Manually rotating engine before priming
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,426
Likes: 165
From: Motor City
Manually rotating engine before priming
Ok to manually rotate an engine before it’s primed?
I’m wanting to swap a cam/valvetrain into my new motor but want to avoid any premature wear.
Seems like it should be ok as manually rotating will not create much heat. Thoughts?
I’m wanting to swap a cam/valvetrain into my new motor but want to avoid any premature wear.
Seems like it should be ok as manually rotating will not create much heat. Thoughts?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,426
Likes: 165
From: Motor City
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,063
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
Either way it will probably be ok some like to do it right before startup....some get carried away and wash all the assy lube off the bearings. Minute you turn the key and it fires its about primed I dont pay much attention to it these days
Whatever you feel best with.
Whatever you feel best with.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 4,752
Likes: 1,642
From: Fairfax Virginia
When I wake up my C3's 427 after a long winter I will remove all eight spark plugs and then add about 1-2 ounces of Marvel Mystery Oil to each cylinder. Then with the spark plugs out still I put a socket on the dampner bolt head and turn the engine with a 30" breaker bar. I turn the engine over by hand and let it sit for 24 hours and then I turn the engine with the starter motor to blow out any excess oil leftover. Re-install the plugs and the engine should be ready for the next step. Next I remove the distributor and run my electric drill with an oil drive adapter to prime the engine's lubrication system. I can get 20-30 psi doing this and I do it until I see oil flowing inside the valve covers. Now the engine is ready to crank right up without any dry parts.
This is overkill for most engines but after spending a lot of money re-building the 427 I want it to last a while.
This procedure might be harder to do on some of the newer Corvettes where the spark plugs are hidden below emissions parts. That is one of the things I love about the 1968 C3 with a Big Block, there is room to get to every spark plug from the top and it takes 20 minutes to swap in new plugs.
This is overkill for most engines but after spending a lot of money re-building the 427 I want it to last a while.
This procedure might be harder to do on some of the newer Corvettes where the spark plugs are hidden below emissions parts. That is one of the things I love about the 1968 C3 with a Big Block, there is room to get to every spark plug from the top and it takes 20 minutes to swap in new plugs.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,063
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
I always thought the biggest part of wear on dry starts are the cylinder walls, the only way they get lubed is the engine spinning over. Prelubing doesnt help there.
After sitting long periods I try and get it fired asap so it isnt dry
After sitting long periods I try and get it fired asap so it isnt dry
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 7,098
Likes: 378
From: Las Vegas - Just stop perpetuating myths please.
Well for those that can't sleep w/o their engine pre-lubed, for less than $200 you can buy a engine oiler that connects to the oil pressure sending unit hole. Here's one: https://www.vividracing.com/-p-15309...UaAmAtEALw_wcB
Or you could probably make your own for less once you see how simple they are. Try a google search on engine oilers.
Or you could probably make your own for less once you see how simple they are. Try a google search on engine oilers.
