DSouthern

I'm rebuilding a 350 TPI engine and I wanted to prelube the engine to check that the oil pump was working and the oil passages were clear. I had an old distributor shaft that I put in an electric drill and engaging the oil pump shaft proceeded to spin away. After a short while I felt the oil pick up pressure and then I noticed alot of oil coming out of a round passage in the engine block where the bottom boss on the distributor fits in the engine block, just above where the distributor gear and cam gear engage. Is this normal? Is this how the distributor and cam gear get oiled while the engine is running? I never did get any oil up to the valve rockers. Maybe I didn't run the drill long enough. I assume with the distributor installed this passage where the oil was coming out will be closed up by the distributor boss, forcing the oil up higher in the engine. Just want to make sure this is not a problem before I drop the engine in the car. Thanks for any advice.

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87 GTA, 350 TPI, TPIS fastpack, ZZ3 cam, ported heads and plenum, modified MAF

GMTech

You guessed it. The distributer will not "block" the passage, but restrict it enough the pressurized oil will be sent to the cam and valvetrain. The fact that the pump is now primed, and the oil galleries are full is enough. Good luck!

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"I used to have a handle on life, but then I used it as a plunger and broke it" -The Wave

ASE Master Tech + L1
Savannah, GA
'87 Trans Am-K&N,Cold air induction, SSM SFC, Flowmaster, 16" GTA rims.
'97 Bonneville SSE
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