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BB Overhaul Pre-Lube Question

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Old Apr 6, 2009 | 12:58 PM
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Default BB Overhaul Pre-Lube Question

Building a BB (1970 454) and have the engine assembled. Before we reinstalled this past weekend, used an electric drill to pre-lube and cannot get any lube oil through the push rods on the passenger side of the engine. Driver's side has plenty of lube flowing from the push rods but not the passenger side. What can be wrong??? Thanks for any advice before we take back apart.
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Old Apr 6, 2009 | 01:28 PM
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Try rotating the motor using a socket on the crankshaft bolt, while spinning the oil pump shaft with the drill motor. It's somewhat of a fluke, but sometimes the oil passages just don't line up for the cam bearings to deliver oil in all areas of the top end.

If that isn't it, I'd check to be sure the oil holes for the cam bearings and block are lined up correctly.

By the way, what kind of oil pressure did you register (at the gauge) when spinning the oil pump shaft with the drill motor?

...Jerry
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Old Apr 6, 2009 | 02:21 PM
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Did not have a pressure guage hooked up. Did rotate the engine with no luck. Had some discussion with a local machine shop a few minutes ago and they advised that the distributor must be in place in order for lube to flow to the right side lifters. We were using a shaft chucked into a drill to drive the oil pump. Thanks for your response.
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Old Apr 6, 2009 | 02:31 PM
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Yeah, I thought about that after I posted my response. You need to use a Tavia #08300 (or comparable) oil pump primer that has a bushing to pressurize the lifter galley while priming. They're less than $20.

...Jerry
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Old Apr 6, 2009 | 02:55 PM
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Did you use a primingtool or just a shaft?

Here is the Summit priming tool:


You see the blue part at the bottom (right side)? That replicates the bottom the distributor and routes oil from the driver's side to passenger's side.

$16.95 at Summit or you can rent one from Autozone. Also, rotate the crank while priming and you should be good to go.
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Old Apr 6, 2009 | 03:33 PM
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Originally Posted by C3BB4SPD
Yeah, I thought about that after I posted my response. You need to use a Tavia #08300 (or comparable) oil pump primer that has a bushing to pressurize the lifter galley while priming. They're less than $20.

...Jerry
run that puppy...you have primed it enough...
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Old Apr 6, 2009 | 10:06 PM
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Originally Posted by midyearvette
run that puppy...you have primed it enough...
Only if you want to trash the passenger side valve train.

Borrow the correct tool from Autozone, reprime, and have no worries. One hour of time and zero dollars. Worth the peace of mind.
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Old Apr 7, 2009 | 08:35 PM
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Many thanks to everyone for your helpful advice. Planning to borrow/rent the tool from Autozone.

Thanks again for the great advice.
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