SBC 350 Oil Prime: No oil to passenger's side
 

I've spent probably the past 20 minutes trying to get my 350 to oil prime but the passenger's side just won't prime...

I'm using an oil prime tool and an 18v battery powered drill. I can run it on low speed as long as I want but if I run it on high speed I can smell that overheating smell.
Driver's side primed almost instantaneously; passenger side not at all.

I tried having my wife run the drill while I spun the crank over but no luck there, either.


I did not use any white lithium grease ANYWHERE -only red, sticky assembly lube.
Cam bearings were installed by machine shop; all new pushrods, rockers, bearings, Melling SharkTooth oil pump (also new) -"standard volume, standard pressure" but the SharkTooth design gives +10% pressure and +10% volume.

I should note that the oil priming tool does NOT seal around the hole in the block and lots of oil flows over it. I think this is the problem...
I read the 1* reviews of my tool on Jegs and lots of complaints about this problem... UGH.
https://www.jegs.com/i/Speedmaster/7...2/-1#reviewTab


Adam

You answered your own question. There are two types of oil priming tools. A good one for $25+ with a collar. Or you can get a $9.95 piece of crap without the collar.
You took the wrong path.

Did your pour oil over the valve train while filling the crankcase? If so, go start up your car. It won't grenade.

Look at this one. See the size of the channel compared to the one you bought. That is why there is no flow to the passenger side.
https://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS/555/23640/10002/-1

To actually prime a motor it takes a big ass 1/2 inch electric drill. I gave up doing all that hoopla ages ago. Other than assembly lube. I dump quarts of oil all over the lifters and rockers before buttoning it up. Just before firing the motor I use the mini starter without any spark plugs in and give it a 30 - 40 second spinning. Then install the plugs and fire it up for the 2500 rpm run

NbVG,
Just read your post a third time. Clarification needed. You said your primer tool does not seal around hole in block.
Do you mean hole in Intake? Or is the Intake not installed yet? Makes a big difference as far as primer tool function.

Did you read reviews before you bought it? Why choose $ that one?

I have always use an old gutted distributor and a drill. You can run the drill until the oil comes out at the top end or you can just use it just long enough to get the galleries full. You will know when they are full because the drill will load up. You did lube up all the surfaces when you assembled the engine so no need to over think it.

This one actually has a collar, I just took it off. The problem is that the shaft is just too long and doesn't seal the distributor tunnel so oil just pours out the top of the distributor hole and floods the valley-obviously this prevents any significant oil pressure building up.
They literally shouldn't sell that Speedway priming tool. It is a fatally flawed design.

I hacked up my old distributor and ground the teeth off yesterday and then ground the head of the shaft down enough to get it to fit in my drill chuck: it worked a treat and actually squirted oil out the top of a rocker a couple of feet while it got the air out of the system.

-I assume it's normal for the rockers at the rear of the engine (closer to distributor) to have more oil coming out than at the front of the engine?


Adam

I did but it was last November and quite a few of the 1 star reviews have come in since then. I think it had a 4 star review on Jegs then; only 3 stars now, but 2 Stars on Amazon. (2 Stars on Amazon is pretty horrible.)
I'll add another one Star review on Jegs as 3 stars is just way too high for a tool that can't fulfill it's reason for being.

Adam

Intake wasn't on. It doesn't seal the distributor hole going into the lifter valley. In addition to being at least a full inch too high, it's too small of an OD so even if you cut ti down an inch you'd lose a ton of oil pressure still between the OD of the tool and the ID of the distributor hole.
It's looks great, but it's truly worthless. Old Distributor is a million times better.


Adam

Good job! That's what parsimonious guys like me do. My cut up old distributor works like a champ.

Well no wonder your primer tool didn't work. The intake not only seals the oil pressure but takes ALL the wobble out of the shaft when rotating.
I bet there is nothing wrong with the tool.

no.

*Sigh* Look at the 1 Star and 2 Star reviews on Amazon.com and Jegs saying exactly what I said.

I can also post a video just for you and do this all over again, if it makes you feel better.
No one should be buying this tool. Don't confuse someone into thinking it's not the tool.

I should've read more reviews first, but it's definitely the tool that's the issue.



Other recent reviews of the tool online:

A month ago: "This tool will not allow the right side lifter to build up oil pressure to the rockers. The oil galley way (channel)on the tool is spaced about 3/8" to wide, thus allowing oil to bypass the right lifter galley without building pressure."

A month ago: "Either it doesnt work on all SBC engines or it is designed incorrectly. The camshaft oil galley seal is not machined correctly for my GM crate HT383E, which leads to oil bleed off so you cannot lube top end."

"Looks Great:": "The Blue Bushing is located in the wrong area. It should be lower to seal the distributor hole in the casting of the block. This allows the oil to flow out of the passage and not pressurize the rest of the engine. I ended up cutting up the stock distributor and using it. I should have done that in the first place, but i love cool looking tools."

"tool was undersized, wouldnt pump on right head
tool did not work wouldn't pump up to right side of head. Used a old distributor, cut the head off (seen on you-tube) got oil on right side with in one minute"

"Bypasses oil 90% on upper half of engine.


Adam