Priming oil pump
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2000
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From: Westfield Indiana
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Priming oil pump
I've checked the archives and see that some of you just disconnect power from the distributor and crank the starter until you see oil pressure. I primed the pump by hand before installing it but most of the oil drained back out.
Is it safe to just disconnect power from the distributor and crank? Or should I pull the distributor and prime the pump with a screwdriver or drill?
If cranking with power removed will work fine, I imagine I'll do that. Seems like a hassle to pull the dist. if I don't need to.
Thoughts?
Is it safe to just disconnect power from the distributor and crank? Or should I pull the distributor and prime the pump with a screwdriver or drill?
If cranking with power removed will work fine, I imagine I'll do that. Seems like a hassle to pull the dist. if I don't need to.
Thoughts?
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
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From: Forked River NJ
Re: Priming oil pump (Captain Morgan)
I pull the dist. When you are cranking you are turning the engine over dry until the oil gets to it. It takes me about 5 minutes to get teh dist back in and hooked up. The oil should not drain back in that short of a time. Some crank with no power and have no problems. JMO on this
Safety Car
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From: St. Charles IL
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Re: Priming oil pump (Captain Morgan)
I like using an oil charger, not sure if that is the correct name for it, but it is a tank that gets connected where the oil pressure gauge sender is located. You pour in your 5 quarts of oil, close the tank and then pressurize it with compressed air. This forces oil through all the oil passages and pump. The tank is then removed and you are ready to go. It is made primarily for late model cars that have no distributor. I was able to borrow one from my engine builder. The only other way I know of is to pull the distributor and connect a drill adapter to the oil pump shaft.
Race Director
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From: San Diego - Deep Within The State of CONFUSION!
Re: Priming oil pump (Captain Morgan)
When I build engines, I pack the oil pump with Vasline or light grease. It will pump immediately when you do that. This combined with cranking for a few seconds with no ignition power will do the job fine.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: port jefferson station ny
Re: Priming oil pump (Captain Morgan)
pull the distributor, cut off the shank of a lond flatbladed screwdriver, put the screwdriver blade in an electric drill and pump away. you don't need oil pressure showing on the gauge when cranking a fresh engine. you just have to make sure that all of the bearings have plenty of oil. therefore once you prime the engine you probably don't have to worry for at least a couple of days. wcj :party:
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2001
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From: Living in the Hartland
Re: Priming oil pump (Captain Morgan)
On a fresh engine I have used a primer till oil is coming out all 16 push rods that way I know oil is pretty much all through out the engine.
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Le Mans Master
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From: Westfield Indiana
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Re: Priming oil pump (Captain Morgan)
The engine isn't new, just the oil pump. The old one was a high pressure pump and I got tired of seeing the guage pegged out over 80 psi so I switched to a standard pressure pump. I wish I had known the vaseline trick prior to installing the pump, but I'm not dropping the pan again. ;) I had hand primed the pump before installing it so it has at least had oil through it. There were no further instructions so I decided to check here. The forum is great, don't you all think?
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 1999
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From: New Paltz, New York USA
Re: Priming oil pump (Captain Morgan)
Captain Morgan,
I just remove power from distributor and crank for a few seconds at a time till see oil pressure on my gauge. Been doing this for years with no problems. I just replaced my oil pump also. I took the new one apart and blew it out with air just to make sure there were no pieces of junk in there and then packed it with vasoline. Cranked it a few times and pressure came right up. Good luck. :thumbs:
I just remove power from distributor and crank for a few seconds at a time till see oil pressure on my gauge. Been doing this for years with no problems. I just replaced my oil pump also. I took the new one apart and blew it out with air just to make sure there were no pieces of junk in there and then packed it with vasoline. Cranked it a few times and pressure came right up. Good luck. :thumbs:
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
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From: Westfield Indiana
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Re: Priming oil pump (Richard Cooper)
Will it be okay if I didn't pack it with vaseline? I was unaware of that secret until now.
