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Yeah, the pump should provide enough resistance (once primed) that it can be difficult to hold the drill (a good corded drill), and it should REALLY bog the drill down.
If the drill is whirring along w/low load, keep priming.
You could pull the oil pressure sensor to see if you got oil...but be warned; when it starts pumping, it's gonna be a geyser! You could also pull the same plug that you had plumbed to before, in your pic above.
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That might be considered wise and maybe a hose to a container of some sort and check it. Maybe you do it, close it again continue the prime and then do it once more and check.
*** Cranking with the distributor power delete might be good also.
Yeah, the pump should provide enough resistance (once primed) that it can be difficult to hold the drill (a good corded drill), and it should REALLY bog the drill down.
If the drill is whirring along w/low load, keep priming..
Glad you described that, @Tom400CFI ... that's exactly what it's doing now, pulling on the drill hard. I guess my concern was in verifying that the oil is coming out of all the places it's supposed to. I look in the oil filler hole in the passenger side valve cover and I don't see the small amount of oil there moving, but don't know if I should or if that's normal. I'll try turning it over with the dist unplugged to see if I register oil pressure.
The drill will prime everything up to the rockers if you run it long enough. I can't tell if you have one, but you need an adapter where the distributor goes because the distributor is part of the oil circuit to the right side gallery. If it isn't there you will not be able to prime the lifters on that side.
I got it fixed. Drained the oil, no contamination. Filled with 4.5 qts oil. Spin the oil pump and there’s a bit of resistance. Is there any way of telling if the oil is flowing without taking off the valve covers?
nice work solving this. dont be embarrassed!!
Of you remove the oil fill, you should see oil seeping off the rockers. the front rockers take the longest to receive the oil.
EDIT: I see the "need a tool or the RH side will never prime" has already been addressed. Cool.
If you don't use a priming tool that completes the passage by the distributor over to the RH lifter gallery, it will take a really long time to prime up to the LH rockers, and it will never prime to the RH rockers.
I've primed at least a couple hundred newly assembled engines. I don't, and never have, owned the tool. I run the drill for a couple of minutes after resistance is felt and call the prime good. I don't see any issue with not priming or filling the lifters. When I assemble the engine I lube the rocker ***** and push rod sockets. I oil the lifter bores. I use assembly lube on roller lifter rollers, and cam-lube on flat tappet cams. I've never had lubrication issues associated with break-in, assembly, or priming. It isn't fussy as long as the oil filter and any external coolers and lines are pre-filled. Don't worry about it. You're done.
Thanks, that helps. Yeah, I modified a bum distributor per something I saw somewhere and that's my primer tool now. I ran it until I felt some serious tug and then a minute. I lubed the hell out of everything (rockers, cam, etc.). Going to try to start it tonight! Been a long friggin haul to get here!
I've primed at least a couple hundred newly assembled engines. I don't, and never have, owned the tool. I run the drill for a couple of minutes after resistance is felt and call the prime good. I don't see any issue with not priming or filling the lifters. When I assemble the engine I lube the rocker ***** and push rod sockets. I oil the lifter bores. I use assembly lube on roller lifter rollers, and cam-lube on flat tappet cams. I've never had lubrication issues associated with break-in, assembly, or priming. It isn't fussy as long as the oil filter and any external coolers and lines are pre-filled. Don't worry about it. You're done.
So I thought that I had disconnected the fuel pump relay but apparently I didn’t. There are two relays that look similar, I disconnected the one by the master cylinder.
But it worked out for good, because I smelled gas. Found I have a leak, I believe in the driver’s side fuel rail; it’s glistening at the base of the manifold, under the rail next to the EGR relay. I think I’m going to have to remove the plenum, remove the rail, and replace the o-ring in that rail.
So I jad to replace the entire fuel rail assembly; luckily I had a spare. Big bummer, though, was that in the process my 1/4” swivel adapter shattered and cracked on of my Edelbrock runners, so I’m using the stock runners for now.
Q: How high should I allow the temp to get? I mixed the cascade liquid with 50/50 coolant and stopped when it got over 210 (I think that was enough to open the thermistat). And how best to flush it? Is it enough to simply drain the radiator?
Q: How high should I allow the temp to get? I mixed the cascade liquid with 50/50 coolant and stopped when it got over 210 (I think that was enough to open the thermistat). And how best to flush it? Is it enough to simply drain the radiator?
just did similar “flush” on my 89. i ran it, allowed it to idle, let the fan kick in and out knocking the temps from 108c doen to 99c and repeated that several times. then let it cool completely. remove rad cap. then removed the knock sensor (7/8socket) ps and the kc4 cooler line ds. and finally the rad petcock. those drain the whole thing. i just used water with a rad flush additive. not soap.
to refill, i fill the rad very slowly until its absolutely full. then start it up and wait for the tstat to open evident by the fluid level sudden drop in the rad. i then fill everything again and then use my left hand to keep the throttle at 2000ish rpm which sucks the fluid level down even more, my right had tops up the rad again and then puts cap on. ive never had a burping issue. make sure your plastic overflows plumbing is sealed up good and not plugged with sediment. fill it to “max hot” and over time as air is released by pressure burps out the cap into the overflow, as it cools, it will suck fluid back in.
If you go after the knock sensor, be very, very, gentle as you pinch the long axis of the plastic clip connection. (as you squeezr it to make it more round, it comes off). They are brittle.
I broke one the other week. There are replacement connectors at the local parts store, but you gotta solder or splice it on. Picture related!
You could try to release the pin on both wires (stock wire and pigtail) and swap on the new plastic connector onto your stock wire...no splicing!? Unless that particular connector doesn't work like that, but probably not a bad idea to splice, if that few inches of wiring is hardened and heat treated/melted from exposure to the exhaust manifold👍
just did similar “flush” on my 89. i ran it, allowed it to idle, let the fan kick in and out knocking the temps from 108c doen to 99c and repeated that several times. then let it cool completely. remove rad cap. then removed the knock sensor (7/8socket) ps and the kc4 cooler line ds. and finally the rad petcock. those drain the whole thing. i just used water with a rad flush additive. not soap.
to refill, i fill the rad very slowly until its absolutely full. then start it up and wait for the tstat to open evident by the fluid level sudden drop in the rad. i then fill everything again and then use my left hand to keep the throttle at 2000ish rpm which sucks the fluid level down even more, my right had tops up the rad again and then puts cap on. ive never had a burping issue. make sure your plastic overflows plumbing is sealed up good and not plugged with sediment. fill it to “max hot” and over time as air is released by pressure burps out the cap into the overflow, as it cools, it will suck fluid back in.
Viking, excuse my ignorance, but what is the KC4 COOLER LINE on the drivers side ? I am going to be doing the flush myself soon and was curious what you were referring to. Thanks much for all your help !!
KC4 is the rpo code. Check your rpo sticker to see if you have it.
kc4 oil cooler if your car is equipped:
note filter has been removed here. those hoses…the one that goes to the block can be removed and out comes the driverside fluid. a very good idea to do this.
Now, if you do *not* have a kc4 oil cooler, then you will have a plug like this where the kc4 nipple would be: the socket size to remove is a 9/16 on mine. picture:
On the passenger side, here is the knock sensor. And it uses a 7/8 socket. i think. you want to be sure you use the correct one.
if you remove thise and nothing comes out, you have scale/sediment built up. You should take a small flathead and pole through the scale and out the fluid will come.
And finally, this is what i use on my threads when i reinstall:
Ah, that makes sense, I do believe I have the cooler, but I will check in a few minutes to make sure. Thanks for the info, it will definitely help when it comes time to do this job. I plan on changing the t-stat and water pump at the same time.
glad u got it sorted