I was hoping to get my new motor in this weekend, but am worried about what seems to be a lack of oil to the top end. It's a 91 roller motor, all redone, stock lifters but with a zz4 cam. I primed it yesterday, and got 60lbs oil pressure no problem, but the oil is just barely dripping off the rockers. I am priming it with an industrial dewalt drill so it spins fine. How much oil should be coming out of the pushrods? I rotated the crank a few times to get the lifters in different spots and it's still the same. I just remember a friend revving his motor and squiting oil all over the place with the valve covers off. Also, what are some tips to make sure a carbed motor fires right up the first time? A friend said to set the timing at 10 degrees BTDC.

I had a similar issue when I primed mine. I talked it over with a friend and he said that its normal to not have it gushing out the same way it would be if it was running. Really your just trying to make sure that oil is coming up through the push rods and building up oil pressure so that it doesnt have any "dry" time when it first starts up.

As for setting timing, I had a hell of a time of it. If you have the valve cover off, the manual states that the TDC can be measured when the #1 cylinder valves are both closed (easy to tell with cover off) however you can be on the exhaust stroke... I used this method and ended up being 180deg off, so we just rotated it around, put the dist. back in and we were good to go.

Good luck! Its a pretty nerve racking experience if its your first time like it was mine Its pretty damn exciting when it fires up for the first time though... especially if you had open headers like i did

Cool, thanks. I used a buddies degree wheel and glued a timing tape on the balancer, and hear air rushing out past the piston stop so I should be on the compression stroke.

What about setting valve lash? Some people said to have both valves closed for the cylinder you are working on, tighten the rocker nut until you can't turn the pushrod, then go 1/2 to 3/4 turn past that. Is this good advice?

I'll have to let someone else chime in on the valve lash.

I think there was an article on setting valve lash in one of the more recent magazines. I think it was the latest issue of car craft.