I know you are supposed to pack the oil pump on a new motor with grease....but someone said that white lithium will clog the oil filter. He said to use vasoline. so which is is White lithium or vasoline?

I have never put anything in/on the pump gears. I always use a priming tool to spin the pump up to pressure for a few minutes before firing the engine, however.

well, i was gonna do that also....but my freind is a mechanic and says it's necessary to use the lithium so the pump is pre-primed or whatever, no air in it i guess and then you prime the motor before startup. somebody told me lithium will clog the filter and to use lithium....but my mechanic friend says either is good. vaseline sounds weird to me....it's pretty thick. -J

I wouldn't PACK the pump with vaseline, but give it a good coat. A teacher of mine at wyotech used to be an engine builder for roger penske (YES) and he swears by vaseline. I'd just use some of that and prime the engine properly.

I found it much easier just to use a priming tool. Good for finding leaks too (had a 3 foot spray of oil out of a loose plug in my bedroom).

Basically if it makes you feel better go ahead pack and prime.

Quoting Ede:

"if you bother to put oil in the engine the pump will be primed. i never prime a chevy engine and i put several together. mopar, ford and jeep engines i'd prime"

Isn't this more of a Tech Engine post anyways?