Engine oil priming ?

[eepals]

How do you prime your engines with oil after a rebuild, before you start it or when you time the cams?

 

[Reebs]

BEfore you start it. Our oil pumps are self priming, so all you have to do is pull the fuel pump relay and crank the engine to build oil pressure. I however, didn't build any oil pressure at all after 10 minutes of on/off cranking when I installed my 3L. The oil didn't even make it to my oil filter (1st port of call so to say) and so I made a contraption to force oil back to the oil pump (using air pressure from my compressor) to help prime the so called "self priming" oil pump. Then I built up oil pressure after 3 seconds of cranking.

 

[DyComet]

BEfore you start it. Our oil pumps are self priming, so all you have to do is pull the fuel pump relay and crank the engine to build oil pressure. I however, didn't build any oil pressure at all after 10 minutes of on/off cranking when I installed my 3L. The oil didn't even make it to my oil filter (1st port of call so to say) and so I made a contraption to force oil back to the oil pump (using air pressure from my compressor) to help prime the so called "self priming" oil pump. Then I built up oil pressure after 3 seconds of cranking.

That's weird. I built pressure after about 10 seconds of priming. Well at least you got the job done.

 

[Reebs]

That's weird. I built pressure after about 10 seconds of priming. Well at least you got the job done.

Defenitly was weird. That was a first for me. Never had that problem before but it did scare the crap out of me. I would have had to pull 90% of my turbo kit to drop the freaken oil pan to check the pickup! The pump wouldn't have been a fun one either!

 

[vudusvt]

How do you prime your engines with oil after a rebuild, before you start it or when you time the cams?

*Mash* the gas pedal to the floor and hold it there while you turn the key & crank it.

Per Stazi, this is an idiot switch so you don't flood the engine prior to starting.

HTH.

 

[Reebs]

*Mash* the gas pedal to the floor and hold it there while you turn the key & crank it.

Per Stazi, this is an idiot switch so you don't flood the engine prior to starting.

HTH.

Pulling the fuel pump relay does the same thing. If you do it "stazi style," unplug the coil pack as well so it won't fire up.

 

[DyComet]

I did it stazi style as well. It seems a bit easier than pulling the fuel pump relay. Unplug the coil pack, push the gas pedal and crank it over. If you don't have an oil pressure guage to monitor oil pressure I'd crank it over a couple times just to make sure that your engine is primed before startup.

 

[eepals]

Before you start it. Our oil pumps are self priming, ...

I however, didn't build any oil pressure at all after 10 minutes of on/off cranking when I installed my 3L....

After I timed the cams, I put approx 3 qts. of oil in the sump and tried to build oil pressure. No luck. I had the engine on a stand and since I was rotating the engine on the stand cleaning the block, I completely drained all oil from the pump. As I have now learned it is better to turn the engine upside down and pour oil directly into the oil pick-up tube. Now after I install the engine I'm pretty certain I'll get oil pressure quickly. Plus with out oil pressure the chain tensioners don't work. Even after I got oil pressure the tensioner on the right bank wouldn't pump up. I'm glad I didn't install the engine then find this out.
I ordered new tensioners today.

 

[Pudmunkie]

I dont think your tensioners will take up any kind of slack by hand priming the motor. they will instantly once you start cranking the car over though...

 

[eepals]

Hand priming worked for me, it took about a few minutes, because the gallery that feeds that tensioner I replaced was empty. I did have to pull out the tensioner pawl one click before it worked properly. After a while I had oil dripping from the heads, everything was lubed. You can even see a tiny stream of oil, that shots out of each tensioner, on to the surface of the aluminum chain guide the tensioner piston rides against.

PS I posted another thread in Troubleshoting, asking a question that I should have posted here.
Before I fully disassembled the engine I used a 14.4 volt drill to turn over the engine, without the spark plugs installed, now the drill wouldn't budge it. I wonder if the head gaskets where leaking worse than I thought. Not just leaking oil.

 

[Big Jim]

I would not expect to be able to turn over an engine with a drill motor, even with the spark plugs out. I doubt you drill has enough power.

 

[eepals]

A heavy duty 1/2" electric drill wouldn't do the job now. Before the gasket change a Ryobi 14.4 volt drill spun it, not fast but easier than I could do it.