Small block Chevy oiling question
 

Good friend of mine just rebuilt his SBC 350 with a one-piece block from Summit.
He just fired it up and noticed he's only getting 20lbs of oil pressure and none up to the valve covers. No bad lower end noises so it sounds like he at least has mains getting oil.
Any tips on what he should look for and in what order? Obviously doesn't want to pull it and just start taking stuff apart. I don't know Chevy V8 well enough to even start guessing. He mentioned that the priming with a drill seems to spin really easy and never really loaded up, but the gauge did get to the same 20lbs.
Car ran for about 15 seconds before shutdown due to oil pressure concern and pulled valve cover showed bone dry top end.

Pull the pan and pump. Make sure the oil pump pick-up is submerged.

Another hting to check is hte plastic coupler that connects the oil pump to the dizzy drive.
Then it's time to check the oil bypass valve(s).


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1405962689.jpg

All the oil galley plugs installed?
Oil holes in cam bearings aligned with oil galleys?

Is it an old SBC or a new style?

The oiling systems are very different.

Oil pump pick up too close to the bottom of the pan, cam bearings improperly installed, or plugs missing on rear of engine (of course oil would be leaking and dripping from the flywheel cover).

All of the above plus....15 seconds isn't enough time to fill the lifters and get oil to the top end on a SBC. I'd put in a spare distributor with the cam gear removed and run it up with a drill. Rotate the crank by hand untill you get oil to the top end.

20 psi is acceptable at idle. 10 psi per 1000 rpm is kinda the rule on an SBC.

Carter