turning a freshly built engine before first start????
turning a freshly built engine before first start????
i am being told that you need to fill a new engine with oil, then pull the distributor, then get some kind of thing to attach to a drill so you can turn the engine and lubricate everything before you initialy start it... is this true? if so, what is this thing that i need called?? i dont need to mess this new engine up!!
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Joined: Aug 1999
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From: College Station, Tex USA
Car: 89rs
Engine: 400Sb
Transmission: Tremec 3550
don't think you "have" to but it sure wouldn't hurt. i use lubriplate 105 assembly lube so it sticks and stays pretty good whereever it's at, but thinner assembly lube could drip off making pre lubbing more needed
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Joined: Nov 2001
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From: So. California
Car: 91 Camaro RS
Engine: 305 TBI
Transmission: Pro-Built Automatic/Vigilante 2800
I don't think it actually turns the engine it just turns the pump and distributes it into the engine. I don't think it's even necessary if a good assembly lube was used.
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Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 18,457
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From: Loveland, OH, US
Car: 4
Engine: 6
Transmission: 5
I don't waste my time doing any of that any more. I just build them, fill them with oil, and crank them up. I use light assembly lube, either 0W-30 Mobil 1 or ATF.
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Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 1,443
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From: College Station, Tex USA
Car: 89rs
Engine: 400Sb
Transmission: Tremec 3550
for folks like RB,, your not likely to forget somthing
but,.. I just got a call from somone who was putting a motor in a truck. To replace the one that I installed (but did not rebuild) about 9months ago.
His helper just busted it off and after 2 mins, they kept wondering why the rockers were making soo much noise...(they did not have the valve covers off).
Well.. it seems they forgot to put the oilpump drive shaft in before bolting on the oil pump... soo much for the second new motor.
priming the pump b4 the dist goes in is one last opportunity to find those really stupid mistakes.
His helper just busted it off and after 2 mins, they kept wondering why the rockers were making soo much noise...(they did not have the valve covers off).
Well.. it seems they forgot to put the oilpump drive shaft in before bolting on the oil pump... soo much for the second new motor.
priming the pump b4 the dist goes in is one last opportunity to find those really stupid mistakes.
Last edited by jcb999; Mar 25, 2002 at 08:15 PM.
you dont have to use a special tool.
If you have an old distributor, remove the gear at the bottom, there will be a pin holding it in, just pound it out with a small punch.
then put the shaft in, and crank it by hand. It will take a bit longer, but there is no use in buying a 20$$ tool to use only 1 time.
If you have an old distributor, remove the gear at the bottom, there will be a pin holding it in, just pound it out with a small punch.
then put the shaft in, and crank it by hand. It will take a bit longer, but there is no use in buying a 20$$ tool to use only 1 time.
All this is good, but when I put in a new engine, I leave the spark plugs out & crank it lots. Crank it, watch the oil pressure gauge go up, then shut it off so as not to over heat the starter. I do this lots, that way everything gets to move around & get lubed at the same time. Put the battery back on the charger, put in the pluggs & fire in D' hole(s).
yeah i thought about that too ghost, but im getting a tool to prine it from my dads friend. it will be started either tonight, or tomorrow!! i cant wait to here this puppy run!
You don't need even an old distributor to do this. Just get one of those long paddle type drill bits for wood, break or grind the point off of it, stick it in an extension if needed, and use that to turn the pump with a drill. Just put some tape over the flat end of the drill bit to keep from scratching anything with it.
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Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,526
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From: Cleveland, OH
Car: '87 Camaro LT
Engine: 355 L98
Transmission: T56
what i did on my motor was put an old pump drive rod inside a socket so it's snug then duct tape it together, put a long extension on the socket, put a large flathead bit in a drill and stick the bit into the extension. slip the whole thing over the top of the new drive rod through the distributor hole and run the drill, worked like a charm
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