Best Way To Prime New Engine

[Rob B]

Looking for suggestions on the best way to prime the oil pump on my new engine.

Drill and a flat head screwdriver shaft? Think that might slip out of the slot and scratch the front cover or tweek the oil pump shaft itself.

Is a special socket available?

Thanks.

 

[twin 93 svt]

Should be able to rent or buy oil pump priming tool, Look at gnttype.org for priming instructions!

 

[bruce]

Originally posted by Rob B
Looking for suggestions on the best way to prime the oil pump on my new engine.
Drill and a flat head screwdriver shaft? Think that might slip out of the slot and scratch the front cover or tweek the oil pump shaft itself.

The secret is putting some vaseline on the oil pump gears, so that it seals, and immediately starts pumping when the engine fires. Spinning the gears *dry* can do more damage then anything else.

 

[frankg]

They sell an oil pump priming tool. Get the correct tool and prime it right before start up. Frank

 

[tom h]

Rob B -

priming the pump with the special tool (highly recommended) in a drill, will obviously require you to remove the cam sensor, and so the sensor will have to be reset when you re-install the cam sensor.

While not absolutely necessary, one of the special sensor setting 'tools" (a little, special purpose electrical "box") will make life a lot easier. These usually sell for around $30 from various vendors (Kirbans, Caspers, etc).

BTW, I recently did BOTH techniques simultaneously: packed oilpump cavity with vaseline, AND then spinning the pump with a drill, and it primed within 5-10 seconds.

But if your oil pump is already assembled, then you obviously don't want to take it apart just to pack it with vaseline.

If your engine builder assembled the pump "dry", I'd be reluctant to spin the shaft, knowing dry gears would be spinning against the dry oil pump thrust surface. Call me picky ...

Unless your engine builder will swear his life and guarantee he either packed the pump cavity, or at least lubricated everything, I'd be inclined to pour some oil back in thru the oil cooler lines, so the pump has some lubricant in it, before you spin its shaft with a drill.