No oil pressure on 54 FMD

I checked the line at the pressure gage, it was dry. Removed the line at the block and put a wire in it about six inches to check for a clog. It didn't seem to be clogged. The oil in the tractor when I got it was some pretty thick sludge.

Could an oil passage be clogged? Is the pump not primed yet? How quick should the pressure come up?

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks for the help.

I had the same trouble the other week with an engine that had been stood for a year. I got around it by prining the oil pump via the oil filter. Remove the oil filter complete with the two 5/8 bolts into the block. I then pumped oil into the lower of the two holes. Fill the oil filter at the same time.

I would then sugest you crank the engine with the stop control out to build up pressure before starting. You may want to try this before you try priming.

Regards Steven

I tried to pump oil through the filter hole as you suggested, it seemed to have oil in it already.

I've got oil coming through the rocker arms, but it just oozes, should it be squirting out?

Also, there is a hole on each of the rocker arm assembly supports, it looks like oil should be coming out of them. No oil is coming out of them, should it?

Now I've got oil to the gage, but it still doesn't give a reading, does the gage have a membrane that could have dried out?

Regarding re-assembly of the oil pump, should I have used a gasket on the cover, does this keep the pumped oil under pressure?? My I&T doesn't mention it and there didn't seem to be any evidence of one.`

The tractor's history is a mystery. This is my first engine work, and I just want to be sure its right.

Thank you Thank you