Pre-lube after rebuild
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 3,079
Likes: 315
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Pre-lube after rebuild
Okay, this is for you experts out there. I had my engine rebuilt, then broke-in and tested on an engine dyno back in July. The engine builder used the Comp Cams additive for breaking in a flat tappet hydraulic cam. The oil was left in the engine.
Getting ready to fire it up in the next few weeks and I'm concerned about the cam having dried out in the last five months. Would you pre-lube the engine by spinning the oil pump for a considerable length of time, or am I just paranoid?
I plan on having some experienced help to check everything out and fire the engine, but I just don't want to be talked out of doing it....when I really should. Of course, I need to come up with the means to do it. I've seen where an old distributor with the gears ground off can be used, along with a drill.
Getting ready to fire it up in the next few weeks and I'm concerned about the cam having dried out in the last five months. Would you pre-lube the engine by spinning the oil pump for a considerable length of time, or am I just paranoid?
I plan on having some experienced help to check everything out and fire the engine, but I just don't want to be talked out of doing it....when I really should. Of course, I need to come up with the means to do it. I've seen where an old distributor with the gears ground off can be used, along with a drill.
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 58
Likes: 0
From: lexington north carolina
Well to be on the safe side, I'd pull the valve covers use a drill to spin a dummy distributor as you were talking about and watch all the rockers lube for a few min. then go ahead an fire it up to about 2000 rpm promptly. Watch her run a while and smile!!! oohh keep a check on oil psi
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Racer
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 289
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From: Franksville Wisconsin
It can get some oil. I don't bother with that after winter storage. I have pulled engines apart that sat for years and oil tends to kling to parts pretty well with oil film on cam and some drop hanging yet. But in warmer climates it may differ.