Engine Pre Crank

[nicholastheczar]

I have a SBC that has been sitting for probably at least a year and I am getting close to the attempt-to-crank-the-engine stage. Should I do anything before I attempt to crank it to make sure I have some oil in the cylinders / pistons? Anything else I should do for pre lubrication? When I bought this cruiser, it had the SBC in it but the engine had never been run. It was a rebuilt engine so I don't think its ever been run after rebuild.

Just trying to cover all my bases before I turn the key.

Nick

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

Remove the distributor and prime the oil pump/gallery. W/ the valve covers removed, and the priming tool installed on the oil pump shaft, turn the tool w/ a drill till you see oil coming from the rockers over the valve stems...maybe turn the thing over by hand a few times before you try to start it. I can't remember if the chevy needs to turn clockwise or counter clockwise to prime the pump. I purged most of my chevy knowledge for the 2F 411.....

 

[nicholastheczar]

Thanks a bunch. Vatozone has a the prime tool to loan out.

 

[LAMBCRUSHER]

Thanks a bunch. Vatozone has a the prime tool to loan out.

LOLvatozone!!! I'm stealin that one!

 

[nicholastheczar]

Just a followup to priming the engine and vatozone pump priming tool. The cheaper tools like the ones at Vatozone will only prime the 1,3,5,7 cylinders on the drivers side due to not filling the passage for the oil galley which forces oil to the 2,4,6,8 cylinders. I was priming the engine and getting nothing to the even number (passenger side) cylinders. I thought something was wrong w/ my engine. After searching and reading up, I ended up cutting up my old dizzy and using that as the oil primer. My old dizzy obviously fits like it should and fills that passage causing oil to flow where it should. I cut the top off and ground off the gears and once seated, hooked it to my drill and got good oil pressure and had oil going to all cylinders. Maybe this can save someone some time who is trying to prime their SBC.

Nick

 

[fieldsken1]

what the heck are you talking about they both turn the shaft that goes into the pump they both do the same thing maybe you did not turn it enough to prime it. the shaft cant prime half the motor

 

[miker]

the distributor body completes or connects the two oil gallies so you need a primer that duplicates the lower half of the distributor or do like you did and use an old distributor and make one.

If the one vatozome had was just a rod to turn the pump, then this will never completely prime the engine.

 

[nicholastheczar]

what the heck are you talking about they both turn the shaft that goes into the pump they both do the same thing maybe you did not turn it enough to prime it. the shaft cant prime half the motor

the distributor body completes or connects the two oil gallies so you need a primer that duplicates the lower half of the distributor or do like you did and use an old distributor and make one.

If the one vatozome had was just a rod to turn the pump, then this will never completely prime the engine.

thats what I thought when i was doing it. I thought something was wrong w/ one side of my engine. After researching, primers like this don't do the trick and are only good for priming the #1,3,5,7 cylinders.

Like miker said, the distributor completes the connections. With just the rod type, you basically send oil to one side and loop in the oil galley is not complete which acts like a huge internal oil leak.

I pulled this off the internet and gives a decent description of where and what the groove does.

Nick

 

[FJforty]

Good info. Thanks