Best place to connect a pre-oiler to push some oil through before dry start up?

[e9999]

Been thinking about pushing some fresh oil throughout the engine before starting it after a long storage spell. What would be the best place to connect the pre-oiler tank to on the late 80 series engine? I would normally assume that the oil pressure gauge is a good spot to try first but is that the case here? Is there a better spot maybe? TIA

 

[Fj80oregon]

Just turn it over 3 or 4 times for 15 seconds with the distributor coil disconnected. That will build up some pressure and it should register on the gauge. I have done this with fresh rebuilds and had zero issues building oil pressure before firing it up for the first time.

 

[e9999]

of course that is likely better than actually firing it up dry at normal engine speeds but it is still rotating it dry. And I would like to circulate fresh oil too first since what's there is old and maybe dried up and I want to replace it all before turning it over. So if it's not too difficult to do (!), I'm entertaining the idea of pre-oiling with pressurized oil.

 

[Kernal]

How long has the engine sat without running? Months, years??

FWIW one of my 80's sat for almost a year (with Mobil 1 oil), I just disconnected the high tension lead from the coil and cranked the engine until I saw pressure, reconnected the lead, vrroom. No problems since and with good Engine Oil analyses afterwards (ie: showing no increased wear).

If it's sat a very long time I might drain out the old engine oil and add a new filter but first pour fresh oil into the suction port (squarish hole where the filter attaches to the block) to prime the oil pump, then with the oil filter installed crank the engine (with the distributor wire disconnected, some prefer to pull the EFI fuse) for 5-10 seconds at a time until you see the oil pressure needle move.

You could also pour some fresh oil into the new filter but most will pour out when you tip the filter to install it in the stock position.

Or, first install a 90 degree oil filter adapter where the oil filter normally goes, then fill your new filter with fresh oil and install it ie: upside down so nothing spills out. That would cut down the dry start time by a couple of seconds.

Or use a pre-oiler/pre-luber. You would need the correct adaptor for
the oil pressure sensor port, IIRC it's a 1/8 BSPT adapter (not Metric, not NPT)

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There's a new design "Ford" 90 degree oil filter adapter (link above)
here's the discussion:

Installation of 90 degree oil filter adapter on 1FZFE

Installed a Ford Racing 90 degree oil filter adapter (M-6880-A50) today on my 96 FZJ-80. Debated between a remote filter and this adapter but went with this one to keep it simple; the threads for the 1FZFE oil filter pipe are 3/4x16 inch, same as the Ford adapter. Due to the adapter being...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[e9999]

thanks.
1 or 2 years.
Which side is the suction port in there?
So you think the sensor port is the best place for the pre-oiler?
Would it make sense to push some cleaner through first to get rid of the gunk before putting in fresh oil, in case some orifices are clogged up?
What kind of pressures could I use to pressurize the oil?

 

[Kernal]

I've been accused of this myself, but IMHO you may be overthinking this.

You could drain the oil before cranking the engine and catch the first 1/2 quart or so into a clear container and let that sit, look for water/sludge. But if the engine was running well and the oil looked good before you parked it the oil should still be good.

How does the coolant look? Any oil floating in it?

I definitely would not put any cleaner into the engine, that would be more likely to cause problems as it would remove any oil film that is remaining on the metal parts. If you found sludge or water in the engine oil after you drained it you could just pour a couple of quarts straight through the engine ie: from the filler hole in the valve cover straight down and out of the oil pan drain hole.

But the bigger question at that point would be where did the water come from (if you found water, milky oil, sludge).

When you remove the oil filter. underneath where the oil filter attaches on the block, you will see two "holes", one is the threaded pipe for the oil filter itself, the other squarish hole (to the left of the threaded pipe nipple) goes down inside the engine to the oil pump. That is where you can pour some fresh oil to prime the oil pump.

 

[e9999]

thanks
yes, I'm clearly guilty of overthinking too usually, but I'll take that over the opposite.
I have not looked at the fluids yet.
I will for sure spray some oil everywhere in the valve cover, thinking a pressurized container with a bent nozzle. And maybe fog the cylinders too but that's much more of a pain. This may be unwarranted but instinctively I'm more concerned about the cylinder walls than the valve train, though.
I'm thinking that usually the oil goes from the outside to the center of the filter, so the orifice you mentioned is the outlet of the pump then, I take it.
Dang, I just remembered that (I think) the oil pressure switch is under the exhaust manifold so getting to that one would be a pain, I imagine. Might be easier to use an oil cooler line to push some oil through, but admittedly I have no idea where that would be in the oil system. May not do much. Or maybe I could use the oil filter center threaded orifice to connect to my preoiler? Easy to get to and there must be adapters for external filters that i could use.

 

[Mark W]

1-2 years is not a long storage. Oil in your engine does not "dry up". Your engine is not "dry.

I have opened many many engines that have sat for far longer than this to find plenty of oil on the bearings and in the oil passages, waiting patiently to reach the bearings.

You are making a thing out of a thing that is not a thing. Shut up, start the engine and drive.


Mark...

 

[e9999]

dammit, I was afraid somebody would say that... don't tempt me...

It's not like I have a big excess of horsepower here, ya know....

 

[Kernal]

If you really wanted to and if the spark plugs need changing you could spray an ounce of oil into each cylinder while the plugs are out, then crank the engine a couple of seconds, that will spread the oil around and blow out any excess. But the same effect could be done by just having someone spraying a light oil into the intake ie: via the PCV line while the engine is being cranked. That will suck some oil into the cylinders, but may not do much, IMHO.

Again, most that I would do is change the old oil and filter (filter media can "age" or weaken while just sitting), pour in 7 quarts of new oil, put some fresh oil into the new filter and down the squarish hole under where the filter goes, install the new filter, then crank the engine either by removing the EFI fuse or disconnecting the high tension lead from the coil until you see the oil pressure needle move, then reconnect everything and start the engine. Then check the oil level after the engine has reached operating temperature.

 

[e9999]

OK, thanks, more food for thought... Yup, I may need the reality check... And that sure is tempting, stomach cramps notwithstanding. My resolve is fading...

 

[landtank]

go watch some episodes of roadkill garage. it will help with your perspective.

 

[e9999]

"keep lowering your standards until it's done..." or "it'll be fine..." something like that ? yup!