383 priming the engine question.

[Bad B-rad]

I just swaped the heads on my 383, and after putting the heads back on and the valve train and new pushrods, I removed the distributer, and the oil pump drive gear, I inserted a modified oil pump shaft I made years ago to prime the big blocks, and the screwdriver blade I cut for my drill and I then turned the engine over while spinning the drill in reverse.(I also just changed the oil and filter and have not run engine yet)
So after maybe 20 seconds or so of turning the engine over with the starter and using the drill to turn the oil pump, oil started to come out of the driver head enough where I need to put on the valve cover or I will make a mess, yet I do not have anything coming out the pass side head yet.


Now Tomorrow I will throw a valve cover on the driver side to keep from dripping engine oil all over and I will keep turning the engine over with the starter and using the drill and I hope it will start to come up the pass side head.

But until tomorrow I am just wondering if everthing sounds correct or if I should have also gotten oil up to the pass head already?
Do I have an issue or do I just need to crank it a bit more, and when you prime you turn the oil pump CCW correct?
Thanks.

[justcruisin]

If you are cranking the engine while priming you should see oil at both heads about the same time as they both oil from the #4 cam journal. Can't remember for sure but I think the heads oil for 20-30 degrees, one at TDC after compression stroke for cyl 6 and the other at TDC after compression stroke for cyl 8. Turn the motor and leave it at those positions and prime it.

Are your rocker shafts the correct way up.

[justcruisin]

Oil pump rotation is CCW, correct.

[Bad B-rad]

I put the rocker shafts back on exactly as they were removed, I didn't even remove any rockers or spacers or bolts, just cleaned it,applied assymbly lube , installed new push rods and torqued shafts  down.(25ft lbs)

I guess I can only hope that once I put the valve cover on driver side that as soon as I start to crank the engine and the drill that oil starts to flow out other head, Like I said I just drained the pan and spun on a new filter so maybe it will just take a few extra seconds to flow out each head., I only cranked the drill and starter for less then 30 seconds.

Last time I primed an engine I think it was really quick, like 10 seconds and I think it also started to load my drill up,and slow it down a bit, that was a HV oil pump on that one though.

I hope I don't have any issues, but I can't know for sure until I throw that valve cover on or throw a crap top of rags on that side as the oils was starting to pool up and flow down the side of the head on to the block and floor.


So should I turn engine to #6 tdc comp and prime and then #8tdc compresson and prime, or just throw cover on it and use starter to crank engine over and prime and hopefully fairly quickly oil comes up to the pass side head?

Thanks.

[justcruisin]

I'm not 100% positive on the oiling timing in relation to crank position but I think what I said is right, regardless you should have a show of oil at each head if you are turning the pump while cranking. If the shaft is correct it is unlikely you have a problem. I would try the #6 and #8 positions and turn the pump at those positions and look for a show of oil, you have nothing to lose. At least you wont fry your starter. Only other thing I can suggest is the oil hole in the gasket wasn't punched properly or something has dropped down the oil gallery that feeds that side.

[Bad B-rad]

I will try it later today, thanks for advice, I have a photo of the head gasket on the block,it looks ok.
I was kinda just stressing over nothing, until I put that cover on and crank it a bit more(the oil pump), I may not have a problem, just need to give it a minute to fill filter and reach all parts of the block.
Thanks again.

[ACUDANUT]

If you are cranking the engine while priming you should see oil at both heads about the same time as they both oil from the #4 cam journal. Can't remember for sure but I think the heads oil for 20-30 degrees, one at TDC after compression stroke for cyl 6 and the other at TDC after compression stroke for cyl 8. Turn the motor and leave it at those positions and prime it.

Are your rocker shafts the correct way up.
[/quote

"If you are cranking the engine while priming"  Not possible.. 

[Bad B-rad]

I am sorry I do not understand the above post?
What is not possible?

[ACUDANUT]

 You can't crank the engine while priming it with a drill.

[justcruisin]

Sure you can do that if you want, although not good for the starter. Why do you think you can't.

[gtx6970]

You can't crank the engine while priming it with a drill.

Why not?

[Bad B-rad]

I am so glad I tried to prime that motor!!!!!!
So, I put on a valve cover on driver side so I didn't make a mess and then I spun drill and bumped the engine over until it was pouring out the driver side head,again, in to lifter valley. and still NOTHING on pass side.

So I pulled the bolt out of rocker shaft that the oil is suppose to come out, and turned drill and still nothing!!!!
So I took some tie wire and tried to stick it down the oil passage and a got some "schmega" out, I turn the drill and a burst of brown gunk flys out followed by a huge volume of oil!!!

I cleaned everything, and reinstalled bolt and torqued it. And now it seams to work like it should oil is reaching both heads nicely.

Oh man, I bet if I just started it up I would have toasted the pass side valve gear.
Unless once the oil got hot(if top of motor lasted that long) it would have moved the blockage on its own.

Now I wonder if that's why the engine had a stuck valve when I got it.
I also bet it would have shown oil pressure being ok because blockage had worked its way to top of block/bottom of head, and oil press gauge is on rear of block.


So Glad I primed that Block!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for the help.

I used a snap on engine starter button and stood on pass side with my drill going ccw and was able to crank the engine over and use drill at same time? So I don't understand why you cant do it?
I thought the whole reason to prime an engine was to get oil flowing to all moving parts while turning the engine slowly, before it fired and maybe runs dry for a bit before the oil pump starts pumps oil to everything?

[justcruisin]

Good work, dodged a bullet for sure.

Turning the engine while priming checks oiling to the heads - as you know.

[ACUDANUT]

You can't crank the engine while priming it with a drill.

Why not?

Well, if it works okay..cool