well the subject says it all. Is it required? Does it pose a potential threat to my new cam/ lifters? The engine's bottom end/pistons/rings were left untouched though it did sit for several monthes w/ the oil drained. Have any of you had any problems with not doing it?

 

I just recently fired up a new motor. I pre-oiled it a couple of times. I think it is a very good idea. With the proper tool you can get an idea of what your oil pressure is and make sure that all of your rockers are oiling. My motor sat for about a month--pre-oiled it before I fired it up to be safe. I would highly recommend it.

Ben

 

i've built a couple of engines and never preoil them, never had a problem. i use lubiplate 105 for an assembly lube.

 

Holmes,

Since you didn't touch the bottom end and all you have is residual oil, there may be some concern over crank lubrication. Your situation is no different than any engine in storage that hasn't been started for a period of time. You should be able to start it without too much concern, just watch the oil pressure on startup.

Ed has built a couple more engines than I, but I agree with his philosophy. As long as there is some residual lubrication, and oil pressure builds as soon as the engine starts, there should be no problem. There are benefits to pre-oiling with a pump adapter, as Ben suggests. But if you're really concerned, you can pop out the plugs and crank the engine a few free-running revolutions to make oil pressure with no crank load, just to make sure the bearings aren't bone dry.

I'm guessing you installed a flat tappet cam?

 

I'm a believer in it for one reason and one reason only... when you're a dumb *** and don't make sure the distributor is seated all the way before starting your car.

I did that, and of course I shut it down immediately when I had no pressure. But being a crate motor it didn't have any residual lubrication, and that would have been a disaster had I not preoiled.

 

I don't bother. I pre-lube them properly. I use either ATF or synthetic motor oil as bearing build lube and on roller cam lobes and timing components, white lithium on valve train parts including flat tappet cam lobes and distributor gears.

 

I've never pre-oiled. I just use clevite77 on the bearings and I oil everything down before assembly. Haven't had any problems.

 

I do have a a flat tappet cam. I always wondered if i could do what you said vader, and just pull the plugs out and crank it over a couple of times. wouldnt this have the same effect as pre-oiling?

 

preoiling never hurts

 

they say 75% of engine wear comes at startup. this is because (i assume) there is no oil flowing until it really gets moving. my opinion would be that pre-oiling would be a huge benefit, if it could be done every morning before startup. Im looking into somthing like that... they sell somthing that can do it, forget what its called though...

but anyways, pre-oiling wont hurt. it can only help. anything you can do to an engine to "help it" without ANY negative effects is worth the trouble in my book. had i a book, of course, means naught.

<b>I just use clevite77 on the bearings</b>

i thought clevite77 WAS a bearing?

 

well king i'd think preoiling would or could wash off the assembly lube, and i'd rather have it on the bearings and moving parts than oil. i still can't see any reason to be doing it.

 

I used Lubriplate 105 on my eng build. I wasn't going to pre-oil, but since there's going to be a significant delay before the rest of the eng is finished, I'm considering it cause the Lubriplate dries out after a while.
Any input on how long the lubriplate is good for after assembly?

 

If you don't pre-oil, at least fill the filter with oil before installing it.

 

Preoiling washes away very little assembly lube. Its benifits are that the lifters are primed with with oil, and that the cam bearins get oil sooner after startup.

When you preoil, you not spinging te engine, therefore not washing much of the assy lube away.

Steve

 

Every cam I've ever gotten has a moly grease included with the kit. Doesn't that help? Just wondering, cause I have never had a problem if it was only a cam swap.

I did soak the lifters overnight though......

 

Well as its been told here, its not requiered, but just about every professional engine builder i know here in CT, pre oils his motors.

Its one of those things that just isnt requiered... just a good idea so thatthe oil system isready to go shortly after start up, instead of having to depend on the assy lube for a minute while the oil pump primes and then pushes oil through the system.

 

I don't bother in a Chevy V8.... I fill the oil filter with oil, that's about it. The pump is completely submerged in oil, so priming is never a problem; the pump should be completely full of oil with not so much as an air pocket within a few minutes of pouring the oil into the pan. If the builder did his job right and got lube on everything that moves, then basically there's no difference between the conditions during an oil change, and conditions at initial startup of a fresh motor. And even among the priming advocates, I haven't heard anyone even mention fooling around with it when they change the oil..... the exact same situation.

And speaking of oil changes, have you ever seen a quick-lube place - or most dealer techs for that matter - even bother to fill the oil filter before they put it on? Yet they shuffle literally millions of cars a month through those places, with virtually zero failures. So if it's possible to keep half the entire vehicle fleet of the country (or whatever percentage of the total population it is that uses those places) without all that monkeying around, then it must not be all that necessary.

Now in a motor with a stupid oil system like a Buick or some F*rds where the pump is located well above the sump, it might be worthwhile, maybe; but not a Chevy V8. It's a waste of time, and gives a false sense of security to those who don't have confidence in their ability to do the job right in the first place, or to those who are technically ignorant and think that it's actually accomplishing something useful.

 

Guess I fall in the idiot section since I didn't maker sure the distributor was in all the way...

 

It is a bearing but they also make an assembly lube. It's called Clevite77 bearing guard assembly lube. It's red and is kind of sticky yet goopy like grease. Works well for me and a couple of other people I know.

 

I believe a couple of the cam mfrs are providing that as their cam assembly lube too.....

 

couple of guys i build engines for buy the red lube for me from columbus engine rebuilders supply. i use it since it's what they provide but it wouldn't be my first choice. i like the white grease the best.

 

If you cant set up a pre-oiler then disconnect your ignition and fuel systems and crank the engine with out firing it up for at least 20 seconds... or untill you see oil pressure for at least 10 sseconds...