LS6427

iTrader: (2)

I saw this on eBay....Melling engine priming tool, but how can it be used to oil prime the engine installed in the car???

1:18 into the video for LSx tool......


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LS6427

iTrader: (2)

108 views........

Guess it can't be done.....

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Prorac1

iTrader: (4)

You put the car up on jack stands and do it from below i would guess. Or you could go in through the oil pressure sender on the top of the motor. I built one out of a 5 gal bucket and an old small block chevy oil pump and pickup.

Prorac1

iTrader: (4)

Heres a pic of the pre luber I built

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

Very cool. When you say from underneath.......where would we connect the line to force the oil into the engine...?

In the video it looks like he's connecting it to a port on the side of the oil pump. We don't have a port on LSx engines.

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Realcanuk

There is a direct port into the oil system on the drivers side near the front of the engine. There is a picture in the thread below. I would not even consider starting a new engine without priming it properly.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-t...ls-engine.html

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

Thanks man.....that's what I was hoping for. I'll look into that port.

Yea, no way I'm gonna start it without priming it first.

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Prorac1

iTrader: (4)

Theres also the oil pressure port on the top of the motor back by the belhousing, and theres another port just above the oil filter, in the block. Eric L

i6overboard

iTrader: (3)

Neat idea, the easiest way to oil prime when you cant get to the pump like on all the Ls motors is to run an external oil filter housing with a pump. I believe peterson and few others make them. Always helps to prime if your car sits up for weeks at a time.

Anyone know what GM's procedure is for a new motor?

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

$412.00 for the Peterson priming tool. But well worth it for any speed shop.

GM probably has no procedure because their engines don't sit long at all after assembly. But I guess crate engines can sit for months and months.

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ckpitt55

iTrader: (4)

if you've already got a pneumatic brake bleeding tool you might be able to adapt it to work with the oil gallery plugs with some custom fittings. the only concern I'd have is possible contamination of the oil with the brake fluid, regardless of how well you clean it beforehand. with the plastic containers the brake fluids tends to bleed into the walls a bit. not sure how much it matters on that small of a scale as you'd be changing the oil in very short order anyway.

this is the tool I'm talking about:

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

I wonder if a Purple Power plastic pump canister would work.

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Grr

iTrader: (2)

If you oiled/lubed the engine well when you assembled it theres no real need to prime it. pull the plugs out and spin it over till you have oil pressure, put the plugs back in and fire it up

i6overboard

iTrader: (3)

I did the same when I did my motor, if you assemble it with enough lube you'll be fine. Took close to a solid minute of spinning it to get oil pressure though, priming definitely gives you peace of mind.

Realcanuk

I wouldnt do it that way, especially if like in my case, its a while between assembly and startup. You will be suprised at how long it can take these LS motors to build pressure on the first startup.

I primed and started mine finally today, and tomorrow it goes on the dyno.

Prorac1

iTrader: (4)

FWIW, it costs less than $25 to build the priming tool pictured in my post above. The biggest expense is the 16mm x 1.5 to AN fitting, which runs around $10, and than what ever hose you decide to run from the bucket to the priming port. I used some spare 8AN fuel line that I had sitting around. The oil pump came off of a friends LT1 during a rebuild, and the bucket was sitting in the corner of the garage. It all depends on the ammount of parts that you have sitting around your garage. It works great, and build up to 55 PSI almost immediately. Eric L

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

Well, when AES built the motor I had them send it to my builder here in Ft. Lauderdale to finish it off...install the cam, heads, oil pump, etc......

I called him 2 days ago. He primed it for me before we took it to the shop that's installing it. So it's good to go. He uses the port above where the oil filter goes and a compressed air tank wi out in it....like the Melling can primer.

Thanks for all the replies. The shop that's installing it is getting the Melling tool for future priming of customers new engines that they install.

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rpturbo

iTrader: (47)

I went out and got a new bug sprayer, got a length of rubber hose, 2 hose clamps, and took an extra "loop back plate" the one that guys tap for the turbo feed. I drilled and tapped it, but a hose barb in it, connected the rubber line to it, dumped in 2 quarts of oil, set the sprayed on the cowl, pressurized it, and waited. Every so often I would pressurize it again, and eventually I had oil put of all of the rockers.

I was going to build the bucket setup with an old style oil pump, but then you have to get an oil pump, and that special fitting....blah, blah, blah. I just made it simple. Like they say, keep it stupid simple.

truckdoug

iTrader: (25)

how is the oil going though the crank oiling holes if your not spinning the motor over?

Avanti

Just a little more on the easy, cheapo system noted by rpturbo and others... i.e., the Walmart garden sprayer special. (not that there is anything wrong with all the other tools/means noted--none have ever been noted not to work, that I've seen) I have a crate LS3 and I had to change to a CTV-S pan and related parts. Plus, the engine then set for a couple years. First, I tried the "priming" instructions supplied by GM with the engine, "5 second cranking followed by 30 second wait; repeat until pressure is achieved." Yeah, right. Didn't happen, as I'd suspected well in advance, given the circumstances. I'm sure it works fine with a fresh unmolested crater, but...

So, a little research online and I did the $9 Walmart sprayer. Since I'd already gotten the GM drilled and tapped plate for above the filter, I just attached the sprayer with a couple quarts of oil there (which was the only one of the three ports I could get to, anyway). I pumped in one quart and disconnected the primer and attached a mechanical pressure gauge I had laying about. Two five second cranks and I had 30#s. I tried it again to be sure all was good and it was. So, I temporarily left the pressure gauge attached, I reconnected the computer, turned on the fuel (I've an on/off valve before the inline pump). A few cranks to bring up pressure and it fired and ran immediately.

I should have just followed my instincts and done the sprayer/primer to begin with, and saved some angst in the process.