and get a good grip on it. I smoked my HD craftsman on the last one I primed.
If you're turning it backwards, you'll hear the bubbles blowing in the sump 
Pre-Oiler use
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,912
Likes: 12
From: Schaumburg (Chicago) Illinois
Pre-Oiler use
I hope I am doing something wrong and it is not the engine. I bought a pre-oiler and it did not come with instructions. I figured I would try to use this thing even though I am not ready to start the newly rebuild engine yet. So I put it in and hooked up my drill to it. Running clockwise oil only comes out of only one rocker arm. One of the #8 rods to be specific. I know that I need to make sure it comes out of all of them before starting the engine. Any thoughts? Maybe oil isn't supposed to come out of them all, all the time. Do I have to rotate the crankshaft in order to see oil through each one?
Also, I do not have the oil pressure gauge hooked up. Oil IS running out of that line too. Do I need to hook it up so that I can build pressure to force oil through everywhere else?
I only ran it maybe 10 seconds as I was afraid I would hurt something if I did it wrong.
Maybe it is supposed to go counter clockwise?
Any guidance is appreciated.
Also, I do not have the oil pressure gauge hooked up. Oil IS running out of that line too. Do I need to hook it up so that I can build pressure to force oil through everywhere else?
I only ran it maybe 10 seconds as I was afraid I would hurt something if I did it wrong.
Maybe it is supposed to go counter clockwise?
Any guidance is appreciated.
Last edited by AWilson; Aug 21, 2009 at 06:16 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 10,037
Likes: 668
From: FL
1) Clockwise is correct.
2) It takes a lot longer than 10 sec to pre-oil. Figure 2 minutes or more. Use a heavy duty drill.
3) Make sure you have a tool with the part that replicates the bottom of the distributor. That ensures that oil gets to both lifter galleries (pic below).
4) Turn crank in 90 degree increments while pre-oiling. At least two full turns. This will ensure that the lifters do not block the gallery and that oil gets up all the pushrods.
2) It takes a lot longer than 10 sec to pre-oil. Figure 2 minutes or more. Use a heavy duty drill.
3) Make sure you have a tool with the part that replicates the bottom of the distributor. That ensures that oil gets to both lifter galleries (pic below).
4) Turn crank in 90 degree increments while pre-oiling. At least two full turns. This will ensure that the lifters do not block the gallery and that oil gets up all the pushrods.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 6,640
Likes: 287
From: Ann Arbor Michigan
Not much can go wrong, you just didn't run it long enough. Do you have the OP gauge connected up? If not, connect it then run the oiler until pressure comes up. You can't run the pump to long, but you may burn out you drill motor if it's not up to the task.
Gary
Gary
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,912
Likes: 12
From: Schaumburg (Chicago) Illinois
Ok, I ran it longer and here are the results:
No oil pressure readings at all but I know oil is flowing to the gauge. maybe it is broken.
Driver side all push oil out satisfactorily, at least I think they are. Not running like a fountain but flowing.
Passenger side all are pushing oil but very, very, slowly. Almost can't see it. But I did fill the rockers enough that almost all of them overflowed. So maybe I am good to go?
Can't keep working on it tonight but tomorrow I will turn the crankshaft and see if it improves on that side.
No oil pressure readings at all but I know oil is flowing to the gauge. maybe it is broken.
Driver side all push oil out satisfactorily, at least I think they are. Not running like a fountain but flowing.
Passenger side all are pushing oil but very, very, slowly. Almost can't see it. But I did fill the rockers enough that almost all of them overflowed. So maybe I am good to go?
Can't keep working on it tonight but tomorrow I will turn the crankshaft and see if it improves on that side.
Last edited by AWilson; Aug 21, 2009 at 08:36 PM.
Terrorizing Orange Cones
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,572
Likes: 17
From: Northern CO
Yeah, if you have oil oozing from the pushrods, it's pressurizing the oil galleys ok. IIRC, the mains get oil first then the upper part of the motor next so you should be fine.
Maybe the gauge is kaput? Make sure the OP line ain't kinked or otherwise clogged. All oil ports need to be closed to build press or you'll notice quick enough when the puddle on the floor starts to grow...
Maybe the gauge is kaput? Make sure the OP line ain't kinked or otherwise clogged. All oil ports need to be closed to build press or you'll notice quick enough when the puddle on the floor starts to grow...
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Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,912
Likes: 12
From: Schaumburg (Chicago) Illinois
Yeah, if you have oil oozing from the pushrods, it's pressurizing the oil galleys ok. IIRC, the mains get oil first then the upper part of the motor next so you should be fine.
Maybe the gauge is kaput? Make sure the OP line ain't kinked or otherwise clogged. All oil ports need to be closed to build press or you'll notice quick enough when the puddle on the floor starts to grow...
Maybe the gauge is kaput? Make sure the OP line ain't kinked or otherwise clogged. All oil ports need to be closed to build press or you'll notice quick enough when the puddle on the floor starts to grow...
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 31
Likes: 0
From: Ann Arbor Michigan
I experienced the same problem with a recent 406 build and a cheap Auto-Zone primer tool.
The solution I came up with was wraping a couple layers of electrical tape (trimmed up of course) around the lips on the cylinder closest to the pump. This provided a better seal and kept the pressure up and allowed the oil to pump through all lifters and pushrods . . .
I can throw up a couple pics if needed.
Just call me BUBBA . . .
HABIT
The solution I came up with was wraping a couple layers of electrical tape (trimmed up of course) around the lips on the cylinder closest to the pump. This provided a better seal and kept the pressure up and allowed the oil to pump through all lifters and pushrods . . .
I can throw up a couple pics if needed.
Just call me BUBBA . . .
HABIT
Last edited by HABIT; Aug 24, 2009 at 12:57 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 7,739
Likes: 630
From: Unreconstructed, South Carolina
OE GM sbc First oils lifter bores (i.e. lifters' waists) ... then cam ... then mains ... then rods. There's a hole in lifter waistband ... oil fills lifter internals & some comes out of lifters' tops & travels up pushrods' ID to rockers.
Some aftermarket sbc blocks are designed to first oil mains with "priority main oiling".
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,912
Likes: 12
From: Schaumburg (Chicago) Illinois
Do you have the primer tool that has the bosses at bottom to mimic those on a distributor? (like steveG says in tip3) ... bosses OD slightly larger than dist gear ... without those bosses there's a large upstream volume loss ... many of the cheaper primer tools are little more than a screwdriver shaft with no bosses.
OE GM sbc First oils lifter bores (i.e. lifters' waists) ... then cam ... then mains ... then rods. There's a hole in lifter waistband ... oil fills lifter internals & some comes out of lifters' tops & travels up pushrods' ID to rockers.
Some aftermarket sbc blocks are designed to first oil mains with "priority main oiling".
OE GM sbc First oils lifter bores (i.e. lifters' waists) ... then cam ... then mains ... then rods. There's a hole in lifter waistband ... oil fills lifter internals & some comes out of lifters' tops & travels up pushrods' ID to rockers.
Some aftermarket sbc blocks are designed to first oil mains with "priority main oiling".
Last edited by AWilson; Aug 24, 2009 at 09:18 PM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,912
Likes: 12
From: Schaumburg (Chicago) Illinois
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,231
Likes: 65
From: Seattle WA
St. Jude Donor '14
That's the right tool. Plug the oil pressure line with a hex plug and then prime and turn the engine over in 90 degree increments. Note that this needs to be done right before starting, not well in advance.
Is everything working out at this point?
Is everything working out at this point?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,912
Likes: 12
From: Schaumburg (Chicago) Illinois
Instead of plugging the oil pressure line, isn't hooking up the gauge the same? I planned on doing that for engine monitoring anyway.
I am using the Vizard method of setting static timing. If there is a better reference? Please advise otherwise I will go with that for positioning the distributor properly.
I plan to re prime just before starting. I was just curious how this thing works.
Last edited by AWilson; Aug 24, 2009 at 10:43 PM.
