No oil pressure... help...

I have been driving jeep around the past couple of weeks, just short trips no more than 3 miles. I took the family for a ride this morning, drove just the same as it always has. I have been working on jeep at shop 3 blocks from house. I took jeep to shop this afternoon to install gauges (oil pressure). After installing line and gauge I started it and nothing. No oil pressure at idle, even reved up. I took line off back of gauge and started. There wasn't enough pressure to push oil to top of line when lifted up in the air. I took an air hose and blew back into line and could hear air escaping into engine.
I put the oil pressure gauge fitting on the left rear corner of head below existing oil line. I looked at my fsm and the port I tied into tees into the oil line that supplys oil to the rocker arm shaft. I also have the original oil pressure switch connected and it works fine, light is on till engine is started then light goes out. That is why I was not worried about driving it so much. I put the mechanical gauge in for a better reading, peace of mind... I am freaking out. How much damage have I done? The engine doesn't sound bad and it runs great. The engine is a 1963 f134.

 

I think you need to tie into a pressure port on the oil feed to the crank bearings. The rockers probably don't put up any back pressure for the gauge.

 

That would explain why the light on dash works and I don't get any pressure on gauge. I may put a tee in were the oil pressure switch is and put gauge there.

 

A typical oil pressure switch trips at 6 psi ( non red light light), the two locations people use are a tee at the oil switch or a port on the oil filter. Some of the old type canister oil filter housings have a port, others do not. There is a pressure drop to the upper valve oil line, but surprised you did not see any flow in an open line. You still may wish to do an internal line flush after checking the actual oil pump performance.

 

Once the oil is in the head, it is relying mostly on gravity from there so you won't get any pressure and may not get any oil spitting out of the tube.

 

Just went out and looked.
My mechanical gauge oil line runs from a fitting about 1 and 1/4 inches below the fitting for the oil line that goes up to the top of the head.
When I first start it up, I get 60 psi on my gauge, and after it gets to running temp my idle pressure is 18 psi and 3k rpm pressure is 50 psi.
I run 20-50. The ambient temperature around here is between 101 and 116 for about 5 months or so.

 

That is where my oil pressure switch is. I plan to take jeep down to shop and install a tee there. I will feel alot better when I see that needle move on gauge. Thanks.

 

Oh happy day!!!! The jeep had 20 to 25 lbs at an idle. Thanks for all the help, was really worried for a while there. Chalk that one up to one I won't soon forget.

 

Glad it worked out good for you..