filter housing to make sure no air cavity. Will update in a few days again.

 

[Vegas Earl]

Update- put in new oil pump gears, used vasoline on gears, overfilled oil a bit, had oil filter loose just a little to get oil pumping/primed. Once that happened, tightened filter and ran for 5 mins. Did great. But, after 15 mins, drained oil to proper lvl and poof- no more oil pressure/flowage and now new sparkly shiny flakes in oil. So, the new gear set took a dump. What on earth could I have possibly done wrong? Ordered new gear set again, will drain oil when it comes, put a magnet on oil pan plug (ain't gonna go through raising engine and lowering subframe again). What is the best way to prime the oil pump to avoid another blow out of gears?

 

[martinq]

It sounds to me like you have a leak on the suction side of the gears / pump.

 

[CleanSump]

A leak - maybe cover over gears, maybe through oil bypass valve. Maybe a bad pickup seal. maybe just plain worn out pump housing so new gears still have too much clearance to the housing.

 

[The_Eric]

Lets back up a little bit - what made you think that the oil pump wasn't working when you first reassembled everything after taking the transmission out? Taking the oil filter adapter housing off and reinstalling shouldn't be a big deal. I have done lots of oil filter housing gaskets and never done anything special to re-prime, just start the engine.

Do you have a stray spring rolling around on the garage floor? The oil pressure relief valve spring can come out when taking the adapter off.

 

[clinebarger]

If you're seeing metal, It's to late.....I bet Eric is correct & parts of the relief valve assembly are missing.

 

[Vegas Earl]

Happy Memorial Day! Thank you all for your replies. To answer some questions- Had to take off oil filter housing to get one hidden backside transmission bolt (two feet of extension to do it as well). After transmission was put back together, there wasn't any oil pressure- yes, the spring n cap fell out without me realizing it. Then, I got the updated single bypass valve, pressed it in, but still no pressure. After the new gears and reassemble, had pressure. But after draining excess oil to proper level, back to square one. Question- do I replace the gears again, or, take out the new updated bypass valve and install the factory 2 piece spring/cap? Even so, the question still remains- how to prime? I understand Eric never had an issue with priming, but this one isn't working out as well.

 

[Vegas Earl]

Ok, did the hand pump into the oil sensor trick, loosened the oil filter a tad to make sure it was full, however, when taking out tube oil came out before putting back in the sensor. Not sure how this can be avoided. Bottom line- still no pressure. In light of the shiny flakes after gear replacement, does this mean I need to replace gears again, pack with Vaseline more this time, and, do I need to yank out the updated bypass valve and do the spring/cap again?

 

[Chris142]

Ok, did the hand pump into the oil sensor trick, loosened the oil filter a tad to make sure it was full, however, when taking out tube oil came out before putting back in the sensor. Not sure how this can be avoided. Bottom line- still no pressure. In light of the shiny flakes after gear replacement, does this mean I need to replace gears again, pack with Vaseline more this time, and, do I need to yank out the updated bypass valve and do the spring/cap again?

Something is wrong and I doubt its the gears. Those engines dont give much trouble usually.

 

[The_Eric]

Ok, did the hand pump into the oil sensor trick, loosened the oil filter a tad to make sure it was full, however, when taking out tube oil came out before putting back in the sensor. Not sure how this can be avoided. Bottom line- still no pressure. In light of the shiny flakes after gear replacement, does this mean I need to replace gears again, pack with Vaseline more this time, and, do I need to yank out the updated bypass valve and do the spring/cap again?

Did you perhaps get the spring and valve in backwards? Did you have the oil pan off?

 

[Vegas Earl]

Ok, final update- As I indicated earlier, the "updated" bypass valve was totally wrong part to replace the spring and sleeve. Thank you GM parts department here in Sin City lol Why is it wrong? The bypass valve at the filter is 5-10 psi, and the spring/sleeve is 40-60! Yeah, huge difference, and, it made all the difference to carefully yank out that single piece valve and put in the spring/sleeve. Did the ole add 3 extra quarts, no spark cranking 10 seconds 4 times, waiting 30 seconds between each. By the third time heard a difference and the fourth totally heard the lower tone of primed! Fired it up, red oil light and low-pressure warning went poof! So, yes, all the difficulty cause of the wrong bypass valve parts department told and sold me. Thank all of you for your input.

 

[The_Eric]

I'm surprised it wasn't completely different looking for as much grief as it caused.

Hopefully the engine lives long enough to tell the tale!