[270win]

I've got a 355 fresh from the machine shop, got it all together and doing the initial oiling with a drill today, while running the drill the pressure was 50psi at the gallery in the top rear of the block. Problem is there was no oil coming out of the rockers. The crank was set at tdc #1, I rotated the crank 180 degrees to see if that would help and it didn't.

Any ideas? The motor is from my 85 Suburban and the bottom end including the timing set was put together by a reputable builder...

 

[Granny 67]

Hyd. lifters???!!! If so it takes a loooooooongggggg time. You'll probably burn the drill motor up before you see oil. Stick with it they will oil.:yes:

 

[270win]

yep, it's got a hyd. flat tappet stick. The drill was NOT happy once that pump primed...and it's not some sissy drill either.

 

[270win]

oh, and thanks granny!

 

[Granny 67]

There maybe a trick to priming motors with hyd. lifters that one of the GURUS can give some insight. I know it took what seemed like forever. Keep rolling the motor over once in awhile and use a good drill, 1/2 incher. A solid will prime every rocker in less than 5 mins.

 

[stock z/28]

something I do is fill the push rods with oil from an oil can (pump type) after I install them.

This purges the air from the push rod and typically I get oil flow to the rockers very quickly when priming.


Atleast it works for me.

Jeff

 

[270win]

the guy from the engine shop called me back, he said it does take quite a while to get the oil up to the rockers. He said to go ahead and run it and that the valve train will live a long time with no oil going through it....50 psi is pretty good on the drill.

 

[nate_104_98]

It does take awhile but I had one motor that I had the machine shop put cam bearings in and I didn't check if the holes where lined up and I was primming for ever still no oil to top So I tore it all back down to find some of the cam bearings holes not lined, got them lined up good put it back togather and presto got oil to top but like I said this was after primming the heck out of it before I tore it down :turn:

 

[270win]

If it doesn't start oiling after I fire it up I'll take the whole truck down to the engine shop and let them deal with it.:yes:

 

[jer66nova]

primer

I've got a 355 fresh from the machine shop, got it all together and doing the initial oiling with a drill today, while running the drill the pressure was 50psi at the gallery in the top rear of the block. Problem is there was no oil coming out of the rockers. The crank was set at tdc #1, I rotated the crank 180 degrees to see if that would help and it didn't.

Any ideas? The motor is from my 85 Suburban and the bottom end including the timing set was put together by a reputable builder...

I use a old point distributor with the gear teeth ground off and the point plate and advance mechanism removed and shaft made to work in my 1/2 inch drill . with out something like this it wont pump up to the top or at least only to one side. The lower part of the distributor housing makes up part of the oil passage and with out it just spinning the oil pump the oil dumps back to the pan before it can get to the top

 

[270win]

That makes sense...but my other motors have not had this issue and they flowed very well with the drill method. I guess the main point to pre-oiling is to get the main and rod bearings lubed up and prime the system well.

 

[jer66nova]

That makes sense...but my other motors have not had this issue and they flowed very well with the drill method. I guess the main point to pre-oiling is to get the main and rod bearings lubed up and prime the system well.

yea, the tool I made and I think Msd sells one for the same purpose you can simulate engine oil pressure with out ever firing the engine you can spot leaks at oil gallery plugs and other places too I have used this method since 1978 when I rebuilt my first 327 and it works in big blocks as well solid lifters pump up faster and with hyd lifters i usually put them in a can and cover them in clean oil for a day and they will fill with oil, sometimes the preservative or cosmoline/assembly lube plugs lifter passages and wont let oil pass through until engine temp softens the grease/waxy film and allows oil to flow hyd tappets have valve mechanism which takes up the valve lash if the oil wont flow try loosening your rocker adjustments they may be too tight also, just my opinion

 

[270win]

yea, the tool I made and I think Msd sells one for the same purpose you can simulate engine oil pressure with out ever firing the engine you can spot leaks at oil gallery plugs and other places too I have used this method since 1978 when I rebuilt my first 327 and it works in big blocks as well solid lifters pump up faster and with hyd lifters i usually put them in a can and cover them in clean oil for a day and they will fill with oil, sometimes the preservative or cosmoline/assembly lube plugs lifter passages and wont let oil pass through until engine temp softens the grease/waxy film and allows oil to flow hyd tappets have valve mechanism which takes up the valve lash if the oil wont flow try loosening your rocker adjustments they may be too tight also, just my opinion

the rockers are pretty loose. 0 lash + 1/4 turn

 

[chevyIIheavy]

you can also prime the lifters although there is no need too soak them over night in a bucket of oil and that should work if your strong enough you can actually push the oil out of the lifter body

 

[jer66nova]

pre lube

sorry I sent same message

Well just check the obvious, simple things first, leaks, drain oil and make sure pick up is still in oil pump if it wasnt tacked on I dont but some guys pack the oil pump with grease again plugging oil passages with it until engine temp will melt it If you are getting oil up to the top on one side using the drill and a shaft to drive the pump it should be ok it shouldnt take long to get oil to the top less than 2 min it should pump oil, the drill turns the pump at least at cranking speed on the 16 cylinder Caterpillar it has a prelube pump that runs for less than a minute before the starter will even engage and it pumps through the entire oiling system on the engine a cooler , the turbo injector pump and govonor check the simple stuff first, jerry

 

[270win]

I'm feeling much better about it now. This is a relatively low lift cam and the pressures on the valve train are pretty mild. I'm going to get it back in the Suburban and start it up.

 

[jer66nova]

I'm feeling much better about it now. This is a relatively low lift cam and the pressures on the valve train are pretty mild. I'm going to get it back in the Suburban and start it up.

let us know how it turns out

 

[270win]

sorry I sent same message

Well just check the obvious, simple things first, leaks, drain oil and make sure pick up is still in oil pump if it wasnt tacked on I dont but some guys pack the oil pump with grease again plugging oil passages with it until engine temp will melt it If you are getting oil up to the top on one side using the drill and a shaft to drive the pump it should be ok it shouldnt take long to get oil to the top less than 2 min it should pump oil, the drill turns the pump at least at cranking speed on the 16 cylinder Caterpillar it has a prelube pump that runs for less than a minute before the starter will even engage and it pumps through the entire oiling system on the engine a cooler , the turbo injector pump and govonor check the simple stuff first, jerry

I'm sure that once it's completely lubed it would only take a few seconds for the rockers to flow every time. I did tack the pickup on the pump, it wouldn't get 50 psi if that had fallen off. I'm thinking that I may be a bit paranoid with the new motor! LOL!

I'm starting to see the beauty of a dry sump oil system. That engine driven pump takes some pretty serious pressure to turn!:turn: That's gotta rob lots of HP....

Thanks for the help guys!

 

[270win]

Just called the engine shop, they said quit worryin and fire that sucker off!

 

[tbills66]

There maybe a trick to priming motors with hyd. lifters that one of the GURUS can give some insight. I know it took what seemed like forever. Keep rolling the motor over once in awhile and use a good drill, 1/2 incher. A solid will prime every rocker in less than 5 mins.

I second this. I almost always have to do this when priming a new engine.