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#974765 09/27/2013 8:47 AM
Joined: Nov 2005
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want to finally start up the engine again,it's been a few years. put a little oil in the spark plug holes and turned it over by hand. Do I have to prime the oil pump how do I do that. If it is through the distributor port is there any other way.

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What year we talking ???
I know on my 1930 & 1929 I prime through the Distributor. Pull out Distributor, made a rod/ tool for mine, can be wood, as my old one was. I used the Distributor shaft as my guide for the tool. insert the tool in where the distributor goes, spin it with a drill until oil flows, then I check to make sure OIL has and is flowing where it should and needs to be. I did the below procedure, right after I finished with the bottom half of my engine, with it installed in the vehicle. I will be priming it again this weekend as I hope to fire it up and getting it running smile

here is Detailed info:

Originally Posted by BearsFan315
Took some time this weekend to test the oil pump, As I wanted to make sure that oil was flowing everywhere it was supposed to BEFORE I installed the oil pan. I had the shop build me a nifty little Oil Pump Priming Tool out of a scrap piece of 1/2" dia rod, based on a drawing I made using the Distributer shaft as a guide.

Oil Pump Priming Tool
Oil Pump Priming Tool - Drill/Drive End
Oil Pump Priming Tool - Oil Pump Interface

In order NOT to make a HUGE mess on the garage floor, I elevated my Oil Drip pan up on a few milk crates, and then made a makeshift Oil Recirc Pan out of a $1.00 sterilite show box from Wally World. I know it will not catch ALL of the oil , but a mojority will be caught (from the 4 trough tubes & cetner main bearing). Cheap, Easy, and Effective...

Then I tested out the New Oil Priming tool for clearance, fit, form, and function Oil Pump Priming Tool in Engine 1 & Oil Pump Priming Tool in Engine 2. Wanted to make sure the interface was proper with out a lot of slop and play, and I was able to fit it in nicely, and turn by the Oil Pump by hand.

I set up my Oil Pump Test Contraption, then I Connected the Oil Pump Priming Tool to the Drill, put a little oil/ grease on the Oil Pump End, Insterted Tool into Engine, make sure Tool was engaged and Pulled the Trigger. After a Few seconds, Oil began to Flow !! I observed that oil was flowing to ALL Three (3) Oil Pockets/ Troughs for the main bearings (Front, Center, & Rear), as well as going to the timing gears & cover, also that oil was flowing to the four (4) tubes to feed the center dipper troughs in the oil pan. Next went up top to make sure oil was flowing up the tube into the rocker arm assemblies, into the wick areas, and then draining back down towards the Oil Pan.

Yes, I made a controlled mess, but I am now certain that I have oil flowing anywhere and everyone where it should & needs to be flowing. After all of this only had a few drops of oil on the floor. Plenty in the pan though smile


1929 Chevrolet AC International - 4 Door
1930 Chevrolet AD Universal - Canopy Express Truck
Love the Antique Chevrolet's from 1928-1932
The Beauty, Simplicity, History, and the Stories they Tell
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It woulld be good to prime it before start.
Theres basically 2 ways you can do this.
1) remove the dist and use an electric drill w/a cutoff long straight slot screw driver head. Engage the screw driver into the oil pump slot then spin away.

2) remove the aprkplugs and depending upon your truck/engine model, either don't turn on the ign or remove the coil lead and use the battery to spin the engine until you see some oil pressure register on the gauge and/or see oil comeing from the rockers.

I used method #2 grin
Good luck
Dave

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Taking out the distributor is the best way to prime the oil pump up and get some oil going to cam bearings ect.... I guess the next best thing would be to turn the engine over with the starter, but unhook the wire from the ignition coil so it doesn't start. A "dry" start is what is the worse for the engine.
What engine are we starting up??

John

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this is a 1950 216. has the upgrade on it for the oil. not sure what to call it. has the small copper tube on the outside of the block; from what I read it is an upgrade

evac34 #975005 09/28/2013 12:51 PM
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There could be another way to get oil into the most critical area by changing it and after removing the valve cover pour the last quart in over the head. This is for a used engine of course and I would not recommend it for a new unfired engine. Priming is the best way for that. But on a used engine you may not get any or enough oil thru the galleries to really help that much. By directly pouring in at the head it will at least run in around the rockers and valve stems and to the lifter area. If there is any damage on a used engine due to oiling priming isn't likely to help much anyway. Then you can turn it over with more confidence. I've used this method over the years without problems. When I did my apprentice mechanic training there was never a mention of priming even on a new rebuild. Right or wrong it all seems to have come up in the last few years as a result of changes in the oil we now have.

Last edited by 53moneypit; 09/28/2013 12:59 PM.

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