Ools

Like the title says, I rebuilt my 96 1.8, did a valve job (Just lapping) on the head being swapped over (2000 w/solid lifters). After getting the clearances correct (thanks 1UZ shims) I got it all back together 2000 rods and pistons included, and fired it up.

Since the block itself is basically the same as a 2000, and the rods and pistons were swapped over, I would say it's like I swapped a 2000 in. Mostly.

Unfortunately there ended up being no oil flowing to the head, and the front camshaft journal ended up fusing to the cam.

I have other heads I could put back on, but I want to fix whatever is stopping the oil from getting to the head. I took the borked head off, and cranked the engine, and no oil is coming out of the restrictor port, so I'm thinking the next step is pull the block again and see how the oil pump looks.
Any better ways to diagnose the issue? I'd like to repair it quickly if there's a strategy I've missed. Is it possible the oil pump just failed to prime?

Xaendeau

"I took the borked head off, and cranked the engine, and no oil is coming out of the restrictor port"?! That is nuts, something is not right. I'd pull it back out to verify the oil pump isn't broken. I don't think there's a better option here.

Frofro97

it can take a lot of cranking to push oil everywhere on a totally empty motor.
unfortunately I think further disassembly is needed, Id also carefully inspect that high pressure oil port, as something could have fallen inside while the head was off.