Prime oil pump new engine

[henry1357]

Hi everyone

What is the best way to prime oil pump/engine on new vortex v6 4.3 mercruiser engine...

Thanks in advance

Henry

 

[Levinz11]

Re: Prime oil pump new engine

http://www.ehow.com/how_6157960_prime-chevy-motor-oil-pump.html

 

[henry1357]

Re: Prime oil pump new engine

Thanks for link

Is there any way to do it without oil priming tool, I'm in spain and finding specialist tools is a nightmare

Kind regards
Henry

 

[Levinz11]

Re: Prime oil pump new engine

Maybe cut the end off of an old distributor and attach it to a drill? I'm sure Mr. Google has more ideas. Good luck!

 

[Don S]

Re: Prime oil pump new engine

Find and old Chevy distributor (V8 or V6) doesn't matter year or anything else. Then remove the gear, cap and rotor and hook your drill to the upper shaft. May take some grinding to fit your drill. Make sure all the grindings are washed off before use.

 

[FreeBeeTony]

Re: Prime oil pump new engine

Is the distributor installed?

If yes, I would ground the coil lead going to the dist cap, remove the plugs and turn it over with the starter.

 

[henry1357]

Re: Prime oil pump new engine

Thanks everyone

No chance of finding an old distributor

Turning over while coil grounded seems the easiest way but is there a chance of damage as the engine I assume will be completely dry

Kind regards
Henry

 

[Don S]

Re: Prime oil pump new engine

Turning over while coil grounded seems the easiest way but is there a chance of damage as the engine I assume will be completely dry

Make sure you take the spark plugs out.

Sure there is a chance of damage. That is why they recommend you use the priming tool.

 

[henry1357]

Re: Prime oil pump new engine

Ok thanks for all the info

Will try and find a tool or distributor
Wish me luck

Thanks again

 

[FreeBeeTony]

Re: Prime oil pump new engine

How much damage could there be?
There's no load and it's not firing........

 

[NHGuy]

Re: Prime oil pump new engine

You prime it to fill all the bearings, sliding surfaces and the filter. Prime it. It matters.

 

[Don S]

Re: Prime oil pump new engine

I have no idea Tony, he asked if there was a chance, and I said there was. I have no clue who rebuilt it, if assembly lube was used or just oil, or how long it's been setting. The bearings could be dry as a bone and no oil in the passages or filter. What do you think would happen if it was dry and he cranks it over 10 or 20 revolutions before the oil pressure builds up?

 

[sschefer]

Re: Prime oil pump new engine

The oil pump shaft has a slot in it. Find a flat blade screw driver that's long enough to extend up far enough so that when it's engaged in the slot, there is enough sticking out of the hole when the handle is removed to chuck into a 1/2" drill motor. Use a fairly heavy screwdriver with a 3/8 or 1/2" wide blade to avoid breaking the screw driver.

For you naysayer's I've been doing it this way for years. I don't think I know of anyone that builds motors that has the special tool.

Just in case though, (trying to cover all the bases here) -- The oil pump shaft is hardened and won't break and I've never broken a screwdriver but if you did you would retrieve it with a flexible magnet pretty easily. You do it the same way you retrieve a distributer shaft pin or broken distributor/cam gear.

 

[Don S]

Re: Prime oil pump new engine

You have to have the distributor housing in there to connect the oil passages. using just a screwdriver in a drill will only oil some of the main and rod bearing. Nothing for the cam and lifters.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Prime oil pump new engine

How much damage could there be?
There's no load and it's not firing........

Ayuh,.... I do it that way too, Tony,...

So far, the motors I haven't assembled myself, were assembled with Lube, as mine were...

No problems, so far... I even got a converted Delco hangin' on the garage wall,....