Prime oil pump, 231 engine

os there something in the repair manual
about the Z24 oil pump cam being in alignment

Remove the distributor by removing the two mounting bolts to the timing cover. This will keep your ignition timing intact. Fit the oil pump and drive spindle together and install so that when you look down on top of them the spindle is aligned like below.

What motor? If a SBC you can't just press on the oil pump pick up, you need to have it welded on or they come loose and fall off.
Some pumps need to be primed, I would put mine into pan of clean oil and turn pump until it started sucking up the oil before installing.
If it is a 3800 Buick you need to pack gears with vasoline, so different motors require different steps in order for oil pump to function after replacing it. There is also chance filter is bad, or relief valve is bad, more info would help us help you.

Your cam turns the distributor and it turns the oil pump. If you have no oil pressure it sounds to me like you didn't turn the pump you would need an old distributor shaft to turn the pump a drill and socket won't turn it it is a slotted shaft the distributor sets on check your gauge if an electric one if a hydraulic gauge the check your oil line from the block to the instrument cluster gauges have been found faulty get a hydraulic gauge and connect it to the oil channel on the block to get a true reading what's wrong.

If you need further help, reach me via phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/james_8f14c50d9c6cdea8

Check your owner's manual for the recommended mileage for replacing your timing chain. Replacement for a Nissan Maxima is 60,000 miles.2 Locate the timing chain. Replace it if the automatic chain adjuster (also known as the tensioner) is damaged or worn.3 Release the pressure in the fuel system, drain the cooling system and disengage the negative battery cable. 4 Undo the upper radiator hose, engine drive belts, power steering pulley and pump with bracket, air duct, passenger front wheel and engine side and undercovers, front exhaust pipe, cylinder head front mounting bracket and head cover, rocker cover, distributor and distributor cap and spark plugs.5 Take off the intake manifold support and move the No. 1 piston at "Top Dead Center" (TDC) of the compression stroke.6 Disconnect the cylinder head front cover, water pump pulley, thermostat housing, upper and lower tensioner and slack side timing chain guide, idler sprocket bolt, camshaft sprocket bolts, sprockets, mounting caps and camshafts. 7 Disengage the cylinder head with the manifolds, idler sprocket shaft, upper timing chain, center crossmember, oil pan and strainer assembly, crankshaft pulley, engine front mount and bracket and the front timing cover. Remove the oil seal and unfasten the timing chain cover, idler and crankshaft sprockets and the oil pump drive spacer. 8 Unfasten the timing chain guide. install Your Timing Chain 1 Grease the oil seal lip with engine oil and place it in the front cover. Verify that the No. 1 piston is at "Top Dead Center" (TDC) of the compression stroke. 2 Reconnect the crankshaft sprocket (marks should point toward the engine's front), oil pump drive spacer and timing chain guide and the lower timing chain. Line up all mating marks.3 Hook up the crankshaft sprocket and pulley, lower timing chain, front cover assembly, engine mount and front mounting bracket, oil strainer and pan assembly and center crossmember.4 Reattach the upper timing chain, idler sprocket (to the back side), cylinder head assembly, idler sprocket bolt and exhaust and intake camshafts. Place the intake camshaft knock pin at 9 o'clock and the exhaust pin at noon. Connect the camshaft bearing caps and distributor brackets and secure all mounting bolts.5 Eliminate any old material from the pan and cylinder block mounting surfaces. Rub on a 3.5 to 4.5mm bead of liquid gasket over the oil pan and cylinder block.6 Attach the upper timing chain to the idler sprockets and secure the cylinder head bolts.7 Refill the cooling system. Hook up the negative battery cable and any other disconnected items. Start the engine and look for leaks.

OIL PUMP IN THE OIL PAN.YOU HAVE TO REMOVE OIL PAN TO REPLACE OIL PUMP.IF YOU HAVE 4.6L ENGINE YOU HAVE TO REMOVE FRONT TIMING CHAIN COVER AND TIMING CHAIN.REMOVE OIL PAN.REMOVE THREE BOLTS AND THE OIL PUMP SCREEN COVER TUBE AND REMOVE OIL PUMP.YOU NEED TO SUBMERGE NEW OIL PUMP IN CLEAN ENGINE OIL TO PRIME IT.

REMOVAL & INSTALLATION

Gasoline Engines
See Figures 1 and 2



Fig. Fig. 1: Exploded view of the oil pump used on 2.0L and 2.3L gasoline engines



Fig. Fig. 2: Exploded view of the oil pump used on the 4.0L engine-2.8L and 2.9L engines are similar

1. Follow the service procedures under Oil Pan Removal and remove the oil pan assembly.
2. Remove the oil pump retainer bolts and remove the oil pump.

To install:

1. Prime the oil pump with clean engine oil by filling either the inlet or outlet port with clean engine oil.
2. Rotate the pump shaft to distribute the oil within the pump body. Install the pump and tighten the mounting bolts to 14-21 ft. lbs. on 2.0L and 2.3L engines; 6-10 ft. lbs. on 2.8L and 2.9L engines or 13-15 ft. lbs. on 4.0L engines.

Do not force the oil pump if it does not seat readily. The oil pump driveshaft may be misaligned with the distributor shaft assembly. To align, rotate the intermediate driveshaft into a new position.

1. Install the oil pan as previously described. The oil pumps are not serviceable. If defective, they must be replaced.

Remember rated this.

The problem sounds like you did not prime the oil pump before you finished putting everything together. Turn the engine over to were the rotor on distributor is at #1 to fire. Mark the location of distributor base to intake manifold. Pull the distributor out of the intake. With a small pin light look inside the hole and insert a long screw driver into the distributor extensin shaft or use a homemade allenhead wrench welded to a extension rod to turn the pump extension rod. Turn the pump several times until it starts to get hard and the pump will be primed. Turn the distributor extension clockwise to prime pump. Hope this will help you.

Remove the engine front cover then drain the engine oil and take out the oil pan. It is under the engine and looks like the bottom of the motor.
Unscrew the oil pump mounting bolts with a wrench and proceed to remove the oil pump itself by pulling it down and out of the engine. Avoid getting any contaminants into the oil pump assembly while removing.
Add fresh oil to the new pump to prime it. Check the alignment on the new oil pump drive with the crankshaft/intermediate crankshaft timing.

Step 2 Install the new pump carefully, rotating it back and forth a little to make sure it has full surface contact between the pump and the engine block.

Step 3 Hold the pump in its sealed position and put in the pump mounting bolts, tightening them to 15 ft-lb.

Step 4 Put the engine oil pan back in and refill the crankcase. Start the engine and check for leaks on the parts you replaced

The oil pump drive is off the intermediate shaft and that is driven by the timing chains. Unless you want to take apart the chains and spin the int shaft itself, there isn' t a good way to prime the motor.
Or just try this:
Just disconnect the bulkhead plug just behind the coil pack, you know the big round thing with all the wires. Crank the engine over a few times, 10-20, reconnect the plug and start the engine.
Or this:
Look on back of block there is a metal cap held on by two bolts. Take that cap off and pull out the top gear then find a socket that fits the top of the oil pump driveshaft. Put it on a power drill with a long extension stick it in the hole onto the driveshaft and spin it, cover top of whole around the extension with a rag so it doesnt spill. This will prime the whole motor, if you do it with head open you can see the oil come up through the lifters

I'll assume you are going to replace the entire set (sprockets, guides, etc.) which I got from O'Reilly for $79.

First, set engine to #1 TDC.
Remove valve cover, fan shroud, fan, drive belt, water pump, 4 10mm bolts from bottom front of head, and 3 10mm bolts from front of oil pan. Remove lower front shield to remove oil pump. remove oil pump/distributor drive shaft, noting the orientation of the drive shaft.
Remove harmonic balance using correct puller (can be rented from local auto parts store). Remove P/S pump and A/C compressor if necessary. Remove timing cover.

IMPORTANT: Before removing oil thrower and distributor drive gear, note direction of oil thrower.
Remove oil thrower and distributor drive gear.
Remove chain guides, tensioner, chain, and finally both sprockets.
The new crank sprocket can only be installed one way, by aligning groove with keyway. The new cam sprocket will have 3 guide holes on the mounting flange, and you will need to align the knock pin with hole #2. Both sprockets should have a small dot (timing mark) on the right side of the sprocket when viewed from the front.
To install new chain, inspect chain to find the two brightly colored gold links. These two links must align with the timing marks on the sprockets. Assemble and install chain tensioner.

!!! IMPORTANT: Be sure to use new gasket when installing tensioner. Tensioner is oil pressure fed and a leaking gasket could allow chain slack, leading to premature wear or break.
Install chain guides, being sure not to let tensioner pop out.

!!! IMPORTANT: The tensioner must be fully compressed. To accomplish this, loosen the 8mm bolts in the passenger side guide (the shorter one). Compress the tensioner, adjust guide to remove slack, and tighten the two 8mm bolts.
Double check that everything is still lined up properly, and make corrections as necessary.
Install distributor drive gear and oil thrower.

!!! IMPORTANT: Ensure oil thrower is installed facing away from the distributor gear. If not, it could get caught in the distributor gear and destroy the two gears or cause engine lockup.

Before installing timing cover, inspect coolant and oil passages. If there is excessive buildup, a good system cleaner is recommended. Replace timing cover gaskets to prevent oil leakage. The best way to reinstall the timing cover is to remove the oil pan, install the timing cover, and reinstall the oil pan (replacing the pan gasket). If you don't want to do that, simply grease the top and bottom of the timing cover and lightly tap it into place with a rubber mallet. This is to prevent damage to the oil pan and head gaskets.
To install the distributor drive shaft, dab some grease on the top side of the gear to hold it in place, and line it up with the distributor. If you are having trouble lining up the shaft, pull it out and look at it from the top, and you will see that the flange is offset. At #1 TDC, the offset will be towards the front.
Install oil pump, being sure to use new gasket.

!!! IMPORTANT: Failure to replace oil pump gasket could lead to inadequate oil pressure, which will cause severe engine damage.

The remainder of the installation is a reverse of removal, using new gaskets where necessary. Before installing your valve cover is a good time to check your rocker arm clearances. This is also a good time to replace your drivebelt, and any other maintenance items as necessary.