dreygata

After significant cursing and gnashing of teeth, I think I finally figured out my low oil pressure issue.
my timing belt gear on my crank is installed with the flange towards the block.
Is this the cause of my low oil pressure issues? I really need a sanity check with this.

And for completion, I inspected and resealed my pickup tube (good), aligned my oil cooler housing, swapped a known working early retrofit OPRV, running 20W50 oil, new mains and rod bearing, general engine rebuild.
So this really just leaves the oil pump area and this is the only thing left that's glaringly wrong. I just wish I noticed it before I had my belts installed.... Also annoyed that the shop didn't catch it

V2Rocket

in my experience if the gear goes on backwards the crank won't turn at all.

im pretty sure the flange is supposed to be against the block rather than the balance gear.

JRP944

The crank will turn just fine. In fact the engine runs pretty much normal. I recently installed mine backwards during the first time I reassembled everything and probably wouldn't have caught it if not for the oil leak at the oil pump drive sleeve that needed to be addressed.

With the crank gear on backward, the flange will cut into the rear belt guard a bit but nothing too detrimental in the short term (that I know of). It shouldn't cause low oil pressure since the crank is still spinning the same speed as it normally would, but the flange should definitely butt up against the balance shaft gear.

Justin