I will try wed

With the plugs out and oil down the bores try and spin it over while adding more oil down the hose at the same time that should prime it.

I don't care if its an 850- its the engine we have, and the owner does not want to buy a new one. 

The relief valve is now cleaned. No pitting, and to the person who asked about the oil pump- I did not do anything with the motor internally. I was told It drove the day it was pulled, so all I did was a head gasket, valve adjustment, cleaned the cylinders, and new ignition. 

Its an 850 - Just start the darn thing - Get that pump a spinning!

Ok for the 3rd time I have the oil pressure relief valve in for all of this- I JUST HAD IT OUT BECAUSE I CLEANED IT WHEN I TOOK THE PICTURE. Secondly, yes thats what Ive been trying, using the hose as a funnel, oil is dissapearing now, But I work till Wednesday so I will have to try the rotation again. 

In addition to being dirty, was the bullet-shaped valve at the end of the spring or its seat in the block scratched, pitted or gouged?

Do you have a Haynes or other mini-specific factory workshop manual?

I know that, the pressure relief valve was put back in before I added oil. Today before school I filled up the "banjo hole" with oil, came back it was all gone, did the same again came back in 5 mins it went down, maybe It just has to work its way to the pump

Did you happen to change the oil pump, or even just take it off to inspect?  Could you be missing the drive lug that actually drives the oil pump off the back of the cam? There have been THREE different drive styles for the oil pump over the years, and the cam and oil pump HAVE to be a match!

Follow Jedduh's advice except just re attach the hose to the nipple on the block and disconnect it from the filter end then fill the hose (easier than a funnel due to the angle) and walk away for a whilea lthough if all is good 30 seconds should be enough time. If you want you can push it backwards in gear with the plugs out to make sure but if all is good it should prime up right away.
I would either get the original correct banjo coupler/pipe or pay to have a hose correctly made with crimped ends, that set up you have is an accident waiting to happen.

Re install pressure relief plunger + Cap

Un hook that small copper line from the block  - By that your'e clearly going to an ELECTRIC Gauge sending unit=  Don't pay attention to that gauge yet.

Install a funnel in to the Large Banjo Outlet - Fill the funnel and let the oil sit there. Make sure oil isnt coming out of the block or the funnel and then  =  Go eat dinner  or go GO Drink 2-3 Beers = Simply Dissapear for an hour or more.....

When you return - the oil by then WILL HAVE leaked back down into the block and into  pump -  Lubricating- and Pre priming.

Re install Banjo Line - Big guy from the block to the filter

Crank your engine  - and then look for oil spirting out of the Oil Sending unit line conneciton ( small  brass connection)

Once you have oil pumping out of that small small fitting- you have oil flow and ciruclation === SUSPECT Your gauge to be faulty ( electric sending unit)

Or - for an 850 -  replace with a suitable 998 / or 1275!

In the photo, the oil pressure relief valve is not fitted. Oil will flow straight down, as mentioned previously.

If the oil pressure relief valve was properly fitted and the valve is in its seat, closed, then when you fill the outlet with oil it will just stay there. The pump is only a couple of inches away. Oil will not flow through the pump unless it is very worn. The oil level should noticeably drop if the engine is rotated at all in the incorrect direction of rotation.

Strange that you can get excellent advice from people from all over the world on such a simple topic and you can not succeed.

See thats what Im using. But still, I just filled the whole hole with oil, lets see if it soaks down into the pump

Does that hole go anywhere else but the oil pump? It is really thick oil and we did try this right after adding the oil. Maybe I should just keep filling it up for the next few days till it doesn't seep down anywhere 

I know the car came with a banjo fitting, im just saying that instead of that we just put a hose bard as we couldn't find a cheap banjo line. Either way the hole goes to the same place. So would it be a good idea to pack engine assembly lube in there or no. The pump just didn't want to suck it down. 

If it really is a 1966 850 then you definitely have a banjo fitting at the top of the external oil transfer pipe.

Removing it is the ONLY WAY to get oil into the pump. 

The pressure relief valve won't do it, and a high pressure airline certainly won't do it.

Its not a later engine its a 1966 850 . I will take a picture but its not really different. 

I agree.

Ian, the Moke engine I sold you years ago was the same story. It had sat for years before I got it, with dirty oil in, and no amount of this priming would make it pick up oil and pump.

My diagnosis- oil pickup screen is plugged with sludge. Rebuild time.

Is TB back ?


Post a photo of your engine.

If you have a later car/engine with the wonky oil transfer pipe you can still prime the pump but it's trickier.

Well I know the cams turning. What ai know is this car ran before it was parked. One of my coworkers thinks pumping in engine assembly lube into the fitting might work, as it would reach the pump.