oil pump priming - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

DanoDMano · 11-25-2003, 06:50 PM

All right, I have my entire engine back together and I forgot to prime my new oil pump. Should I remove the distributor and try to run it with a drill, or will it be allright to just fill the oil pan and run the engine??

I dont want to damage anything, and am wondering if there is an alternative??

Thanks

shuttermutt · 11-25-2003, 06:58 PM

Yank the dizzy and prime it. Sure, it's a little bit of pain, but the fact is you, like everyone else that's ever built an engine, got a little ahead of yourself and made a mistake. Don't cut corners this late into the game. Finish the job right. My $0.02 anyway.

Crnbred74 · 11-25-2003, 07:01 PM

I agree, take the extra few minutes to ensure that you dont waste all that money you just spent on that motor.

*67Fleetsidedream* · 11-25-2003, 07:10 PM

I primed mine with a electric drill on low speed using a long screw driver to the oil pump.. Pumpe for a minute then turn the crank half a turn and pump for a minute. Make sure that oil is coming out of your push rods. This is your last chance to make sure everything is right.

Cat Fuzz · 11-25-2003, 07:13 PM

I have a tool especially for priming Chevy oil pumps. Forgot where I bought it though, since that was, like, 12 years ago.

krue · 11-25-2003, 07:13 PM

You should go ahead and prime it.
BTW welcome to the board Crnbred74.

Crnbred74 · 11-25-2003, 07:24 PM

Thanks for the welcome, unfortunatly I am not a Chevy truck owner yet but I am in the market for a 67 to 72. I just need to come up with the cash. After Xmas its on!!

86SILVERADO · 11-25-2003, 08:38 PM

Definately prime it. You can buy the tool or make one out of an old dist shaft end. make sure you get oil coming out of every pushrod and by the way you may go through a few drills if you do not have a very good heavy duty one. Try to have the oil warm or a heated garage if possible.

**smitty62** · 11-25-2003, 08:57 PM

(Primes much quicker if you fill the oil filter first)

DanoDMano · 11-25-2003, 10:00 PM

Thanks for all the great advice!! I will prime it for sure. I dont have a drill with a chuck that will accomodate a distributor shaft, and will probably use a screwdriver??

*rage'nrat638* · 11-25-2003, 10:00 PM

made my primer out of a old dizzy

....
i say prime it out of the truck first to find leaks if any....
NOTHING worse than having a rear plug leaking after you just put it in

then prime it again when it's in....my rage'nrat638cost 20,000$

i could not prime it enough

DanoDMano · 11-25-2003, 10:49 PM

Hey rage'nrat638, how did you go about making the tool out of the old dizzy? Did you just hacksaw it and use a drill with a real large chuck?
I cant remember what the size is of the distributor shaft. I am at work right now and will have to look tomorrow. Is it something I can build quickly? I have a friend coming over tomorrow to help me drop the motor in and would like to prime it before that?

Thanks for the help!!

Tx Firefighter · 11-25-2003, 11:09 PM

Here's mine I made years ago from an old points type distributor.

You need to make one, the screwdriver deal doesn't work that well. See the grooves around the distributor body? They are oil passages that transfer oil to the lifter galley on the other side of the engine. Without the distributor body itself in the hole, half of the lifters aren't getting oiled properly. The oil just spills into the pan.

Just grind all the teeth off the distributor gear, so it can rotate freely without interfacing the cam gear.

Tx Firefighter · 11-25-2003, 11:10 PM

TOP

Just grind it down on a bench grinder till your drill will fit it.

DanoDMano · 11-25-2003, 11:15 PM

Thanks Tx Firefighter for the awesome photo. Thats going to help alot!! I'll start grinding in the AM!!

I wouldnt have thought about the seal end of the distributor routing oil, Thanks!

*Slams_58* · 11-25-2003, 11:36 PM

Tim just did this 2 weeks ago as well. Just ground the gears off a junkyard distributor he got for free and then ground the top into a square. Then he had some old sockets kickin around and he fit the socket extension into his drill and 3 minutes later it was primed

*rage'nrat638* · 11-26-2003, 12:03 AM

thanks TX for helping dano out just got in from the garage

i missed all the action

got'a work on these trucks sometime

I LOVE IT

Bowed · 11-26-2003, 02:12 AM

I have the priming tool from NAPA and it has the oil shuttle passage and a top bushing so it runs centered .

tom hand · 11-26-2003, 11:16 AM

Priming it is best, but if you ever find yourself in a bind or are working on a motor that is not as easy to prime as a SBC, you can do the second best thing. Remove all the plugs and spin it with the starter till you have full oil pressure. While this is not as good as priming without turning the motor, it is much better than starting one dry. If the motor was assembled with plenty of lube it doesn't hurt anything and lets you know you will have oil pressure when it hits, so you can break in the cam.

11-25-2003, 06:50 PM	#1
DanoDMano Pronounced "Pew-al-up" Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Puyallup, Washington Posts: 845	oil pump priming All right, I have my entire engine back together and I forgot to prime my new oil pump. Should I remove the distributor and try to run it with a drill, or will it be allright to just fill the oil pan and run the engine?? I dont want to damage anything, and am wondering if there is an alternative?? Thanks __________________ Classic GM Trucks of Washington Club Member 1970 FS chevy,350/350, Edelbrock cam and intake. Holley 650 carb,HEI,AT,Tangier Orange, 18's, Power Locks, Truck Photos

11-25-2003, 06:58 PM	#2
shuttermutt Don't say "Oops!", Doctor Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 677	Yank the dizzy and prime it. Sure, it's a little bit of pain, but the fact is you, like everyone else that's ever built an engine, got a little ahead of yourself and made a mistake. Don't cut corners this late into the game. Finish the job right. My $0.02 anyway. __________________ 'Mutt 1968 CST LWB: R.I.P. 1967 Chevelle: TPI 454 beast 1967 C10 SWB: Claimed when Bumpster didn't put it on his list

11-25-2003, 07:01 PM	#3
Crnbred74 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: New Albany IN. Posts: 3	I agree, take the extra few minutes to ensure that you dont waste all that money you just spent on that motor. __________________ If its worth doing, its worth doing right.

11-25-2003, 07:13 PM	#6
krue Designated A-hole! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: South Mississippi Posts: 36,450	You should go ahead and prime it. BTW welcome to the board Crnbred74. __________________ "If it ain't broke, fix it 'til it is!" Being stupid ain't illegal. We're Still Debt Free Except for the House!!! www.daveramsey.com 70 GMC SWB Stepside project "Green Booger" soon to be 6.0l/4l80e 93 S-10 "Poppaw's Truck"

11-25-2003, 07:24 PM	#7
Crnbred74 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: New Albany IN. Posts: 3	Thanks for the welcome, unfortunatly I am not a Chevy truck owner yet but I am in the market for a 67 to 72. I just need to come up with the cash. After Xmas its on!! __________________ If its worth doing, its worth doing right. Last edited by Crnbred74; 11-25-2003 at 07:36 PM.

11-25-2003, 07:10 PM	#4
67Fleetsidedream Wiseass secured himself a BAN Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: MOON!!! Posts: 2,282	I primed mine with a electric drill on low speed using a long screw driver to the oil pump.. Pumpe for a minute then turn the crank half a turn and pump for a minute. Make sure that oil is coming out of your push rods. This is your last chance to make sure everything is right.

11-25-2003, 07:13 PM	#5
Cat Fuzz My son, my joy. Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 463	I have a tool especially for priming Chevy oil pumps. Forgot where I bought it though, since that was, like, 12 years ago.

11-25-2003, 08:38 PM	#8
86SILVERADO Registered User Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Hills of Western Mass Posts: 626	Definately prime it. You can buy the tool or make one out of an old dist shaft end. make sure you get oil coming out of every pushrod and by the way you may go through a few drills if you do not have a very good heavy duty one. Try to have the oil warm or a heated garage if possible. __________________ 86 Silverado C10 back to 305 power! 67 C30 Dually Dump, with 350 transplant, Rockhauler 05 Duramax 3500 "If at first you don't succeed, try a bigger hammer" Member of the 1-Ton club!

11-25-2003, 08:57 PM	#9
smitty62 Registered User Join Date: May 2002 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,234	(Primes much quicker if you fill the oil filter first) __________________ Stepsides look like real trucks! Smitty

11-25-2003, 10:00 PM	#10
DanoDMano Pronounced "Pew-al-up" Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Puyallup, Washington Posts: 845	Thanks for all the great advice!! I will prime it for sure. I dont have a drill with a chuck that will accomodate a distributor shaft, and will probably use a screwdriver?? __________________ Classic GM Trucks of Washington Club Member 1970 FS chevy,350/350, Edelbrock cam and intake. Holley 650 carb,HEI,AT,Tangier Orange, 18's, Power Locks, Truck Photos

11-25-2003, 10:00 PM	#11
rage'nrat638 Account Suspended Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: THE FALL GUY CHICAGO IL Posts: 5,883	made my primer out of a old dizzy .... i say prime it out of the truck first to find leaks if any.... NOTHING worse than having a rear plug leaking after you just put it in then prime it again when it's in....my rage'nrat638cost 20,000$ i could not prime it enough

11-25-2003, 10:49 PM	#12
DanoDMano Pronounced "Pew-al-up" Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Puyallup, Washington Posts: 845	Hey rage'nrat638, how did you go about making the tool out of the old dizzy? Did you just hacksaw it and use a drill with a real large chuck? I cant remember what the size is of the distributor shaft. I am at work right now and will have to look tomorrow. Is it something I can build quickly? I have a friend coming over tomorrow to help me drop the motor in and would like to prime it before that? Thanks for the help!! __________________ Classic GM Trucks of Washington Club Member 1970 FS chevy,350/350, Edelbrock cam and intake. Holley 650 carb,HEI,AT,Tangier Orange, 18's, Power Locks, Truck Photos

11-25-2003, 11:09 PM	#13
Tx Firefighter Watch out for your cornhole ! Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Azle, Texas Posts: 14,162	Here's mine I made years ago from an old points type distributor. You need to make one, the screwdriver deal doesn't work that well. See the grooves around the distributor body? They are oil passages that transfer oil to the lifter galley on the other side of the engine. Without the distributor body itself in the hole, half of the lifters aren't getting oiled properly. The oil just spills into the pan. Just grind all the teeth off the distributor gear, so it can rotate freely without interfacing the cam gear. __________________ I'm on the Instagram- @Gearhead_Kevin Last edited by Tx Firefighter; 11-25-2003 at 11:17 PM.

11-25-2003, 11:10 PM	#14
Tx Firefighter Watch out for your cornhole ! Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Azle, Texas Posts: 14,162	TOP Just grind it down on a bench grinder till your drill will fit it. __________________ I'm on the Instagram- @Gearhead_Kevin

11-25-2003, 11:15 PM	#15
DanoDMano Pronounced "Pew-al-up" Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Puyallup, Washington Posts: 845	Thanks Tx Firefighter for the awesome photo. Thats going to help alot!! I'll start grinding in the AM!! I wouldnt have thought about the seal end of the distributor routing oil, Thanks! __________________ Classic GM Trucks of Washington Club Member 1970 FS chevy,350/350, Edelbrock cam and intake. Holley 650 carb,HEI,AT,Tangier Orange, 18's, Power Locks, Truck Photos



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11-25-2003, 11:36 PM	#16
Slams_58 Account Suspended Join Date: May 2002 Location: I let ya know as soon as I know Posts: 3,593	Tim just did this 2 weeks ago as well. Just ground the gears off a junkyard distributor he got for free and then ground the top into a square. Then he had some old sockets kickin around and he fit the socket extension into his drill and 3 minutes later it was primed

11-26-2003, 12:03 AM	#17
rage'nrat638 Account Suspended Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: THE FALL GUY CHICAGO IL Posts: 5,883	thanks TX for helping dano out just got in from the garage i missed all the action got'a work on these trucks sometime I LOVE IT

11-26-2003, 02:12 AM	#18
Bowed Registered User Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: where it's hot Posts: 1,059	I have the priming tool from NAPA and it has the oil shuttle passage and a top bushing so it runs centered .

11-26-2003, 11:16 AM	#19
tom hand CCRider Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Olive Branch,MS,USA Posts: 2,232	Priming it is best, but if you ever find yourself in a bind or are working on a motor that is not as easy to prime as a SBC, you can do the second best thing. Remove all the plugs and spin it with the starter till you have full oil pressure. While this is not as good as priming without turning the motor, it is much better than starting one dry. If the motor was assembled with plenty of lube it doesn't hurt anything and lets you know you will have oil pressure when it hits, so you can break in the cam. __________________ 72 GMC Sierra SWB almost finished---- 84 Softail Olive Branch MS

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