New build priming? What do you say?

[skipnrocks]

I have been told by factory workers that new cars are not primed when they leave the factory but guys who build motors swear by it. Is it a cautious measure or necessary? I have a fresh built 383. When I turned the motor over by manual to get timing set up and pulled the distributor to flip it it came out with oil on it just from a complete revolution.

 

[muddinmetal]

I have been told by factory workers that new cars are not primed when they leave the factory but guys who build motors swear by it. Is it a cautious measure or necessary? I have a fresh built 383. When I turned the motor over by manual to get timing set up and pulled the distributor to flip it it came out with oil on it just from a complete revolution.

Why not prime a motor?

 

[skipnrocks]

If it's not necessary then I would rather not. Do you have to use the tool or just disconnect the distributer and turn it over?

 

[FlatlandFSJ]

Cut the handle off a flat head and stick it in your drill :****: The oil pump is driven by the dist, look down the hole with a flash light

 

[FlatlandFSJ]

You can also cut an old dist up and make one to. Weld a nut driver to the end of the shaft and your good to go.

 

[skipnrocks]

Does it matter how fast it spins ?

 

[fordcontraption01]

Faster it spins the more oil pressure you'll have

 

[Elliott]

Just spin it till you get oil out of the rocker arms, you just don't want to start it up and everything not have lube on it, you could do alot of damage if anything was dry. And if you have an old junk dizzy that is the easiest way. Spin it as fast as your drill will go, just to make the process faster.

One thing it will also do is tell you if you have any blockages, if so you will not get oil out of all the rockers like you should. I've seen people lock up new motors over some little obstructions.

 

[Cracksrubi]

We replaced an oil pump on a 4.0 good running engine no knock and only crank primed it and it started knocking in a few days but still has 40psi so I prime all mine now

 

[skipnrocks]

Just spin it till you get oil out of the rocker arms, you just don't want to start it up and everything not have lube on it, you could do alot of damage if anything was dry. And if you have an old junk dizzy that is the easiest way. Spin it as fast as your drill will go, just to make the process faster.

One thing it will also do is tell you if you have any blockages, if so you will not get oil out of all the rockers like you should. I've seen people lock up new motors over some little obstructions.

Always better safe than sorry. I got a junk one tonight. Broke it down and welded a nut to it for easier spinning.

 

[Cracksrubi]

You'll know when it's priming cause the drill will really bog down. Use a bigger drill if you got one cause it's rough on them

 

[al1tonyota]

Always better safe than sorry. I got a junk one tonight. Broke it down and welded a nut to it for easier spinning.

Just a little related info when I rebuilt my old 383 I used a pinned metal sleeved chromoly oil pump shaft and used the factory one with the plastic keeper to prime with...

Edit also a melling high volume pump with the pickup tube welded in less chance of the pickup coming off from hard hits and bouncing.

 

[Timjus]

just pull the plugs and use starter to prime and pre fill your oil filter before it if you dont want to use the priming tool.

i have priming tool made from old dis and i have found best is to use good cordless drill and run it in low gear . anything faster an your just goning to burn your drill Motors. in stationary motor it will raise pressure to 40-60psi easily

 

[Nuts]

So once you get the engine primed and running what does everyone do to break it in? On a street driven vehicle they say to take it easy for the first 500 miles, but that's not feasible in a buggy. I've heard drag racers let the motor run at 2500 rpm for 15 minutes the very first time it starts. The old guys around here say to just let it get to operating temperature then let it cool off completely and repeat a few times.

 

[Elliott]

The problem with spinning the motor over with the plugs out is that you are moving the parts with no oil pressure at first, really that's no different than firing it up without priming it.Doing it with a distributor set up gets the oil everywhere without rubbing dry parts together.

 

[Cracksrubi]

Is the cam new?

 

[skipnrocks]

Cam is new all motor is new never run. .

 

[zjtrey]

long story short.... you'll wish you'd done it down the road

 

[muddinmetal]

Cam is new all motor is new never run. .

If it's not a roller & you don't have zinc in your oil it would matter anyways when you wipe a cam lobe due to lack of lubrication

 

[skipnrocks]

If it's not a roller & you don't have zinc in your oil it would matter anyways when you wipe a cam lobe due to lack of lubrication

the engine is full roller including the cam.